I felt like I'd aged 50-years. After finally escaping from that interrogation purgatory, Rhea and I were walking around town. She'd changed from her runway model flair into something a little more innocent. She wore a cute little ivory pleated skirt and a sapphire top. She wore a simple pair of sandals, and her make-up made her look at least old enough to buy a pack of cigarettes. It was a far cry from when I first saw her and thought she was an underclassman.
We'd been window shopping. She wanted to get to know the town where she'd be living. I accompanied her. It was nice. It was sweet. It was just the balm I needed.
Things with Celeste had been so intense that I needed this salve to keep it together. With the type of power that I was beginning to express, it would be all too easy to lose myself.
I didn't mind doing what I needed to do to get my revenge. But that was one thing. This was another. I didn't want to turn into some avenging demon that only cares about hurting her enemies. I wanted to have a life—a real life when all of this was said and done. I'd start by enjoying my time with such a sweet girl.
"Are you having fun, Kyah?" Rhea was smiling at me, but there was a shadow on her face.
"I am. Why?"
"I don't know. You've just seemed preoccupied. That's all. I hope I'm not bothering you."
"Why would you be bothering me?"
"Well, you said we'd spend the day together, but all I've wanted to do was sightsee. You've lived here for so long that I'm sure you're tired of seeing the same old stuff. Right?"
I smiled. "Honestly, Rhea, when I'm with you all of these things that I thought were mundane seem a lot brighter. I'm having a great time. Don't worry. Besides, I wanted to spend the day with you. Not just because you did me that favor. But because I wanted to. Okay?"
Hearing my words removed all the doubt and discomfort she was feeling. This time, her smile was filled with boundless joy. "Great!"
I saw a clothing store and had an idea. "Hey. Let's go inside. I want to buy you something."
She hesitated. "Well…I'm older than you. I should be the one treating you. Not the other way around."
I pulled her in the direction of the store. "Oh, don't be such a downer. Come on!"
She didn't complain again. We entered the store and I pulled off the first pair of jeans I saw and tossed them at her.
"Go try those on?"
"Huh?" She was taken aback by my request.
"What's wrong? Don't know where the changing rooms are? I do. Come with me."
I led her into the back of the store and pushed her into the changing room. When the curtain stopped moving, it was just the two of us in the cramped space.
Her face was flushed. "Kyah. Are we going to do it, right here?"
I blinked several times. Was she serious? "Uh…no. We're not."
She suddenly looked deflated. I fought hard not to laugh. "Oh. Okay."
"Do me a favor though."
"What's that?"
"Take off your panties and give them to me."
"Huh? Seriously? You want my panties?"
"Yep."
"Why?"
"Don't worry about why. Just do it. Okay?"
Her freaky mind was moving a mile a minute. I could hear all of the erotic thoughts floating through her mind. It was enough to make me blush!
"Okay."
I stepped out of the changing room and waited. She came out a few moments later, still in her skirt. She spoke loud enough to be overheard by anyone within a few feet of us.
"The jeans were too big. They didn't fit. Let's go see what else they have." She reached out like she wanted to hold my hand and placed a folded-up piece of fabric in my palm. I smiled and tucked it away in my back pocket. A little souvenir of our first date.
We didn't stay in the store long. There was a cute bracelet that I thought would look nice on her. I bought it for her as a gift.
She gave me a gift. It would only be right to reciprocate.
She wore the bracelet out of the store. She kept glancing at it over and over again. She looked so happy.
**I can't believe she bought me this. It's so pretty. Fuck! I can't wait to eat her pussy later! I'm going to fuck her so hard she won't be able to stand for a week!**
I missed a step when her thoughts were beamed right into my mind. It's not like I didn't know what she was like, but this was still a bit of a shock.
Speaking of shock.
**What the fuck?!**
A few moments later, another voice appeared in my head. It wasn't the sweet timber of Rhea's voice. It wasn't the holiness of Calypso's voice either.
The voice was powerful and cruel. It was malevolent. It was evil.
I turned my head and saw a stock of red hair above a face that was pretty, despite the serious Resting Bitch Face that was going on.
When our eyes met, she grimaced. She looked at Rhea and her eyes brows twitched.
She was surrounded by a few girls from school. All of them were from wealthy families and thought they were above everyone else. I didn't care for any of them.
Lately, Kristi had been avoiding me. I assumed this time would be no different.
I was wrong.
When she saw me with Rhea, she made a B-line straight for us. People cleared a path like they'd all agreed to it in advance.
"Look who's here. If it isn't the little Navajo bitch!"
I truly haven't missed this. What was it about them that made them want to pull apart my heritage and use it against me like it was something to be ashamed of? I love who I am. I love my heritage—both my mother's side and my father's side.
I looked down at her. I'd grown since becoming a vessel. Now Kristi was around 1-inch shorter than me. I held her stare with my own. I wasn't about to be harassed by such a worthless human.
"I'm half-Hopi, you arrogant wastrel. I'm not Navajo."
"Wastrel? Who do you think you're talking to?"
"I'm talking to you. What? You want to take a swing at me or something? Try it. See what happens."
I didn't care how many witnesses there were. It didn't matter. I knew what the outcome would be if she did try to hit me. I'd retaliate by beating her into the ground. All of her cronies would then say that I instigated it. The police would believe them and I'd be up shit's creek without a paddle. But I didn't care. Once I decided to do something, that was it. I'd see it through till the end.
Kristi was aware of her inability to hurt me. She knew that if she attacked, it would probably end badly for her. She didn't want to risk it. If I hurt her in front of all of these people, even if they pretended to have her back, she'd just be chumming the water. Any sign of weakness would be enough to be overthrown. That was the type of world these rich little maggots lived in.
Kristi was Queen B, in part because her family was the wealthiest. But also, because she was the cruelest. Everyone knew not to cross her.
I was the only outlier.
The air was thick as she weighed her options. Rhea chose that moment to squeeze my hand.
"C-come on, Kyah. Let's just go."
**You fucking slut!**
Kristi looked at Rhea with such vehemence that Rhea started to tremble. I stepped between them so Kristi could no longer see Rhea. I was her opponent. Not Rhea.
"So, what do you want to do, Kristi? You want to walk away in one piece, or would you rather I rearrange that bitchy face of yours?"
Upon hearing my threats, her little groupies smelled blood in the water. Either way it went, they'd benefit.
"What's going on?"
At that moment, an officer came walking up. He saw a group of girls looking like they were about to get into a scrap and decided to come and investigate.
When the cop arrived, all the rich little brats quieted down. But Kristi barely even glanced in the cop's direction. Instead, she looked at me with a cold gleam in her eyes.
"This isn't over."
Then she turned and motioned towards her squad. Each of them followed their queen like the good little worker bees they were.
Once they left, the cop told us not to cause trouble and then he left, too.
We were all alone when Rhea pressed herself against me.
It wasn't in a lecherous manner. She was really afraid.
"What was that about?" Her voice was trembling.
"Just some unfinished business. Don't worry. She's on my list. I'll take care of her."
Rhea nodded. "Okay." Her voice was so meek. Although it wasn't my fault, I felt bad about what happened.
"Come on. Let's go grab some lunch. Then we'll catch a movie. I bet you'll feel better afterward."
"Okay. Let's go."
We headed towards a small cafe near the theater. I did everything that I could to get her mind off of Kristi and her belligerence. By the time our food arrived, Rhea was smiling like her usual self.
I couldn't help but think how much I wanted to protect that smile.