THE TRAGIC + DIVINE, Book 1 Read online

  “What’s wrong?” he growled, his eyes filled with irritation and confusion.

  “I can’t do this,” I said putting the shirt on. “I’m not ready for this.”

  He opened his mouth to say something but instead frowned. “You’re right. I’ll take you home.”

  CHAPTER

  23

  Milo raced east down an empty I-75 as I held on to him for dear life. Images of demons, snakes, and Priscilla flashed through my mind. And I think I may have angered Milo. I rejected him. Bruised his ego. It was probably the reason he was rushing to get me home. Milo knew he was wasting his time with me; he knew I wouldn’t give him what he wanted. Maybe it was for the best, I tried to convince myself. Maybe it would be better we end whatever we had right now before it went too far.

  I didn’t realize we weren’t on the highway anymore when Milo parked the motorcycle near a dumpster blocking our presence behind MAJOR FOCUS, INC., one of the largest camera stores in Atlanta. The parking lot was empty; it was obviously closed. And I had a nagging suspicion whatever Milo had planned wasn’t good.

  “What are we doing here, Milo?” I asked Milo as he dragged me to the side of the building.

  “Wait right here.” Milo disappeared to the back of the building before I could protest. I chewed on my lip as I looked around hoping there weren’t any cops around. Suddenly, the side door swung open with a loud bang causing me to jump. Milo waved for me to follow, and like an idiot who couldn’t say ‘no,’ I went inside the store with him.

  I scanned the building, my gaze shifting to the surveillance camera hovering above me.

  “I deactivated it,” Milo said reading my mind.

  “Milo, why are we here?” I demanded. “This is a felony. This could land us in prison!”

  “We’re here to shop. An up-and-coming filmmaker needs the best equipment in the business. Pick anything you want,” he said, waving a hand around.

  I stepped back. “No. I won’t steal.”

  Milo took out a pack of rolled hundred-dollar bills from his front pocket.

  “It’s not stealing when you’re paying for it.” He walked over to the front counter placing the cash by the register. “Come on, we only have a few minutes before the security guard returns.”

  “Security guard?” I asked, my voice laced with worry.

  Milo grabbed a black backpack from a display near the cashier then removed the paper stuffing. He took my hand and jogged down the television aisle until we came to a stop in front of a glass display filled with cameras. Behind the glass wall, there was a collection of some of the top DSLR cameras from Nikon to Pentax, the latest Blackmagic Pro 4k—the crème de la crème of film cameras for amateur filmmakers—and staring back at me, the Canon 5D. For many months I’d done my research on which camera I would buy to shoot my experimental films if I ever came across the money, and this was it. It was perfect for me; small enough to carry around to any film shoot, affordable and it had been used in many Hollywood films like Black Swan, Drive, and Road to Paloma. I was literally drooling.

  “Alexis, here.” Milo threw the backpack to me.

  “Why can’t you be like a normal person and come during business hours?”

  “That’s no fun,” he shot me a mischievous grin. “Which one do you want?”

  I pointed at the Canon.

  I opened the glass door to the lens cabinet and stuffed a few Canon lenses inside the bag, while Milo slid open the glass door to the camera display slowly when a small red light turned on activating the alarms. The high-pitched buzz wailed throughout the store assaulting my ears. I froze, feeling the panic rise inside my body as red lights flashed overhead. I backed away frightened at getting caught, even if the items were paid for. Milo grabbed the camera, stuffed it into the backpack and grabbed my hand.

  “Run!”

  We ran back in the direction we came in, but an overweight rent-a-cop blocked the door. My eyes widened with fear at the sight of the guard coming toward us. My feet skidded on the smooth concrete floor but straightened back up as we whirled around and ran in the opposite direction.

  “Stop!” he yelled chasing after us.

  Milo pulled me along toward the front doors. I staggered holding on tightly to Milo’s hand as blue lights suddenly enveloped us. A police car was parked outside calling for backup into his radio.

  We were so screwed.

