Adrienne went to the hallway where Kimmie’s locker was, hoping Kimmie dropped by her locker before her next class. Turning the corner, Adrienne slowed. At first, she was embarrassed at the sight of the couple in the middle of a heavy make out session. They seemed oblivious to the kids filling the hallway, caught up in kissing and petting. Kimmie was pressed up against the lockers, her arms around the neck of a tall, familiar form.
“Jayden?” Adrienne uttered his name before she was able to stop herself.
“Get a room!” someone called.
Jayden flung his head back and laughed, stepping back. “Sorry, babe. You do that to me.”
Adrienne couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. She felt as if someone had hit her.
“You know I love it,” Kimmie purred, glowing happily. She smoothed Jayden’s vest and ran her hands down his chest to his belt. She tugged at it. “Later. Promise.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” replied Jayden in his low, husky voice.
“Jay, c’mon!” Mickey shouted from the hallway behind Adrienne.
Jayden ducked his head to kiss Kimmie lightly, appearing as enamored as Kimmie. Adrienne had seen that smile directed at her before. It was breathtaking, even now, when her heart was shattering.
He hadn’t been serious about her at all. Not about being sorry for hurting her or the second chance. Were the dog tags even real? She gripped them, the cool metal biting into her skin and keeping her anchored in the surreal world.
Adrienne moved behind a group of students, watching Jayden walk cheerfully past her. He didn’t notice her, and she released her breath when he passed. He bumped fists with Mickey, grinning.
Adrienne hurt. Only when he disappeared from view did she realize she was drawing more looks than usual. Frozen with her mouth agape, she didn’t want to know how stupid she appeared. She forced herself to push away her hurt and focused on her task: asking Kimmie to lift the spell.
It was the only reason she had to be here.
“Kimmie,” she said, approaching.
Kimmie glanced up then back, her gaze critical as it swept over Adrienne.
“What? You couldn’t wash your uniform?” Kimmie asked with a snort.
Adrienne ignored her. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“You’re off the team. Sent you an email.”
“It’s not about that.”
“What?”
Adrienne realized she was still holding onto the dog tags. She dropped her hand and drew a deep breath.
“I’d like for you to release the hex you put on me,” Adrienne said quietly. “You made your point Friday.”
Kimmie didn’t respond for a moment, gaze on Adrienne’s chest.
Adrienne glanced down at the dog tags.
“Where did you get those?” Kimmie asked.
“None of your business. I came to talk to you about the curse.”
“Did you steal those from Jayden?”
“Steal? No. Look, Kimmie, can you just –“
“Those don’t belong to you.” Kimmie reached for the tags.
Adrienne slapped her hand away, anger growing. “They were a gift.”
“Jay would never …” Kimmie stopped, her face flushing. She stretched for the necklace again.
Adrienne shoved her this time and then tucked the tags into her shirt.
Kimmie’s gaze flew up to hers. “Give me the tags, and I’ll lift the curse.”
Surprised, Adrienne hesitated. What did Kimmie want with Jayden’s dog tags?
“They don’t belong to someone like you.”
The tags had no value and weren’t exactly fashionable, like the jewelry Kimmie wore. Adrienne couldn’t see the bitchy girl wearing them. Why did she want them, if not to wear them?
Jayden claimed there was a protective spell on them.
“You know what these are, don’t you?” Adrienne asked, frowning.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. As far as I’m concerned, you stole something of Jayden’s, and I intend to get it back!”
“These tags have a protective spell on them. Which means you can’t drop another curse on me,” Adrienne said. “Is that it? You want to do something even worse to me?”
“You’ll be out of the school in a week. The curse I put on your voice will take it away. Forever!” Kimmie snapped. “No, I won’t lift it, unless you give me those tags.”
The deal sounded appealing, especially after seeing Jayden betray her. Adrienne’s instincts were at a roar. She didn’t understand why, but she knew she couldn’t give Kimmie the necklace.
“You realize every curse you put on someone comes back on you threefold, don’t you?” Adrienne asked. “What you did to me will be kind compared to what will happen to you.”
Emotion rippled across Kimmie’s face.
“Your bokor didn’t tell you,” Adrienne guessed. “It’s how black magic works. If you ask a favor of the gods and use their magic to hurt someone, you will pay a price three times what you did to another.”
“No. You’re just trying to manipulate me.” Kimmie snatched something from her locker and slammed it. “It won’t work! I’m not giving you your voice back, Swamp Girl, and I’m never letting go of Jayden!” She brushed by Adrienne.
Adrienne turned to watch her.
More snickering and calls of “Swamp Girl” went up around her.
Any remaining hope she possessed fled, and tears filled her eyes. Her emotions exploded.
She ran, this time with the intention of never going back.
“Adrienne!”
Wanting nothing to do with anyone at the school, Adrienne ignored Tara and kept running. She didn’t stop until she reached the edge of campus then bent over, gasping.
“Jesus, you’re … fast!” Tara said, stopping beside her. “You ever run track?”
Adrienne shook her head and straightened. She wiped away the tears on her cheeks. She wanted to run more but couldn’t catch her breath. Every time she thought of Jayden, she wanted to cry and could barely breathe, because her chest was so tight.
“What do you want?” she demanded, facing Tara. “I’m not coming back, so if you want to call me Swamp Girl or –”
“No, no,” Tara said, rolling her eyes. She straightened out her clothing and touched her eyes delicately to fix her makeup. “Alright. Where are we going?”
“We? Nowhere!” Adrienne whirled and began walking. “I’m going back to Atlanta.”
“Did you even read my email?”
“No.”
“Omigod. What is wrong with everyone?” Tara complained. “I marked it urgent.”
“I really don’t care.”
“I’m trying to help Jayden.”
“He can go to hell!”
“You’re acting like my eight year old sisters. Just … wait a minute, Addy.” Tara took her arm to stop her.
Adrienne pulled away but didn’t move. “What?”
“If you’d read the email” Tara started “you wouldn’t have freaked out. I asked you about the curse stuff because I think Kimmie did something to Jay. He asked me Friday to watch out for you, which I totally failed at. When I talked to him yesterday, he had no idea who you were and wouldn’t shut up about how pretty Kimmie is.”
Adrienne listened suspiciously, uncertain if she could trust anyone at the school ever again.
“I thought it was weird. But what you said this morning makes sense. Kimmie cursed you then she did something to Jayden to make him fall in love with her,” Tara continued. “Right? I mean, it’s possible?”
“Possible, yes,” Adrienne allowed.
“He wouldn’t give you hundred year old dog tags if he didn’t like you,” Tara pointed out, eyes on the necklace on Adrienne’s chest. “I know he liked you, Addy. Even if he didn’t, he doesn’t even know who you are. Like even your name. It’s unnatural.”
Adrienne thought for a moment, not wanting to agree with Tara. She was hurting. She wanted to be angry enough to pack her things and go back to New Orleans, to leave the mysteries of her sister and the dead woman behind her.