Chapter 64

Celeste

The warm afterglow of the confrontation with Sabrina left an odd mix of emotions bubbling inside me. The college quad, with its students lounging on the grass and chatting amiably, felt like a surreal backdrop against the internal tempest that raged.

“Celeste,” Fiona began, her voice hesitantly optimistic, “I really, really hope you’re not planning on listening to Sabrina.”

I swallowed, unsure of what to think. Sabrina’s proposal had sinister undertones, but it also made sense. And if she was telling me all of this purely so she could have some entertainment, it was a risk I was willing to take.

“I… I don’t know, Fi,” I murmured, shaking my head. “It… might not be the worst idea ever.”

Fiona glanced sharply at me, clearly taken aback. “You can’t be serious. This is Sabrina we’re talking about. She probably just wants to set you up for a big fall, and laugh her wicked head off while she’s at it.”

But I shook my head, my brow furrowed in thought. “Look, I'm not saying that either of us should trust Sabrina. But the plan she laid out? It might not be half bad.”

“Celeste,” Fiona grumbled, passing her hand over her face, “you’ve gotta be joking…”

“Just hear me out,” I said. “I could… wear something form-fitting or a dress underneath baggy clothes and change in the bathroom. I wouldn’t even need to switch more than once or twice to get a reaction from Matt. Just to see how he feels about... both of me.”

Fiona shot me an incredulous glare. “It sounds utterly ridiculous when you say it out loud,” she said.

Fiona was right: it was ridiculous. But I couldn’t deny the sly grin that was growing across my lips. “Yeah, maybe,” I said. “But isn’t a little bit of ridiculousness exactly what we need right now? Besides, it’ll make this end more quickly. Didn’t you want that?”

Fiona sighed, her anxiety clearly bubbling to the surface. “I guess I did,” she said. “And maybe you’re right. But Celeste, Jack will most likely be there. If he even gets a hint of what's going on, it would be a disaster. For everyone.”

I let out a deep, exasperated sigh. “You’re right,” I said, then suddenly had an idea and gave Fiona a quizzical look. “Unless…”

Fiona’s eyes went wide and she was silent for a moment, considering my implication. I wholly expected her to refuse and scorn me again for even considering Sabrina’s idea, but her smile eventually took on a conspiratorial tone.

“Fine,” she murmured, shaking her head in disbelief. “Leave Jack to me. I can ensure he’s distracted enough not to notice your little performance. Plus,” she added with a smirk, “we underestimate the power of a crowded party. Everyone’s going to be way too absorbed in their own drama to notice.”

I nodded slowly, contemplating. “You’re right,” I said, then paused, looking at my friend. “Is this insane?”

Fiona nodded. “Absolutely.”

…

The golden glow of the living room lights warmed my face as I stepped inside.

My thoughts were a whirlwind, still reeling from my encounter with Sabrina and Fiona’s surprising support of the ludicrous plan. I had hoped for a quiet evening, a brief respite from the drama.

Yet there was Jack, sprawled out on the couch, bringing a fresh wave of anxiety.

Every part of me wanted to avoid the conversation I knew was coming.

“Where have you been?” he asked, sitting up.

“Class,” I replied as I kicked off my shoes and set my backpack down by the door. “Just like every other day.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed momentarily, but for the first time in weeks, I was genuinely telling the truth. As soon as classes had been over for the day, I came straight home.

“Fine,” he said. “What’s for dinner?”

I shrugged, making my way over to the kitchen. “Spaghetti?”

Jack grumbled out an affirmative response, and I got to work cooking dinner. The process of boiling the pasta, cooking the sauce and inhaling the sweet scent of tomato mixed with herbs and spices served as a balm against the tumultuous past few days.

By the time dinner was on the table, though, my anxiety had returned.

Jack was silent for some time, poking at his spaghetti with his fork. Finally, lifting his gaze to meet mine, I sensed something behind his eyes. Trepidation.

“Hey,” he said, clearing his throat. “Did… something weird happen last night?”

Trying my best to hide my guilt over slipping him two sleeping pills so I could sneak out to see Matt, I shook my head, furrowing my brow in mock confusion. “No,” I said. “Why?”

Jack shrugged. “Must have been a dream,” he said. “I passed out pretty early. Thought I said some weird stuff in my half-asleep state.”

I thought back on Jack’s sleeping-pill-induced delirium from the night before. He had said some pretty strange things; he had mentioned werewolves on more than one occasion, referring to my mother as being one.

It was weird and somewhat unsettling, his sudden obsession with werewolves. But, chalking it up to a recent movie or a book he had been absorbed in, I had decided not to worry too much about it. I had given him sleeping pills, after all.

“No,” I said, shaking my head as I twirled my spaghetti around my fork. “I don’t remember you saying anything.”

“Really?” Jack asked, cocking his head slightly. “You don’t remember… anything?”

I shook my head once again. I hid it well, but had to admit that I felt somewhat perturbed by his insistence on the subject.

“Nope. You fell asleep and I went up to bed. If you did say anything, I wasn’t down here to hear it.”

“Oh. Okay.” There was something strangely thoughtful in my brother’s response, almost as though he was relieved. Maybe he was embarrassed about the idea of saying something about werewolves, especially if he was reading or watching something that was a guilty pleasure.

But the way he fell silent after that, thoughtfully staring down at his plate, filled me with a strange sense of unease. I wanted to know why he was acting so differently, but I decided not to. One thing I had learned from living with Jack was that it was better not to ask too many questions or put him on the spot.

“By the way,” Jack finally said after another long silence, this time sounding more firm. “There’s a party at the cabins tomorrow night.”

“Oh?” I raised my eyebrows, feigning ignorance. As I met Jack’s gaze, I realized that it had taken on its usual sternness, no longer clouded by thoughts of werewolves.

Jack nodded, leveling his gaze with mine. “I’ll be going. And Celeste, given your recent behavior, I have to assume that you plan on going, too. I had better not see you there, or there will be trouble.”

Swallowing a bite of pasta, I resisted the urge to let my eyes widen. I had to continue feigning ignorance, otherwise this whole plan would go to waste.

“Well?” Jack asked, narrowing his cold, stern eyes. “You’re not planning on going to any parties, right, Celeste?”

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