  Milo cut through the middle of the store, the guard running straight for us, when suddenly, with one swift movement of his hand, Milo fired an invisible beam of energy at the guard who was pushed back landing into a display of DVDs.

  We got on the bike when sirens wailed behind us. Milo pushed his bike going over seventy miles per hour weaving through cars and running red lights. A car screeched to a halt in the middle of the road then honked at us. My breathing quickened. My heart pounded in my throat. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want to go to jail.

  Two police cars were now on our tail and closing in fast. Milo cut into an alley to lose the police officers. He zipped down the empty road and turned sharply into the street with a loud squeal of his back tire. With no obstacles in sight, Milo raced out of Atlanta and into the mountains.

  ☩

  My mother’s Expedition came into view as Milo parked the motorcycle a few blocks down from my house. The lights were out, everyone was probably asleep. Milo accompanied me to the balcony where we stood in silence.

  “That was fun,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I handed Milo the backpack. “I can’t take this. You’ve already done so much for me…” I trailed off.

  Milo pushed the bag towards me. “Just thank me by giving me credit in your movies.” He reached into the backpack and took out a brand-new iPhone. “I figured you could use this.”

  My mouth fell open, then a smile crept onto my lips. “I prefer the walkies.”

  He reached for the back of my jeans and inserted the phone into one of the pockets.

  My face turned beet red. “Milo…what happened earlier—”

  “Already forgot about it,” he replied in a cold, dry tone.

  I nodded, my eyes dropped in disappointment.

  “You better go inside,” Milo said offering a helping hand.

  I quietly opened the door to my room, still bummed from Milo’s cold demeanor, when I heard my mother’s shrill voice.

  “Where were you?”

  I froze then panicked when she came into view. She was sitting on the corner of the room shrouded in darkness. I tried to keep calm as I searched my brain for an excuse—any excuse.

  “I was…working.”

  “Don’t lie to me.” I considered arguing with her, but I knew I wouldn’t win. All I could think at that point was to plead and beg for forgiveness. I was about to open my mouth when my mother held up my sketchpad. Milo’s nude drawing came into view. I dropped my gaze too embarrassed to face her. I was done.

  “Were you with him?”

  “No.”

  “Stop lying to me!” She raised her voice sending shock waves through my body. “Were you with him?” She got up from the chair inching closer to me. I backed away slowly afraid she might actually hit me.

  “The drawing is for an art project—”

  She leaned into my face then smelled my breath, touched my clothes. She noticed my hair was frizzy—a clear sign it had been wet.

  “Did you have sex with him?” My mother’s accusatory tone had me feeling ashamed of something I hadn’t done. I tried to hold back my tears.

  “No,” I let out in a shaky whisper.

  That’s when she threw Milo’s boots on the bed. My face turned to pulp. There was nothing I could say to convince my mother that I didn’t do anything with Milo. Her mind was made.

  “I did not raise you to be so stupid!” She exploded with anger.

  She ripped apart my sketchbook, the pages slowly drifting to the floor. I gasped, crushed, as my hard work lay scattered all over the room. She heatedly stomped around the room ripp
ing my posters off the wall and hurling everything in sight to the ground. The Super 8 Dawn had given me shattered sending broken pieces flying all across the floor.

  “Didn’t you learn anything from your sister?” she screamed harshly.

  I ran into my closet shutting myself in, my hands shook as hot tears streamed down my cheeks. Every word my mother said to me stung. I covered my ears to muffle the loud thumps of my things hitting against the walls. When my mother finally left the room, I heard the balcony door open. I felt a warm hand on my face. Milo’s eyes were soft with concern. I jumped into his arms and buried my face into his chest sobbing uncontrollably.

  “Shh,” he said. “I’m here now.” Milo held me in silence, caressing my hair until I slowly drifted off to sleep.

