The drive back to Hallow Woods took two hours, but finally, within the city limits, Jade sighed and looked out the window of Evie's Camaro at the many trees along the road. Frank, Draco, Alex, Finn and Everett's cars were a bit ahead of them. Zeth's car had turned a few blocks back, and Evie sincerely hoped that Portia Gheist's ordeal would end soon.
"You know?" Evie began, not taking her eyes off the road. "I learned a few things tonight about not judging someone without knowing them. I mean, Anton was a jerk just because he wanted to impress his parents and that opened my eyes a little bit. I mean, I think you and I got off on the wrong foot."
"It's usual for me," Jade said, "Zeth started out being very rude to me, too."
"It's an inside joke but we always say he's heartless." Evie said.
"He's one of the most heartfelt people I've ever met," Jade replied, "I don't understand why you'd say that."
"Because Zeth is heartless, literally. He has an artificial heart in his chest. It's made of gold and it pumps blood through his body with black magic."
"That's good to know in case things get sexy." Jade whispered.
"What did you just say?" Evie asked, and Jade shook her head to snap out of her erotic trance. The car slowed down a bit, almost coming to a stop.
"Nothing!" Jade exclaimed. "Sorry about that. You were just saying how Zeth is heartless and all..."
"I was going to say that Zeth's heart of gold is both literal and metaphorical, because he really is a good guy," Evie replied and continued driving in silence. They passed an abandoned building covered in vines and ivy, as well as an abandoned parking lot. "And we always say that Draco has a heart so big it doesn't fit in his chest, that's why his pecs are so muscly."
"He's adorable," Jade smiled.
"Of course he is, the poison that runs through his veins must be made of sugar."
"But he's a vampire," Jade said, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't vampires supposed to have no blood flow?"
"And aren't you surprised that he doesn't burn in the sun? Please! Monsters are more X-Men than monsters," Evie replied. "The books that they inspired are nothing more than humans fearing the unknown, and a lot of pop culture nonsense in recent times."
"So Draco can have a... You know? Between his legs?"
"Yeah," Evie chuckled. "Yes, he can. Zeth can too." Evie replied nonchalantly, and Jade turned red. So she did hear what she said a moment ago. "Everyone can. But don't get too excited, they're just being nice to you, it's not like you're going to marry them."
"And why are you telling me this?" Jade frowned.
"Because it's obvious you think they are interested in you romantically," Evie looked at her out of the corner of her eye.
"Really?" Jade laughed loudly, "I suppose they haven't told you about the poly relationship they have planned? Didn't Zeth tell you that I was offered a poly relationship with all of them?"
"Wait. What?" Evie glanced at her quickly, then back to the road again. "They proposed you to join the poly relationship?"
"Obviously! Can't you see that they are obsessed with me? Are you jealous or..." Jade's voice trailed off. "Oh Jesus Christ Redeemer! You love one of them!" Evie grunted, and Jade knew this whole conversation was just Evie's envy talking. "No offense but you sound like the typical girl who is jealous of the protagonist in a love story."
"Love story? Is that what you think this is? Yes, you like them, of course, like their millions of fans," Evie rolled her eyes. "All you Mashers see are pretty faces, awesome voices, and abs of steel. But when you see real steel, you are all indifferent, right?"
"Real steel?" Jade gasped. "Wait! You still love Frank! You're jealous of me!"
Evie stopped the car suddenly, making Jade lose her balance and fall against the console. Her mum always scolded her for not wearing her seatbelt, and now she understood why.
"Ouch."
"Listen carefully, Jade. You're just a novelty," Evie told her, narrowing her eyes. "Don't think you're special, okay? You may fall in love and they may treat you like a princess, but it won't last, and when another girl comes along everything will seem innocent but in reality nothing will be and you will only be their best friend, at best!"
Jade frowned, unsure if she believed what she'd heard, even if it sounded crazy. It still hurt and scared her.
No, Evie didn't scare her. What terrified Jade was becoming another girl who would end up far away and without the attention of the boys.
And it would make her life miserable if she ended up with boys who thought it was fun to break hearts and had no regard for her needs.
But she knew, from what she had seen these last few nights, that the boys were not as Evie had just described them.
"You're lying," Jade said, Evie chuckled, "You're telling me that to push me away, but I know them well."
"You only know what you've seen in music videos, concerts, and interviews, Jade," Evie said, obviously furious, though she tried to hide it a bit, "You don't know them."
"Well, you don't either, apparently." Jade almost yelled, "They would never use me."
"I know you'll want to give them your all and they'll trade you for the first girl Alex brings to his room." Evie frowned, "You'll be nothing more than a secret after that."
"You're wrong."
"Listen carefully to 'Black Magic Nights' girl." Evie had a point.
"Yes, but they also have a lot of motivating songs like 'Rise Like A Kraken' you know? A love letter to all the Mashers around the world, a song that tells us that we should not give up!" Jade was already getting very angry, "I've never met kinder people than them, but you? You are So. Fucking. Rude. Who would you trust if you were me?"
"I would trust the person who knows more about pain than love," Evie eyed Jade with annoyed eyes, "I've seen the worst in the world since I was a child, but what do you see? A fairytale? Your own Wattpad story?"
"You don't know anything about love," Jade pouted.
"And what do you know about love, Jade?" Evie laughed.
"More than you! Love is what the boys have done for me so far! Gifts and attention and..."
"Do you really think that's what love is all about?"
"Don't be a hypocrite. Tell me. Why did you hurt Frank if you 'supposedly' love him?" Jade asked.
"I had my orders," Evie replied. "I changed, I wiped the blood off my hands, but there are still hunters out there who..."
"Oh God," Jade covered her mouth, "That means I'm in danger for being near them, right?"
