Sidetracked: Part 1 Read online

  NIGHT ASKS ABOUT THE necklace over lunch.

  When I tell her what Ice told me, her surprise lasts only an instant. Then she glances at him, her eyes cool and sharp. He says nothing about it—instead commenting on his omelet—and she drops the subject entirely.

  After that, I answer Ice’s basic questions regarding how things went while he was gone. I talk about the solstice festival and meeting Night’s friends and how nice it was to not pay to do laundry. Honestly, staying here wasn’t nearly as awkward as I expected, and my admission seems to come as a relief to everyone at the table.

  As before, Ice divulges next to nothing about his time spent in Seattle—not that I can bring myself to ask. Then, for better or worse, lunch concludes uneventfully.

  Smoke thanks his sister for the food. She smiles at him, and he retreats to his bedroom. Ice remains seated as I stand to join Night in tidying the kitchen. She seems grateful for the help, but her smile is forced and shallow.

  Is she mad? At Ice?

  He watches us from the table, his expression mild.

  What did they talk about last night? Did they get into a fight?

  To be fair, an argument may have been justified. He ignored both of us while he was gone, and he exercised his authoritative power as my sponsor to sign me up for an experimental program. I thought I was in over my head before, but I have absolutely no idea what’s going on now. And I can’t do anything about it.

  When I’m done helping Night, I excuse myself and leave the great room. I shut myself in Ice’s bedroom. Grabbing my phone from the end table, I sit on the edge of the bed and check my notifications.

  Night is obviously upset with Ice’s recent behavior. I wouldn’t feel bad if she’s chewing him out for what he did right now.

  That’s not very nice.

  I sigh and continue scrolling down my FaceSpace feed.

  Night shared a selfie we took with Carmen during the solstice festival the other day. I don’t know why, but I asked if it was okay, since I’m human and all.

  The question surprised her, and she laughed. She said, “The internet doesn’t care about things like that,” and I guess she’s right because the post received only positive attention. No angry reacts or “Who’s your new friend?” or anything.

  Even so, I don’t think Ice exaggerated the division between humans and immortals.

  Rose has 487 friends on FaceSpace. Only a dozen or so aren’t human. If most of her friends live in Riverview, where immortals make up half the population, that’s nothing. Even more revealing, out of my own 94 friends, Night is the only one with those bright immortal eyes.

  Why is that?

  Do Night’s friends honestly not care that I’m human, or are the reactions positive only because mentioning such things online is forbidden? Does she have friends who were unhappy to see her hanging out with me?

  And now, with the River Sapphire...

  A sound startles me. A knock at the door.

  “Um—” I lock my phone. “Come in?”

  The door opens.

  It’s Ice. He doesn’t step inside, but he does offer me a smile. Warm. Apologetic. And I’m suddenly more conflicted than before.

  “You want a ride home?” he asks.

  “Yes,” I say, flooding with relief. “Thank you.”

  “Of course.” He laughs lightly and turns to leave. “Whenever you’re ready, then.”

  MY HANDS REST ON THE backpack in my lap. We’ve been in the car for a few minutes, and neither of us have said anything to the other. It’s awkward. Part of me is so incredibly frustrated with him. Part of me just wants to spend more time with him.

  We need to talk, though, so...

  Maybe I should invite him inside?

  I could offer him something to drink. Do we have anything besides water? Maybe a few Crystal Light packets. Doesn’t matter. We could sit and talk without Night around. He acts a little off when they’re together—subdued and wry. If we’re alone, maybe he’ll explain more about the program he signed me up for. The...Human Immortal Program?

  At the very least, I can ask about Seattle.

  If he’ll talk to me at all.

  Maybe he’s still tired from all the running around, but his attitude bothers me. Dismissive and uninterested. I don’t like it.

  I feel...weird.

  I touch the River Sapphire. Surely, this means something.