  CHAPTER

  24

  I woke up the next morning to the high-pitched buzzing sound of a drill. My mother was changing the doorknob to the balcony door and replaced it with a deadbolt. Déjà vu triggered my memory; she did the same thing when Priscilla screwed up. Sitting up on my bed, I felt a rush of frustration and thought back to all the stupid decisions I made that led to this. I understood why my mother was angry with me; I broke her trust. This was my punishment. My room turned into a prison, and it was all my fault.

  “Is that necessary?” I asked.

  “I don’t need you sneaking out of the house while I’m at work. I have too many things to worry about. Teen pregnancy isn’t on that list. Oh, and by the way, you’re grounded.”

  Yep. I figured as much.

  She locked the door with a key, collected her toolbox, then walked past me.

  “How long am I grounded for?”

  My mother stopped at my bedroom door. “I’ll let you know. But for now, give me your keys and cell phone.”

  “What? How am I getting to school?”

  “It’s called a bus.” She scanned the room flipping through perfume bottles and make-up on the vanity, searched through the drawers, and closet. “No more Jane taking you to school, no Julian, and especially no Dawn.”

  Anger boiled inside me. It’s wasn’t fair she was taking my car. She already locked my room, but my car? I worked hard for that car. No self-respected Junior took the stupid bus to school. This was my worst nightmare.

  “No,” I said sternly. I knew I was acting like a brat, but I wasn’t giving in. My mother’s face turned sour.

  “The longer you make me search for those keys, the longer you will be grounded,” she said expectantly with a hand stretched out.

  “Tell me where you sent Priscilla,” I returned, face serious. “Then I’ll give you the keys.”

  My mother’s nose flared, smoke steaming out of her ears. As she continued to search my room, I prodded with questions.

  “Where did you send her? A psych ward? A group home? Is that why she hasn’t come home in years?”

  My mother kept quiet as she entered the closet. The sound of hangers racking back and forth echoed through the door.

  When she exhausted her efforts in the closet, she stumbled onto the night table. Tears threatened to pour out at any moment. She opened the drawer and found the keys sitting inside. I wanted to throw a tantrum, stomp around my room and slam the door shut. But in the end, I’d still be grounded without a car. Goodbye life, goodbye Milo. I groaned as I watched my mother take my freedom away.

  “Your phone.”

  “It’s broken.”

  It wasn’t a lie. Unfortunately, my mother saw the new phone charging on the bedroom floor. She bent over to collect the phone and found the walkie-talkie Milo gave me underneath my bed. I held my breath and hoped she’d leave it behind, it was my only communication with Milo. She admired it for a moment then walked out of the room with it.

  I let out a loud groan and repeatedly punched the pillow. I wasn’t looking forward to school. When I lifted my head, I realized the picture with Priscilla had been moved. It was sitting on the edge of the bed and not on the nightstand where I kept it. How did it get there? I picked it up and quickly glanced at the picture, but something caught my eye, something I’d seen so many times before but never paid any attention to. Examining the photograph, I noticed Priscilla’s faint tattoo on her hand between her index finger and thumb, it was in the shape of a—star.

  I dropped the picture frame. It was the exact same symbol Milo tattooed on me last night. Then an awful thought dawned on me, what if Milo was Priscilla’s boyfriend?

  ☩

  The cafeteria was so noisy during lunch my ears were ringing, and the fluorescent lights above were making my head spin. Dawn kept babbling about Dylan and how he was practically her boyfriend as Julian played with his nails. I sat slouched over the table with one hand on my face, and the other poking holes in the disgusting square pizza. I’d been so mad, I couldn’t eat. All through the first half of school, I stared at the clock watching the day drag slowly.

  The sound of Dylan’s name made my ears irk with annoyance. I listened to Dawn go on about Dylan completely repulsed by Dawn’s obsession over him until I couldn’t handle it any longer. I straightened in my seat ready to tell Dawn the truth, but hesitated. Say it, Alexis, tell Dawn he’s cheating on her.

  “He comes over almost every night, it’s like we’re living together—”

  “He’s using you!” I blurted. Well, that didn’t come out as smoothly as I’d hoped.

