Page 148 of Devils' Day Party
No matter how I break this loop, that's how my night is going to end: at the Devils' Day Party.
“Yeah? Well, you'd be the first,” Raz says, and then we all pause as the back door opens and Mama Jane steps in, pausing and tossing a critical eye in the boys' direction.
“New friends, Karma?” she asks, smiling as she nods at the teapot on the table. “And can I get you guys more tea while I'm here?”
“We're okay; we have to leave for the party soon.” I'm just sort of assuming here that the guys are going to drive me. Honestly, to them, this is a day like any other day. As far as they're concerned, I'm public enemy number one. But I've got to think positive. I have to assume they're not going to lock me in the cabin tonight. Or the Devils’ Den. “And yes, new friends.” I gesture loosely in the direction of the guys. “Calix Knight, Raz Loveren, and Barron Farrar.”
Swear to god, Jane's eye twitches at the mention of their names. She's heard stories; she's seen me cry. I can guarantee that she isn't impressed.
“Well then, I'll come back and fiddle around in the kitchen later,” Jane says, giving me a look. “If you need any lemon cake, just let me know?”
My lips curve up in a smile.
‘Lemon cake’ is our family safety word. If we're ever in trouble, we can always call and just mention lemon cake, no questions asked. In a situation like this, where the boys could very well be finding some way to drag me to the party against my will, I could just thank Mama Jane and tell her I did indeed want cake. She'd kick the Knight Crew's collective asses to the curb.
“I'm okay, but thank you.” Jane nods and then slips out the back door. A few seconds later I hear Jewel's Foolish Games start playing from inside the art studio.
“Look, I don't care if you and Calix kissed, Raz.” I shrug my shoulders, only slightly unnerved by having all three of them staring at me so intently. The Karma I was before this all started wouldn't have been so calm in this situation. “What I do care about is the fact that all three of you like me back.”
“Says who?” Raz barks with a caustic laugh. “Your weird gay bestie?”
“She's pansexual, but no, I'm sure Luke is more concerned with her yearlong relationship with Sonja.” Raz's eyes widen and his mouth drops open, temporarily shocked into rare silence. “Barron's been drawing me every day since freshman year, Calix wasn't lying last year when he said he loved me, and you've been jealous ever since.”
“Jesus,” Barron murmurs, brows drawing together as he pushes his sketchbook across the table toward me. His dual-colored eyes are intense as he stares me down. “Remember how I told you I wanted to show you something?”
I take the book and then turn it around, flipping it open to images that make my heart throb painfully. Me and Barron, kissing at the Devils' Day party. Me and Barron, in the cave of butterflies. Me and Barron, in the chapel. My throat gets tight as I close the book and pass it back to him.
“How did you know about this?” he asks, gesturing with the sketchbook. “I'm never without it for long, so how did you see it?”
My lips tilt up in a sad smile, but I don't have time to spend the evening explaining the time loop to them. We have to get ready and get to the party. Tonight, we'll do it without lies and guns and blood.
“So fucking creepy that you draw her,” Raz murmurs, but he doesn't deny being jealous.
Calix doesn't deny that he loves me. If he wouldn't deny it at gunpoint, then he certainly can't deny it now.
“Part of me wonders if this is too easy, if you're going to play the worst sort of Devils' Day trick on us and tell us it was all a lie later.” Calix studies me, his full mouth set in a slight frown. His fingers are curled tight and there's tension in his shoulders that I bet he thinks I don't see.
“And you'd deserve that, wouldn't you?” I retort, raising both brows. “So, what do you have to lose?”
Raz stands up and curls his hands around the back of his chair, staring me down like we're in a contest or something.
“Let me get this straight: you want all three of us to take you to the Devils' Day party? Like, as your dates?”
“Would it be so bad? You guys are always hanging out anyway.” I just stare Raz down. What he doesn't know is that I'm not only struggling with my feelings towards all three of them, but I'm drowning in a goddamn time loop. The magic of Devils' Day has really and truly gotten the last laugh from me, the ultimate party trick. So, can I choose one of the three guys I love? Break my heart into thirds, and throw two pieces away? I can't. “But let’s skip Crescent Prep’s party and do Devil Springs High instead.”