  He wouldn’t have gotten it if he weren’t serious about...being my sponsor, or whatever, right? I’m sure he thought I’d want to join the Human Immortal Program. I’m sure that’s why he signed me up for it—to save himself another trip. But I still wish he would have asked first.

  Ugh...

  The car pulls into the Oakwood Cottages parking lot, and Ice takes Rose’s usual space in front of my building. The engine quiets. I hear him sigh, and I glance up from my lap.

  “I’ll walk you to the door,” he says.

  “Oh. Okay.”

  I fumble to unbuckle my seatbelt with my bag in the way. Ice opens the passenger door the moment I touch the handle. He offers to take my bag while I climb out of the car, and we walk to the front door together.

  I unlock it, but I don’t open it yet.

  Ice returns my backpack, and he smiles, finally looking as tired as he should. “My time at the Seattle regional office was...hectic. It sounds like Night kept you comfortable and busy while I was away, but I appreciate your patience these last few days.”

  Maybe he is willing to talk.

  “It’s been a lot,” I admit. “But it was alright. I had fun hanging out with the twins.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  Okay, this is your last chance, Jayde!

  “Hey, ah—” I pull the front door open. “Wanna come inside for a minute?”

  His expression recovers some of its previous warmth. “Yes. In fact, there’s something I wanted to discuss with you.”

  There is?

  “Okay. Come in.”

  Ice has been inside before, but I’m more anxious this time. Instead of the looming mystery of immortals, it’s the mystery of the Human Immortal Program. I want to trust that he has my best interest at heart, but dang—I still can’t believe he didn’t ask. Even if his trip was hectic.

  “Can I get you anything to drink?” I drop my bag on the couch on my way to the kitchen. “Do you want some, um—” Again, what do I have? “—water?”

  “Water is fine.”

  He takes a seat at the small dining table while I fill a mug with ice and tap water. After handing over the mug, I sit in the chair across from him.

  “What did you want to talk about?”

  “You asked how I was doing while I was in Seattle.” He pauses to take a drink. “I wasn’t trying to be unreasonable by not answering. Truth is, I’m not meant to discuss it in detail.”

  “They told you that?”

  He nods. “There’s only so much I can say about my dealings at the regional office, but I told you everything they told me about the necklace. Sadly, there isn’t much to know.”

  “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. And you said the program is experimental? Not dangerous, though?”

  “Not dangerous,” he assures me with a smile.

  “Oh, good.”

  “That said, I am curious: Have you told anyone about me?”

  Anxiety pricks at me—concern that my past self messed up somehow—but Ice’s demeanor remains casual and unbothered. I hope I’m overreacting.

  “In what context?” I ask, trying to ignore the nagging tightness in my chest.

  He thinks about it for a moment, quiet, his hand still on the handle of the mug. Then his eyes meet mine.

  “Any.”

  That’s not very reassuring!

  “Only my roommate,” I say slowly.

  “Ah. Rose, right?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  He smiles, the heaviness lifting. “As I said, I’m merely curious. I trust you said nothing of immortals to your friend, of
course, but I have one request moving forward: Do try to keep my name out of the ears of other humans.”

  Um...

  “It’s nothing personal,” he continues, his tone bordering on flippant, “but it’s better if they don’t know. Between the secret of immortals and the rather sensitive nature of my parents’ company’s interests, their knowledge poses a potential security risk.”

  “I—”

  Breaking the rules is severely punishable.

  Okay, he has a point.

  After all, I still don’t understand what is and isn’t considered an immortal-related topic, so I don’t know what I can and can’t talk about with other humans—Rose, my family, anyone. What if my innocently vague comments about his secret were against the rules?

  His presentation was a little intense, but maybe I should be more careful.

  So I nod. “I understand.”

  “As for your friend, I’ll let it slide,” he says, his smile wry. “As long as you don’t reveal immortals or provide further identifying details that could connect her to my parents or MonroeWorks Global, feel free to discuss me at your leisure.”