  “Excuse me?” Dawn snapped her attention to me.

  “Are you so blind you don’t see he’s only using you for sex?” I saw the hurt in Dawn’s eyes. She turned to Julian who slid to the side separating himself from the conversation.

  “Oh no, you two keep me out of this,” Julian said turning away.

  “You deserve better.”

  “Dylan would never do that. Besides, he’s with me all the time—”

  “Do you ever meet him anywhere else other than your room?” I asked cutting her off.

  Dawn didn’t have to say anything. Her expression said it all. I looked down at my nails unable to look her in the eye. “I saw him, Dawn. More than once.”

  Julian’s mouth dropped open as he shot me a warning glare.

  “Well someone’s jealous,” Dawn snorted.

  “Of what? A nonexistent relationship with an angel who barely calls?”

  “Dylan calls me. Every night, actually.”

  “For what? A booty call?” I narrowed my eyes.

  I was being a bitch. I should’ve ended the conversation there, continued on with my day but I felt Dawn needed to come to her senses instead of living in a stupid fairy tale.

  Dawn scoffed then shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”

  “Has he asked you to be his girlfriend?”

  One look at Julian had me regretting my decision to spill the beans on Dylan. He was so mortified; all he could do was shake his head.

  Dawn blinked then shifted uncomfortably. “Not yet.”

  “He’s using you,” I said again.

  Dawn’s eyes became glossy, my heart sank. There was a burning sensation that crept up my throat, I hated seeing my friend hurt.

  “He’s not using me. We live in the moment, without labels.”

  I rolled my eyes, hard.

  “You think you’re better than me Alexis?” Dawn shot. “You think you’re more capable of choosing the right guys given your track record?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

  “Milo.”

  “What about him?” I growled.

  “You actually think he’s serious about you?”

  I didn’t say anything. Dawn grabbed her bag and ran out of the cafeteria. I felt like a terrible friend. Was she hinting at something Milo may have said about me or done that I didn’t know about?

  Julian shook his head in disapproval. “I told you she wasn’t going to believe you. I bet you anything she’s gonna call him right now to confront him, and paint you as the lying, jealous friend who wants him.”

  “I don’t care. She had to
know.”

  “What’s up with you, anyway? You’ve been moping around all day. It’s depressing.”

  “I got caught sneaking into my room last night.” I lowered my head.

  Julian’s eyebrows rose. “Sorry, girl.”

  Suddenly, the intercom on the wall crackled to life.

  “Alexis Minerva, please come to the principal’s office,” the female voice on the other end said. Behind me, an echo of ooh’s and giggles spread around the cafeteria. I kept my chin forward, head high as I ignored them and made the walk of shame toward the principal’s office. I knew what was coming. I just hoped that whatever punishment I got, Milo was worth the trouble.

  Principal Abraham was on the phone when I arrived. He lifted a finger to indicate I hold on. I sunk in the chair; palms sweaty. After principal Abraham finished, he looked at me.

  “What’s going on with you, Alexis?” he asked. “Your History teacher said you left in the middle of his class and didn’t return. Is this true?”

  Nothing came out of my mouth.

  “First quarter report cards are in, you’ve dropped a few points on your grades.”

  “I’m sorry Principal Abraham, I’ve been distracted.”

  “By angels?”

  My eyes widened. How did he know?”

  “It’s a small town, people talk,” he said answering my question. I remained silent. There was nothing I could do to get out of whatever punishment I was getting. I had no excuses. My distractions—Milo—and family drama had taken over my life. Lately, I've been acting like a completely different person. Something was happening to me, something strange. I was doing things I swore I’d never do. I was gambling, hanging out with angels, skipping school. For the first time in my life, I was afraid of who I was becoming.

  My mind drifted as Principal Abraham laid out the conditions of my punishment. All I could do was shrug as he gave me one week of in-school suspension and revoked my driving privileges for the rest of the year. I was to report after school to the janitor every day for a week to help. My life had officially turned into hell.