The Mephisto Mark: The Redemption of Phoenix by Trinity Faegen

Author:Trinity Faegen [Faegen, Trinity]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 18046744
Publisher: Pink Publishing, LLC
Published: 2013-09-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

~~ Mariah ~~

All the comfort Phoenix had given me about Viorica flew right out the window as soon as she walked into my room. Tonight, not only was she wearing her fake smile, her sweater was inside out, and her ponytail was crooked. I suspected she’d just come from Key’s room, and while I didn’t want to think about why her clothes were on wrong, I noticed she had puffy eyes. She’d been crying. I hoped Key was kind and helpful to her. If I ever learned he wasn’t, I’d hurt him. I wished I could be helpful, but she was determined to treat me as an honored guest who was set to leave soon. She had no clue what had happened in my life since Sunday night, but she’d know soon enough, and for now, if it made her feel better to think of me as a guest on holiday, what was the harm? At least I was one less worry for her.

And she was extremely worried. She took a seat on the chair opposite mine and instantly began picking at the tear in her jeans.

Mathilda had walked in right behind her, bearing hot cocoa and oatmeal cookies, clucking as she set the tray on the desk. She stood straight and folded her hands in front of her apron while she said to Viorica, “I won’t be easy until you are here with us for good.”

“Just over a week to go,” she said as the hole became an inch bigger. “Thank you for the hot chocolate.” She beamed at me. “Mathilda’s cookies are to die for.”

“I know.” I’d eaten my weight in them yesterday after snowshoeing.

“Enjoy yer visit, girls.” Mathilda disappeared.

“I can’t stay long,” Viorica said, waving away the plate of cookies when I offered it to her. “I have a ton of homework.”

“Why does doing homework matter if you’re about to leave the real world?”

She shrugged and sat there stiffly, picking at that tear. “I can’t help myself. It’s a compulsion to do what people expect of me, and my dad thinks I’m going to Yale in the fall. He wouldn’t understand if I blew off school. Besides, slacking isn’t who I am. What about you, Mariah? Do you intend to go to college?”

I lied like I was born to it. “I’m saving to enroll at university next year. I’d like to be a doctor. A pediatrician.”

She lied equally well. “How wonderful! You’ll make an exceptional doctor.”

I decided I hated this. I wanted to have a real relationship with her, and all the subterfuge was driving me crazy. For a hot minute, I considered fessing up.

But I didn’t. I went along with her rambling, surface, pointless conversation for another painful twenty minutes – and ate the rest of the cookies – and when she stood and said she had to go, I hugged her more tightly than usual.

“Is everything okay?”

I clung to her. “I love you, Jordan.”

Surprising me, she squeezed me so hard, my breath came out in a whoosh.

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