Cursed

Chapter Fifteen

Jayden lingered in the dingy, poorly lit hallway outside Adrienne’s apartment. He’d seen the crushed look on her face and wanted to make her feel better. Somehow.

He didn’t know what to say. He’d had the urge to wrap his arms around her, but sensed she’d probably throw him out, if he did. She hadn’t responded to his email, and by his reception at her apartment, she was too upset to talk to him at all.

Not that he blamed her. He should’ve stopped Kimmie from doing whatever she was doing. He definitely wasn’t expecting Kimmie to destroy Adrienne’s singing debut at the school. She’d gone from glowing like an angel to fleeing with tears in her eyes.

He’d failed her. Again.

“Come on, Jay. She needs some space,” Tara called from down the hallway near the elevator.

He went grudgingly. The elevator didn’t look like it was in the best shape.

“You okay?” he asked Tara, pushing the button for the lobby. Her cheek was red and her eyes puffy, as if she’d been crying.

“I’m good.” Her response was unusually subdued.

“What were you doing here?”

“What you told me. Trying to make sure Adrienne was okay,” she snapped. “Except she ended up coming to my rescue, after I helped set her up. Some gangbangers cornered me in an alley. Addy’s friend bailed me out.”

Jayden didn’t have to ask which friend. If it was the same thug he’d found her with the other night, he could see how the rough gang member was able to help his sister. Why on earth was Adrienne hanging out with such a person? Did she really need someone like that to keep her safe in this neighborhood?

A tremor of jealousy went through him. The thug – whoever he was – had been walking Adrienne home the other night and now, defended Tara against gang members. Both were responsibilities Jayden should’ve met but didn’t.

Tara appeared to be fine, if quiet. He was afraid to ask what he wanted to know most: if Adrienne was angry with him.

“I don’t know what Kimmie did to her, but I’m going to find out,” he vowed.

“She cursed her.”

“I don’t believe in that stuff.”

“Adrienne does.”

Jayden glanced at her.

“She said her family is cursed. It’s why her sister was killed.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“She does,” Tara insisted. “I’m starting to think she’s right. Kimmie put a curse on her water to take away her singing voice. She was bragging about it.”

“It’s not real, Tara!” he said impatiently.

The elevator door opened, and they walked through the lobby. Tara dropped the subject, or so he thought. They left the building and crossed the street to his car.

“What if it is real?” Tara asked when they’d both closed the doors.

Jayden clenched his jaw. It was bad enough that Adrienne was hurting. He wasn’t going to humor any talk about the sweet girl believing in something as backwards as voodoo. Then again, Tara had claimed Adrienne read her cards last weekend.

“How do you explain that she has a voice except when she sings?” Tara demanded. “Didn’t you say your grandmama even said she was cursed and attacked her?”

“It doesn’t matter, Tara. It’s not real!” he snapped.

“You don’t want it to be real, Jayden, but that doesn’t make it less true. Kimmie’s done things like this before to other girls, and she’s tried to curse you. It never works with you.”

“I’m sure she just put something in Adrienne’s water bottle.”

Jayden didn’t want to consider Kimmie going to this extent to hurt Adrienne. He’d dated Kimmie for two years and never thought her capable of putting something in Adrienne’s water. But curses? It was a new level of dysfunction, even for Kimmie.

He’d been thinking of his grandmama’s words since the assembly. He was embarrassed to admit that he’d thought about Kimmie’s curse the moment Adrienne began to cough instead of sing.

“I don’t know, Tara.”

“Why would Kimmie’s hexes work against Adrienne but not you?”

He touched the dog tags around his neck. Was there a chance his grandmama was right? If so, were his dog tags the reason Kimmie’s spells didn’t work against him?

Tara sighed noisily. “I didn’t do it, but I feel like I have to help her,” she complained. “She’s afraid of being kicked out of school if she can’t sing.”

“Because of her scholarship.” The seriousness of the situation dawned on him. He’d been worried about her before, but he hadn’t considered that Adrienne might be forced to leave school over the stupid prank.

“Yeah. Hey, can you ask your grandmama for like a cure or something?”

“I don’t know.” Jayden gripped the steering wheel. If he admitted voodoo was possible, was he losing his battle to keep his mother out of its influence?

“Oh! I need to get a new cheer uniform. Can you take me home first?” Tara asked, gaze out the window.

“Yeah.”

