Free Cursed by Monica Wolfson Page B

I’m in the café.”
    Evan turned toward her with an unreadable expression. Evan was so good at masking his feelings Sasha couldn’t tell if he was flattered or annoyed with Cady. Her friend was certainly trying hard to make an impression on him and it seemed to be working as she’d drawn his attention away from Sasha.
    “What days do you work?” Cady asked flipping her hair over her shoulder as if it were annoying her rather than one of the moves she does to make people stare at her. Sasha knew Cady’s techniques and suspected her friend was moving in for the kill and there was nothing she could do to stop it. If Cady wanted Evan, Sasha was helpless to stop her.
    Sasha let out a big sigh of relief when before dessert was finished Cady stood to leave. Cady threw her coat over her arm, slung her purse over her shoulder and leaned to whisper in Evan’s ear. Sasha couldn’t hear what was said and the expression on Evan’s face remained the same placid look he’d had before.
    Sasha walked Cady to the front door of the restaurant. “Thanks for coming,” Sasha said. “It meant a lot to me.”
    “Happy to oblige,” she said. “By chance do you know if Evan is single?”
    Stunned, Sasha didn’t know how to respond. She never got the chance to tell Cady about Evan. She just assumed since she invited him to her party and had him sitting beside her that Cady would understand his significance to her. She assumed too much obviously. She didn’t want to encourage Cady but she also had no claim to Evan.
    “I don’t know,” she said diplomatically.
    Cady leaned in to air kiss Sasha’s cheeks. “No problem,” she said. “I’ll find out. Later darling.”
    Sasha watched Cady leave and get into a black Lincoln sedan that was waiting for her in the parking lot. Sasha couldn’t see who was driving and assumed it was one of Cady’s parents.
    Evan was the next to leave and said he still had to get in some studying tonight. Sasha walked him to the front door wishing she could hold his hand.
    “Thanks for coming,” Sasha said. “I wasn’t sure if you were afraid it would be another night of pyrotechnics.”
    Evan smiled politely. “I can’t say it didn’t occur to me,” he said.
    “Yeah, about that,” she said. “I have no answers yet. I’m working on it.”
    “I wish I could help but-.”
    “No, no that’s not what I meant,” she said. “I don’t want to put you in danger anymore.”
    Evan nodded his understanding. He held out her overcoat so Sasha could slip into the arms. She pulled the belt around her waist and gazed expectantly at Evan. Was he going to kiss her? They were alone in a dark corner near the hostess desk.
    “Have you told anyone?”
    Disappointed, Sasha shook her head and surveyed the lobby.
    “Are you going to do anything about that?”
    Sasha paused gathering her thoughts. She gave Evan a tiny nod and checked to see if anyone could hear them.
    “I’m going to talk to my dad,” she whispered.
    “About the fireballs?”
    “Sort of,” she said in a low voice. “I’m not sure how much he knows and I don’t want him to think I’m crazy.”
    Evan laid a hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “If you need me to back you up I will.”
    “Thanks,” she said tentatively. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
    Evan removed his hand, straightened his shoulders.
    “Listen Sasha,” he said getting formal. His speech got more clipped and tense. “I want to help you, you know that right?”
    Sasha nodded suddenly afraid of what she was going to hear. She didn’t like the direction of the conversation.
    “Good. I have a lot going on. I’ve got work. I’m helping my grandmother pay some bills. I need a scholarship to go to college,” he said swallowing hard. “What I’m trying to say is I don’t have time for us.”
    Instead of looking away in embarrassment by his rejection, Sasha fixed her eyes on Evan as they welled up with tears of disappointment. Evan met her stare.