I think I found a new hobby: annoying the hell out of Holly.
“The second thing,” I finally arrived at after smothering the rest of my laughter, “is: no more crystal. I’m only allowed out of that thing once a year, I’d like to enjoy it while I can. At least, until you free me.”
Her brows pinched and she seemed to be debating something. “But where will you go?”
What was this witch on? “What do you mean? I’ll be wherever you and the crystal are. I’m tethered to that thing.”
I’d started to think this was the worst witch in history.
“What’s stopping you from taking the crystal and leaving?”
I squinted, trying to discern if she was serious, but nothing in her expression made me think she was yanking my horns. “You really are clueless, aren’t you?”
Even though I hadn’t intended for it to be crass, her glare indicated that’s how it came across.
“I keep telling you, I’m. Not. A witch.”
My head was about to implode. It didn’t add up. She had to be a witch to be in possession of my prison. Berchtas weren’t so careless about their belongings as to just... lose an interdimensional prison.
Likely this was some kind of trick to get my guard down, but I wasn’t falling for it.
“Anyway,” I shook my head, “do we have a deal or not?”
“We should finalize more details before we agree to anything. Just,” she scrambled to grab her bag once the transport pulled to a curb on the side of a busy road, “stay in the transport. I’ll be back in thirty.”
She hesitated before setting the crystal on the dashboard and then bolted, disappearing into an overly decorated two story building.
Then I was alone. Just me and that stupid crystal sitting there, taunting me.
Super.
****
HOLLY
I felt bad leaving Kye in the transport, but I couldn’t exactly walk into an Evergreen meeting with my (hopefully) new Krampus.
Sliding into a seat, I zoned out. Perry and the others talked nonstop about the winter mixer, her wedding shower—that I wasn’t invited to—and The Bowl’s upcoming gingerbread house competition.
My thoughts were way too stuck on Kye and how he’d teased that I was a virgin.
Jerk.
I mean, I had nothing against virgins. And I don’t even know why I cared. Why did I care? He could think whatever he wanted about me.
But then it made me wonder if he was a virgin.
No. A big no flashed in my mind’s eye. There was no way. He was way too cocky to be a virgin.
What his cocky attitude had to do with his lack of virginity, I didn’t know. Maybe that no one could walk, talk, and exude such self-assuredness around the opposite sex and not know his way around a hoo-ha.
My nether region tingled at the thought of Kye getting down and dirty.
Wow.
I never tingled these days. I fought the strong urge to look down and proclaim, ‘hi vagina, I missed you.’
“Earth to Holly...”
My head snapped up. “I’m sorry, can you repeat the question.”
Was there a question? I wasn’t paying attention at all.
“Someone needs laid,” Perry joked and the others snickered.
Fuck you, I wanted to say, but I awkwardly half smiled instead. I could also add that my ex was a terrible lay and I’m considering swearing off human men entirely.
But that would be a lie. George wasn’t great, but he wasn’t terrible.
Please stop thinking about George, brain.
Besides, I tried not to be a shit human. I’d leave that job to them.
“I was asking about the progress on the Kringle Parade,” Perry said in her fake-sweet voice. “Did you confirm with the local police about the roads?”
“Yes. Everything’s settled. The same two roads will be closed. Just like last year. And the year before that. And the year b—”
“Great!” She cheerily snapped, her left brow raising. When we were kids, I discovered she did that when she was irritated and didn’t want her eyelid to involuntarily twitch.
I was satisfied with that.
“That concludes today’s meeting.” Perry closed her meticulously organized planner. “We’ll meet again next week, Queens. See you all at the parade!”
Couldn’t get out of there fast enough. For two reasons: I was nervous about Kye sitting in the transport alone, and I had to piss like a pregnant woman.
Really shouldn’t have drank all that cocoa before a meeting.
Just one problem...
That.
That pesky compulsion I had. It was so much worse in a public bathroom. Mainly because there was always more than one commode.
I had to flush all of them. Which could get tricky if it were busy. I tried to avoid public facilities if I could, but there was no way in hell I could hold it all the way home.
Bursting through the door, I found an empty stall and did my business.
The door swung open again and multiple people shuffled in.
Great.
“I’ve got the hottest date for Perry’s wedding, girl. You’re gonna die when you see him. I swear it.”
Amelie. Evergreen Queen of ’18. I’d know her chipper voice anywhere.
“I’m jealous,” someone else said. Dasha? “Enri says he’s busy. I’d give my left ovary if I could just find a guy who wanted to spend time with me outside the bedroom.”
No idea who Enri is but, Dasha, you can do better.
Not that I should give advice. I couldn’t stop compulsively flushing toilets and creeping my ex’s social threads.
Which, I’d only checked twice today during lunch hour.
Huh. That was a record low, shamefully.
“Did you see Holly?”
My spine instantly stiffened and I held my breath, like they’d discover their new subject was in the stall behind them.
“Yeah,” Amelie said, and made a pitying sound. “She was checked out the whole meeting.”
“I would be too if my man left me for my cousin.” Dasha giggled. “Can you blame him though?”
“You’re so mean.” Except Amelie giggled too.
“Truth hurts. Perry’s gorgeous. Pity for Holly though. Perry said she hasn’t moved on. They all walk on eggshells around her.”
Pity.
Pity for Holly.
My eyes burned. I hadn’t blinked. Pity was something I couldn’t deal with. I didn’t want people pitying me. I could deal with my problems on my own. Maybe I needed a therapist to help me, but that was my business.
It gutted me to think my family felt that way. It shouldn’t, but it did.
Was it true? Or was Perry spinning webs?
“Wow, what a sad existence. Like, move on already.”
Thanks Amelie. What a novel idea. Hadn’t thought of it.
Not gonna lie... it hurt. Embarrassment and shame shot through me until my hands were trembling and my heart was racing by the time they left.
And as I went down stall after stall, triggering each sensor, I hated myself the whole time.
Pity for Holly.
Pity!
I washed my hands, dried my face since I didn’t realize I’d been crying, and left.
To my complete and utter mortification, Dasha and Amelie were in the hallway, still chatting.
They hushed as soon as they saw me. They knew. We shared a look. One that conveyed I’d been in the room while they were shit-talking me.