The Ember In The Dark novel Chapter 34

Fuck! If I get suspended then Ash will know something happened. He'll get mad and I'm not supposed to let that happen. My first day in trying to keep him safe and I fucked it up. Why am I still such a fucking failure?

Tears started to stream down my face as I walked toward the principal's office. I could feel Dex approach me from behind, but I didn't care. I was too upset with myself to care right now. What am I going to do? How can I keep this from Ash?

"Hey." Dex's hand wrapped around my bicep and turned me towards him. His stupid smirk fell when he saw my tears. "Oh come on. You're not actually upset that you got in trouble." He sighed.

"No. I've got bigger things going on in my life. Being suspended will only make those things worse." I couldn't help the tears that continued to slip from my eyes relentlessly.

"Woah, calm down." He seemed different suddenly. Like my crying was making him uncomfortable. "What if I just get the principal to give you detention instead?" He offered.

That would be amazing, but what's his play here? I eyed him suspiciously, the tears easing their tournament on my face.

"Why would you do that?" I narrowed my eyes on him.

"Because I hate seeing girls cry. Besides then we'd be stuck alone in some room together for a week." He winked at me with that playful smirk returning.

"Why do I feel like there's more?" I didn't trust him one bit.

"Clever as always. I've gotta take advantage of that desperation. You have to come with me Sunday for 3 hours with no questions asked."

"What? No! No way!" I shook my head. Alone with him for 3 hours no questions asked seemed like the opposite of a good time.

"What if I said I promise not to mess with your head for those 3 hours?" He gave me a cheeky grin.

"Like I'd trust that." I rolled my eyes, continuing my stride to the principal's office.

"I'll give you crimson kelp." He yelled after me.

I stopped walking. I heard about crimson kelp. When trying to figure out a way to get Dex not to enter my head. Crimson kelp can be taken to block a siren's abilities. It can only be given to you by a full blooded siren though.

"Are you serious?" I turned to face him.

"So you know what it is? Smart Ember." He sang. "Yes, I'm serious and if I don't give it to you Sunday you can call off the deal." He added.

This would be perfect. I am just having a hard time believing him yet alone trusting him. I need to keep Ash safe though. He can't get upset right now.

"Fine." I reluctantly agreed.

"Perfect." He smiled real big.

He held the door open for me and we walked in seeing the principal mad. As promised Dex manipulated the principal into giving us detention for the week instead. I'll tell Ash I got it for telling off Dex or something. That would probably make him laugh at me. We left the principal's office right as the bell rang.

"I'll see you after school for detention." Dex whispered into my ear as the halls started to fill with students. I shivered.

"Ember!" I heard Ash's voice down the hall and I froze for a moment. I need to get better at acting. "Was that Dex just now? Did he mess with you?"

"Not in the way you're thinking." I shook my head.

We walked toward the cafeteria and I told him what happened with Josh and how I told Josh off and he switched with Dex. Then I told him about how Dex messed with me. I didn't tell him about the kiss on the neck, or the punch. I just told him that I yelled and cursed at him real loud.

"So I have detention for a week after school. You'll have to go home without me this week. I'm sorry." I gave him sad puppy dog eyes. He shook my hair with his hand.

"Let me know if he bothers you anymore. I'll beat the shit out of him." Ash promised.

"I can do that myself now." I protested.

"But that's my job." He sounded hurt, like I was taking something from him.

"Okay, we can both beat him up." I laughed, feeling a bit normal with him.

We grabbed our food and headed outside to meet Toni and Rachel. Ever since Toni defended me to Micheal he has been sitting with Rachel and us. He was pushed to the side of his friend group. I think he understands the pain of fake friends all too well.

Speaking of, Josh was sitting in the circle like nothing had happened. I guess he has more claim to this friend group than I do. He was their friend first. I walked over and tapped Toni on the shoulder.

"Come eat with me?" I asked him, signaling to the empty blue table in the corner. He looked confused at first, but nodded his head and followed me.