"And it should always be about you. Don't think you're so special," Evie rebutted, "If a Hunter ever laid eyes on you, they'd probably just want you as a hostage to get to the boys."
"Are you telling me that I'm not special?"
Evie rolled her eyes.
"We are all different, but no one is special." Evie said in a low, monotone voice, "Believing we are makes us conformists. Knowing we are not makes us strive to be better."
"Is that your way of telling me you're better than me?"
"I'm just saying your 'dreams' won't come true just because you think you deserve it. Things don't just happen, we make them happen. In this world you have to adapt and improve to survive, or else, you sink believing yourself to be special with the firm idea that the world is to blame for your failures and inaction."
"No, you're wrong," Jade said, "Special people like me don't need to improve or change or make anything happen, because we're special. If you've had to change and improve, sorry but you're not. You're just another average girl with oppressive ideas who wants to please the world and envies people like me." Jade told Evie, fully intending to wake her from her fantasy world. "And if we're talking about 'making things happen' well guess what? I've been there for Zeth and the others all this time while you're off to the bathroom or not even around."
"Of course, Jade." Evie had to laugh, she couldn't help it.
"And what kind of bodyguard are you?" Jade asked through gritted teeth, "Aren't you supposed to just protect me and keep your mouth shut? Or do as I please? Because you're not being Luke Sawyer in any way."
"Oh! Forgive me for not being a bodyguard played by Brant Daugherty!" Evie did laugh loud this time.
"And let me guess," Jade looked Evie up and down, "That 'fitness' body? I'm sure it's because you're desperate to impress someone or because you are afraid of having an average body, right? And the way you act? You probably pretend you are superior because you have self-esteem issues and you want to feel better by looking down at others. And those boots? I think you only like to wear them because... Because... Patriarchy!"
"Oh! You're going to psychoanalyze me now?" Evie laughed, "God. You don't know anything about me."
"I know everything about you because I'm very smart and very mature for my age," Jade said as if it were obvious.
"And who told you that? Your mum?"
"No one's ever told me but I know I am," Jade said, "People like you are oh so easy to read, Evie. You can't hide who you really are from me."
"Oh! You know everything about me, that is so true," Evie said and Jade nodded, "Perfect. So you are very special and I am just average. And boy are you excellent at reading people! Your aimed, took a shot and watched me fall."
"Are you quoting 'Hunter in Disguise' or..."
"Yes," Evie smiled sarcastically.
"Wait. That song is about you?" Jade gasped, and then her cell phone buzzed. She checked it. It was a message from Frank.
She didn't know he had this phone number.
She grumbled and put her phone back in her purse.
Evie took another turn and drove even more carefully into a narrow street.
"I think you and them have a past." Jade said with a grunt, "But you must understand now that if you love them, you would be coming between me and them."
"No. You're the one who's left out of the equation because I got here first," Evie said, taking a quick look at Jade.
"I'm the third wheel then?"
"I didn't say that," Evie chuckled.
"Well it sounded like that. They must have written a lot of songs about you, right? The lyrics of 'Black Magic Nights' maybe? Does the part of the song that says 'We're both the worst of friends, that's why we hide' mean anything? Do you and... Wait. Which of the boys wrote that song?"
"Ok, that's enough. Listen carefully, Jade." Evie said menacingly, "You can believe that you are Bella Swan if you want, I don't care. You don't know me and you don't know anything about my relationship with them. But if they asked you to be a part of the poly relationship, I think only one of the many stupid things you've said so far is true. I don't know them well enough." Evie finished, grabbing the keys from the ignition and getting out of the car.
Evie parked outside the Hallow Inn, gave the keys to the hotel valet and motioned for Jade to follow her.
"Wait, I'm going to answer Frank's messages," Jade said, stopping at the hotel entrance, pulling out her cell phone.
FRANK - Hey, Jade. I have a special surprise planned and I need to ask you a few things. Are you there?
FRANK - Hey, is everything okay?
JADE - Everything is fine, I was talking to Evie in the car and I didn't hear my phone.
FRANK â Hey. Just a question. Do you think it would be romantic to invite a special girl to have dinner here at the hotel?
JADE - Sure! I can hardly contain my excrement!
FRANK - WTF? I hope you meant excitement.
JADE - Excitement! Yes! I meant excitement! Stupid autocorrect!
FRANK - Thank you very much for your reply. I will prepare everything for the date then.
JADE - You're welcome! And thank you for asking my opinion first. You really made me feel special.
FRANK - Sure. Could you please tell Evie about it? Zeth told me her phone broke during the show.
JADE - Sure. I'll tell her that she doesn't need to keep looking after me so that this date goes well and without interruptions.
FRANK - Okay. Please tell Evie the restaurant will be all ours in an hour please.
"Ha! The restaurant will be all ours! How exciting!" Jade said, jumping a little in place.
"What was that?" Evie asked.
"Frank just asked me out on a date," Jade said, all smiles and mockery, "He told me to tell you that you won't have to babysit me anymore and that, in an hour, it will just be him and me in the hotel restaurant."
"Good for you. Can we go into the hotel now?" Evie asked and Jade nodded.
"Sure, let's go."
The interior of the hotel was exactly as Jade remembered it: Very spacious, clean and in sandy tones. From the moment she arrived and Evie offered to go sign for the keycard, Jade was lost in thought.
"Come on, Room 310-A," Evie said, holding up the keycard, with a grunt.
"Hey, but I don't have my stuff for tonight here."
"There's always toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo and conditioner in expensive hotels like this," Evie said, rolling her eyes, "And anyway, Zeth already filled my saferoom with gifts and clothes for you."
"Saferoom?" Jade cocked her head.
"Or at least it was safe before you arrived."
Unbeknownst to them, however, a blonde girl riding a yellow motorcycle outside the hotel was watching their every move.