  It’s probably too late for that second part, but okay.

  “What should I tell anyone else if they ask?”

  “Use your imagination,” he says with a shrug. “Give them a fake name. I’m sure you can come up with something to placate any inquisitive minds.”

  He seriously trusts me to do that? Well... I guess there is some benefit to not having friends or a close relationship with either of my parents.

  “I will try,” I agree.

  His expression softens. “Thank you.”

  We sit quietly for a few minutes. Ice drinks his water. I tap my fingernails on the table.

  I want to know what he did in Seattle. I want to know where the Human-Immortal Affairs office is. What it looks like. Who he talked to and what they said. But he was sworn to secrecy. There’s no point in asking, is there?

  “You said Night took you to that solstice festival?” When I nod, he smiles. “Did she bother you much while I was away?”

  “Oh, no. I had fun. She wanted to buy a flower crown for me, but I didn’t want her to spend any more money.”

  “You were concerned about money?” He laughs easily, but his expression quickly mellows, and his hands return to the frosty mug. “Though, that does sound like Night. I don’t understand the appeal of such events, but she enjoys cute things.”

  “I met a few of her friends too. She seems popular.”

  He glances away. “She has many friends, yes.”

  I frown.

  More lengthy silence. Ice’s hand on the handle of the mug. The hum of the fridge behind me. Night’s cryptic warning, and her concern that I learned of immortals.

  “Is she mad because of me?” I ask.

  “Because of you?” He studies my face for a couple seconds, and then he makes a small sound—something between a laugh and a sigh. “No.”

  I tip my head. “But she is mad at you?”

  “She is. I ignored you both during my trip to Seattle. I was rather busy and did not have access to my phone for most of it, but I suppose her anger is not...completely unjustified.”

  “Yeah, I wish you had—I dunno—asked before you signed me up for some random experimental program.”

  “I see.” He cracks a smile, his sharp eyes meeting mine again. “You’re upset with me too.”

  “I guess I was a little upset at first, but I’m more curious now. If the River Sapphire can help me fit in with immortals, maybe things will be easier for me in the future?”

  “That’s the idea, isn’t it? Your understanding nature is most refreshing.”

  I watch him carefully. “You’re just trying to help me, right?”

  “Of course.” His eyes flick to the mug in his hand. “Human-Immortal Affairs has an entire department dedicated to supporting aware and sponsored humans like yourself. A representative I spoke with suggested the Human Immortal Program might benefit you, so I agreed to enroll you.”

  “I still wish you had asked first.”

  He shrugs. “Phones weren’t allowed beyond the front lobby. Your admittance to the program was a last-minute decision made inside. I suppose I could have told you after the decision was made, but I thought you’d prefer to discuss it face-to-face.”

  Is this a better to ask forgiveness than beg permission thing?

  Ugh...

  “Do you wish I hadn’t enrolled you?” he asks.

  “No,” I say quickly. “It’s not like that. It surprised me, but I appreciate the thought.”

  He takes a drink, and then smiles another faint smile. “That’s all I wanted to say, so I should go.”

  “Oh, okay. Well, thanks for talking to me.”

  “Of course.” His smile warms, though it still doesn’t seem to touch his eyes. “Thanks for the drink.”

  nineteen

  EVERY SO OFTEN, A GENTLE weight against my skin reminds me of the River Sapphire’s presence. Light from the window reflects off a few facets and casts tiny, white speckles onto the ceiling.

  Borderline magical properties aside, I’ve never owned such a quality piece of jewelry.

  A one-of-a-kind necklace...

  I adjust the pendant to center it on my chest, take a selfie in the mirror behind my dresser, and send the photo to Rose without context. Her response comes a few minutes later, while I’m sitting on the edge of my bed and scrolling down FaceSpace.

  hello, what is that? (͡◉ v ͡◉)

  Ah... What did Ice tell me about discretion not even two hours ago? Was sending a picture of the necklace a bad idea?