Ash, Toni and I sat at the table and Ash told Toni everything that happened. He stared at Josh harshly for a moment. His eyes softened as he stared back at me.

"I'm sorry about Josh. I know that hurt you." He rubbed my hand gently, successfully comforting me. I just shook my head.

"Better to know now than later." I sighed.

"You know Rachel is going to be upset that you didn't sit with her." Toni smirked thinking of Rachel's upset face. It was kind of cute and funny.

"I figure she'll forgive me once she knows what's wrong." I assured him.

"More than likely she will try to fix things between you two. Don't let her make you do anything you don't want to. You can tell her no." Toni was worried about me.

"Got it." I giggled. Rachel is a force to be reckoned with or so I'm learning.

I didn't want lunch to end because I knew when it did I would have to tell Toni about what really happened with Dex. I also need to tell him about what's happening with Ash. He could help me, help him.

"Hey look Micheal is eyeing you." Ash pointed in the distance to an upset Micheal. "I think he's still mad you punched him."

Toni shrugged his shoulders, not really caring at all. I was happy to have such an amazing mate. He wasn't quick to anger and he didn't hold grudges. Toni is respectful and kind despite the way he's treated.

"I'm not really worried about him. He's just a weak, insecure human." Toni shook his head and Ash laughed.

"Very true." Ash nodded.

We all finished eating and talked for a bit before the bell rang. Ash gave me his big bear hug, that tugged on the strings of my heart. He left and Toni and I got up from the table.

"I need to talk to you." I sighed. "It's stuff about Dex and Ash."

"Um, yeah okay. I'm all ears." He was concerned I could tell by the way his eyes examined me. By the way his hand held mine a little tighter.

"I didn't tell Dex off, I actually punched him in class." I scratched the back of my neck nervously.

"You what? Why? Not that I'm complaining." He was actually smiling, but he probably won't be for long.

"He was messing with me and I got mad and punched him when he wouldn't stop. He didn't manipulate me at least." Toni nodded his head. He could tell I had more to say. "Before I tell you this next part, I need to tell you what's happening with Ash."

I started telling Toni about Ash and what was happening. All the while tears silently streamed from my face. I still couldn't help the sadness etched in my heart for my twin. The more he pretended to be happier the sadder it made me.

"Ember, I'm so sorry. Of course I will help keep an eye on him. Is there anything else that I could do to help?" He wiped my tears away while he talked. His skin against my own soothed my aching heart.

"Not unless you can filter magic or create a barrier." I sighed. "But thank you."

"So tell me what does this have to do with Dex?" He brought the topic back to where we started.

"I didn't tell Dex about Ash, but I was crying on the way to the principal's office. I told him that suspension would just make life harder for me. He offered to manipulate the principal to give me detention for a week instead. He and I will have it together. Which I know is why he did it." Toni tensed for a moment, calming himself down before he spoke.

"You need to be careful now that you'll be alone with him and the detention teacher. She tends to fall asleep during detention and he knows that." Toni warned me.

"That's not all, Toni." My cheeks burned with shame and embarrassment as I thought of my deal with Dex. "He would only do it if I went with him somewhere on Sunday for 3 hours, no questions asked."

Toni was losing it, I could tell. He didn't want this for me. Hell, I didn't want this for me. I was stuck at the moment and Dex knew it.

"I'm sorry, Ember. I'm trying to stay calm but Dex is such a clever shit." His hands were clenched into fists at his side.

"He did say that he would give me crimson kelp on Sunday so he can't manipulate my mind." I tried to soothe him a little.

"You think he actually will?" Toni snapped. "Sorry. I swear I'm not mad at you at all."

"I know, you're mad at Dex. I don't trust him at all, he did say that I could call off the deal if he didn't give me Crimson Kelp on Sunday." I assured him. "I will beat the shit out of him if he tries anything Sunday."

"I'll follow you just in case." He told himself and me, trying to make himself feel better. "I'm sorry you're dealing with so much. Explains the warm embrace this morning." He smiled.

"Can we do that again?" I could use another tight embrace.