Tommy
We swagger into Rollerland like we own the place, snagging a table right by the pinball machines.
The room is dim, save for all the flashing, and colorful lights.
Everyone’s skating in endless circles around a disco ball in the middle of the floor.
The music’s so loud and upbeat, it’s starting to make my skin crawl.
Who the hell listens to this shit? No guitar at all, which is criminal.
Remy disappears somewhere with Lucy, and Talia lets go of my hand as soon as we walk in, grabbing her skates at the counter. I walk to a table and sit and sulk, telling her roller skating is for losers.
I didn’t want to come tonight; I’d much rather jam around the fire, but Talia’s obsessed with appearances, almost as much as she’s fascinated with studying death.
I’d look guilty as sin if I didn’t show up tonight, so here I am.
Praise Jesus.
I close my eyes, enjoying the weed Bax made me smoke in the Shaggin’ Waggin’ before we came in. The buzz is going right to my head.
I’ve been wired and jacked up all day from what I did yesterday. Not guilt per se, just numb as I’ve been for months.
I’m still not used to all this—the darkness and legacy.
Talia thinks I’m weak, but she doesn’t realize I’m not as fragile as I seem. Everyone hospitalized and affected by the fire will have a different perspective on things now.
I appreciate the philosophy. They survived the other side of death. That’s not nothing…
I stand up and push my way to the concession stand to grab a soda since every one of these goddamn campus-sanctioned events are dry.
I slurp the soda down in one gulp and stand, watching this circus with my arms crossed and a scowl firmly planted on my face, wondering where the hell my friends went.
Cindy skates by me in her short skirt and smiles, but she keeps her distance.
Cindy won’t come near me now that Talia’s laid claim on me.
And Cindy is exactly who Talia has set her sights on tonight.
Or rather, the Sigma, aka the Jesus freaks.
Cindy is dating their current president and was dating him when Remy and I had our way with her.
I catch a glimpse of Bax wobbling erratically, his hair flying back, before he vanishes again as small arms suddenly encircle my waist.
She twists me around, and I catch her spicy scent. Her dark eyes twinkle up at me as she presses a pair of skates into my chest. “Come on, pretty boy, don’t look so excited. Lace up. I want to dance.”
My lips quirk as I gaze down at this onyx beauty. A year ago, I’d be the happiest guy alive having Talia Vital in my arms.
She’s sexy, dark like a phoenix.
But I can’t stop thinking about Didi. The sight of her broken body, shoved into the well that night, is burned into my memory.
I see her everywhere—in my dreams, walking on Main Street, in the woods, and yesterday at school, staring at me before I lit the match. It’s like she’s haunting me. Terrorizing my dreams with her beautiful soul.
Despite not wanting to, I lace up, and Talia and I join the hordes of people skating around, holding hands as ABBA comes on the speaker.
“Try not to look so miserable, Tommy,” she says through a smile. She spins in a sexy circle and grins at me. I grab her by the hips and pull her into me before pressing a kiss on her forehead.
Damn, she looks good in her denim outfit.
Bax rolls up, his hair flowing like the wind as he glides over to me with his arms wide and head hung down like he’s Jesus. He looks up, a dumb grin plastered on his face, and a few people give him awkward glances as they skate past.
“These skates are so tripped out. It’s like I’m floating on a cloud, man.”
I chuckle. Bax just refuses to fit in. He argues that conformity is for those with limited perspectives. He and Talia are inseparable, like rain within a cloud.
This whole scene is about love, free expression, and flower power…and, of course, peace. It sounds lovely, but we are clearly out of place here. I wouldn’t know what peace is like, not with the darkness I grew up in.
Cindy skates past again, holding hands with her Jesus Freak boyfriend. She put this whole event together to raise money for the church.
She stops in front of us. “Talia, Tommy. So nice of you to come.”
I give her a salute, and Talia’s gaze lingers on her. Her eyes flicker just as a couple of other douche bags from her graduating class roll over to us, and Talia clams up and tilts her head as they pass. They were Daniel’s friends.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Talia retorts.
“What are you up to, naughty girl?” I ask, pulling her into me as we roll forward.
“Why do you always think I’m up to something?” she asks, leaning her back into me.
I nudge my lips to her ear. “Because you usually are.”
“Come on. Let’s skate.” She saunters off ahead.
She’s definitely up to something. This is the third event of theirs we’ve shown up to, and each time we are on our best behavior, which means Talia probably has something nasty planned.
Talia’s been gunning for Cindy for as long as I can remember, and especially since she found out Remy and I were with her that one night. But recently, I’ve been thinking her hatred runs deeper than that. She can’t be that mad about us hooking up with her. She and I weren’t even together.
Lights flash everywhere as we join the flow of people skating around. I get lost in the flurry of people.
“Hey, Tommy!” two girls say, zipping by. “Great race the other day.” I give them a nod, running a hand through my shaggy hair. I have no clue who they are since they are gone in a flash—a blur of sparkles.
Lost in the buzz of drugs and the sight of girls in tight outfits, I can barely focus. Suddenly, a jarring impact snaps me back to reality as someone slams into me from the side.
Whoever it was jolts back and falls on her ass. It’s dark, and I can’t get a good look at her—
Dammit, I hit a girl.