Distracted by his thoughts, Jayden drove them home first and pulled up to the front door. He put the car into park with a glance at the time. Assuming Tara didn’t spend an hour changing and putting on new makeup, they’d barely make it before they were supposed to be at the pre-game meeting at school.

Tara darted out of the car and into the house.

Jayden checked his email, hoping Adrienne had responded.

She didn’t.

Did he blame her? Uncertain what to do, he scrolled through his contacts until he found his grandmama’s phone number.

Was he really considering calling her about this voodoo insanity?

Tara was right. It was bizarre that Adrienne couldn’t sing, but could talk and that her voice going out corresponded with Kimmie’s claim of a curse. Couldn’t it be nerves?

No, Adrienne relished the thought of proving herself to the school by singing.

If there was the smallest possibility that a weird curse was behind this, didn’t he owe it to her to help?

After the other day, his grandmama was one of the last people he wanted to call. He set down the phone, his anger remaining from the horrible visit. He touched his dog tags again.

If any of this was real, and if his grandmama was serious about protecting him, he could give his tags to Adrienne. Maybe they would help counteract whatever Kimmie did.

He considered the idea, reluctant to admit magic was real but more concerned about Adrienne. He realized how much he didn’t know about her. He’d been vocal about his view of voodoo, never stopping to consider what her beliefs might be.

She was poor and believed in magic. His daddy would have a fit if he found out how much Jayden liked her. Of course, if she bore a grudge deep enough to write him off or got kicked out of school, he wouldn’t have to worry about it.

He’d failed to protect her twice. He wasn’t going to fail her again. If that meant he broke down and called his grandmama, then he would. He owed her that at least.

Jayden eyed the phone. Finally, he picked it up and dialed.

His grandmama never answered on the first ring but appeared to be waiting for him this day.

“Bonjour,” she answered.

“Hey, Grandmama.”

“Hello, my Jayden.”

He took a deep breath. “I brought a friend the other day.”

“The white zombie,” she said expectantly.

“Her name is Adrienne,” he said, anger bubbling “You know what? This is a mistake.”

“La-tche chatte pousse avec temps. You are coming around. Do you wear your grandpapa’s gift?”

“Yes.”

“Good. She was not the white zombie I expected. I think her sister is the white zombie,” his grandmama said calmly, cheerfully.

“Her dead sister?”

“She’s no dead, Jayden.”

This is crazy. “Anyway, Grandmama, you said Adrienne was cursed. A girl at school put a curse on her. I need to know how to fix it.”

“The girl who curse you?”

“Probably.”

There was a pause. “You bring her here. I will fix it.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You cut off her ear last time she visited,” he reminded his grandmother. “I doubt she’ll be up for visiting again. Can you make … uh, something I can give her?”

“I have her hair, blood and flesh. I should be able to.”

“You kept her earlobe?”

“Of course.”

Jayden rubbed his face and bit his tongue to keep from shouting at the crazy old woman. What was he thinking, calling her about Adrienne?

“I’ll come out Sunday,” he forced himself to say in a measured tone.

“You know, Jay, you are the hundredth firstborn in our House.” She paused thoughtfully.

“And … what?” he prodded.

“You are not cursed and she is. Your pasts are linked, and so are your futures. Do you not see it?”

“I don’t want to know, Grandmama,” he said, at the end of his patience. “I didn’t want to call you and I don’t want to see you after what you did to her. But she … believes in this stuff, and that’s why I’m talking to you.”

“I understand, my prince,” she said in a hushed tone. “One day, I hope you will come to understand all that I’ve done.”

“Let’s get through this weekend first,” he said. “I’ll see you Sunday.”

“Very well, Jayden.”

“Okay, so I’ll call before I come up. Have a good weekend.” He hung up.

He felt like he needed a shower at the mere thought of going into his grandmama’s freakish shed. He didn’t even feel badly this time at the odd sorrow in her voice. He was done with his mama’s family after this weekend.

The reminder of why – and who – he was doing it for eased some of his revulsion.

Adrienne was too upset to talk to him today. Tara was right. He’d give her some space then find her tomorrow. After all, he knew where she worked. He’d drop by to check in on her.

Tara reappeared five minutes later, still wearing Adrienne’s clothing. She had a backpack slung over one shoulder and her makeup case in hand. She opened the door.

“It’ll take me forever to get ready!” she complained, dropping into the car. “Drive slow, Jay. People can’t see me without makeup.”

He snorted. She was pretty either way, but he was in no rush to get back to school. Not until he’d cooled off a little more.