  It’s not like I can hide it from her forever. I’m meant to wear it, and Rose lives with me. I’m sure it’s fine as long as I don’t tell her exactly what it is.

  It was a present, I guess.

  You guess? From Ice, right?

  Yep!

  Wowww.. is it sapphire?

  I think so? Not entirely sure.

  Lab-created sapphire, maybe, but who knows?

  My phone rings. It’s Rose, of course.

  What if she has questions?

  I can’t tell the truth, so my only choice is to weave an even more complex lie. But she’s coming back soon. We live together. How am I supposed to keep all of these stupid secrets forever? First immortals, and now the Human Immortal Program...

  And what if the River Sapphire lets me turn into a cat in the future like it’s supposed to? How the heck will I hide that?

  I take a deep breath. I pull myself together. I sit on the edge of the bed that isn’t nearly as soft as Ice’s, and I answer the phone.

  “Hey, you’re not busy?” I ask.

  “Nope,” she says, chipper as usual. “So, how’d it go? I see you’re home, and you have a prize, so it couldn’t have been bad, right?”

  I laugh. “I guess? I mean, it was alright, but it was weird.”

  “Weird?”

  “Well... I did spend the entire time with his sister because he was out of town. Isn’t that weird?”

  “Sure, but what’s up with the necklace all of a sudden?”

  “Oh.” Um... “It’s probably an apology for inviting me to his house before suddenly leaving me with the twins for three days.”

  A pause. Then laughter. So much laughter. Too much laughter, honestly. I nailed it.

  “What a man,” she wheezes. “Doesn’t he know you’re not a jewelry kind of girl?”

  “I think it’s cute—the necklace, I mean.”

  “The necklace!” She cackles, the sound tickling my eardrum through the phone. “Oh my god, Jayde. When did you get so damn funny?”

  It’s called misdirection, Rose.

  She laughs so hard she loses the ability to speak, and I can no longer restrain my own laughter until she finally calms down.

  Feeling more relaxed than I have in days, I fall back onto my bed and stare at the ceiling. “You know... I really like him.”

&
nbsp; “I can tell.” Her voice is warm and genuine. “Hey, I saw the picture his sister tagged you in the other day. Night, right? You looked like you were having fun. I’m glad. Before you started hanging out with them, I was worried you’d be bored and lonely or whatever. So it’s good to know that’s not the case.”

  “Rose...”

  She laughs again. “It was dumb of me to worry, wasn’t it? I should have known you could take care of yourself.”

  “Well, I appreciate the concern. Honestly. But how are things going in Arizona?”

  Talking to her makes everything feel...normal.

  THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!

  My hair is damp. Beads of water drip onto the sink’s edge as I glare at my reflection.

  I put the necklace on the moment I stepped out of the shower, and I fiddled with it for a while, but nothing happened. No matter what I try, the pendant does nothing but sit below my collarbone and taunt me with its cool weight.

  I groan, finish getting dressed, and leave the bathroom.

  With a glance at the empty downstairs beyond the banister, I dip into my bedroom. I find my phone face-down on the bed, so I sit and scroll through the notifications on my lock screen. There are a couple emails. An article from a news app.

  And...

  FaceSpace

  An event you might be interested in...

  I click the banner, and FaceSpace opens to an event page—an image of a pop-up bandstand.

  Right.

  The first Music@ThePark is tomorrow. Do I still want to go?

  I could ask Ice if he’s interested. After all, he doesn’t seem to have an issue with me, so my personal insecurities are the only thing stopping me from talking to him.

  Ugh.

  We haven’t spoken much since he dropped me off. A text here and there, but—

  Jayde, it hasn’t even been two days.

  What are you so worried about?

  I am definitely overthinking this one.

  With a sigh, I tag myself as interested in the event. Then I text Ice to ask if he’s busy tomorrow and tuck my phone in my pocket.