“Hey, are you okay?” I lean down and pull her up because I’m a nice guy, and I can’t help but stare at her ass. It’s a really nice one. She grabs my hand and wobbles before she falls into me, and I hold her steady to make sure she doesn’t fall again.
She’s in my arms, and I know it’s her. I remember every inch of her as the world catches fire around us. My stomach drops as I stare at the girl I saw yesterday beyond the flames. She blinks, and I squint as she steadies herself and looks up at me with those innocent, sweet, white eyes.
White eyes.
I might throw up.
She pulls herself away from me and rolls back a couple of inches. “Hi, Tommy.”
My heart melts, but just for a moment. Then I remember burying her, believing Father Malcolm was the one who killed her. The devastation I felt and all the lies that followed.
“What…what are you doing here?” I manage to mumble out.
Her eyes twinkle… She knows. Damn, she knows everything.
“Holy shit,” a voice echoes from beyond, and Bax rolls up beside me. “Is that…?”
Didi darts her gaze to him. A shadow flashes over her face, and they share a moment of recognition before Bax turns white as a ghost. “Jesus.”
“Hi, Bax.”
I take a better look, taking in her slight frame, dark auburn hair, and killer outfit, complete with the cat eyes I’d always loved. Her eyes are the only remaining proof of her condition, and they glow like heaven on earth.
As if she could ever hide herself from me.
I stand awkwardly, weighed down by guilt under her scrutinizing stare.
A devious smile plays on her lips. “I don’t know why the two of you are so surprised to see me. I’m a student at Kinsmen. You knew I always had plans to go here.”
I stare at her, completely dumbfounded, and my palms start to sweat. She sways to the side, and my eyes rake down her slender body—taking in the hug of her jeans, the curve of her breasts, her smoky eyes and dark hair.
I’m screwed.
I always thought Didi was the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. Now I’m certain she is. She has confidence I always knew was there and hatred in her eyes I wish she didn’t have.
Talia believes I murdered her. Remy’s the only one who knows the truth, and we made a pact. Honestly, this is the absolute worst possible situation.
I try to play it cool. “The semester started months ago. How did I not know you were back?”
“I guess you weren’t looking very hard,” she says, and all the pain comes flooding back.
I had mourned her. This ain’t right. I run my hand through my hair, my heart skipping every other beat. Was she here the entire time? And if so, then who the hell was in that well?
The whiz of people circle us, and Bax stands beside me, awkwardly staring at her. I wish he wouldn’t look at her like that. “Beat it for a second, Bax.”
He nods, understanding the importance of this moment, and buggers off, leaving me alone with her. Didi and I stare at each other for a few seconds. Neither of us says anything until finally, I break the silence, grabbing her hands.
“Didi…I can explain.”
She yanks her hand away, and I stare down at her. There’s a blaze in her eyes I’ve never seen before. “I…I go by Rose now,” she hisses.
She’s still wobbly and almost falls again. I reach out and steady her as she stumbles toward me, grabbing my waist to keep her roller skates from sliding out from under her.
“Nah,” I whisper, savoring her in my arms. “You’ll always be Didi to me.”
She softens…almost. Time seems to still as she turns to look at me with the hurt and pain pouring out of her. I release her just as Talia and Remy skate up to us.
“Who’s your friend, Tommy?” Talia asks, skating around Didi like the apex predator she is.
“No one. I just bumped into her.”
I lock eyes with Remy for a moment before he shifts his attention to Didi. The two of them watch each other as he assesses the situation. If he recognizes her, he doesn’t say anything.
Talia’s eyes gleam as she stares down at the spot on Didi’s hip where my hand was.
“She looks like someone to me.”
Remy crosses his arms. His dark hair falls into his face, and I see the exact moment recognition hits him.
Something passes between them. I don’t know the depths of what those two have together. I’ve never even seen them interact, but the intensity between the two of them is so strong, I can taste it. And seeing it hurts my soul.
Didi looks awkward as Talia skates in front of her. “I’m Talia, Tommy’s girlfriend, and you are?”
Didi’s eyes dart to mine, remnants of the shy girl I loved. “I’m Rose.”
My insides sink as Talia darts her eyes to me and arches her brows. “Rose,” Talia repeats, elongating her name, amusement playing in her eyes. “You have strange eyes, Rose.”
I’m a dead man.
I wrap my arm around Talia and pull her close. “Come on, babe. Let’s get outta here.”
“Sure. Let’s get outta here.”
I wish I knew what Talia was thinking.
She wraps her arm around me, and Didi watches every motion, her eyes lingering on Talia.
Diana pauses, then says, “I…I have to go. See you around, Tommy.” She glides away, seemingly without a problem. Talia and Remy watch me as Bax skates up.
“Rose?” Talia whispers, arching her brows.
I swallow a pit in my throat. “I’ll explain later.”
“Save it, Tommy,” she snaps and turns her attention to Remy, who looks just as nervous and confused as I do.
The three of us are at a standstill.
I’m beginning to suspect Didi’s more dangerous than all of us put together. And now, Talia realizes it, too. Sweat drips down my brow as I wrap my arm around her.
Talia breaks the silence. “She’s the one.”
Remy and I exchange glances, and Remy says, “You don’t want her, Talia, trust me.”
“No, Remington,” Talia says with a dark look in her eye, “she is exactly who I want.”