Scornful Sadie (Dark Sorceress Trilogy Book 1) (8 page)

Didn’t go anywhere without it.

The graduation lasted four hours, and while I was happy for Olivia, I spent most of my time wondering if Aiden was there and what I would do when I saw him. When it was over, we waited away from the crowd for Olivia and Scott to find us.

“Sadie, stop,” Juniper whispered. “You look like you have to pee.”

“Huh?” I looked down, noticing I was bouncing my weight from leg to leg like a two year old needing a bathroom break. “Oh.”

She patted my arm. “It’ll be ok.

I felt like they were all humoring me, walking on eggshells so I wouldn’t freak out, and it was pissing me off. Wandering off alone, I faced away from them all and inhaled and exhaled deeply to calm my nerves. Getting myself all worked up over a boy wasn’t like me, especially one that wouldn’t remember me and may not even show up.

Lifting the necklace from my chest, I brought it to my lips and moved it over them as I thought. The bouncing and uneasiness came back, so I dropped the necklace and lifted my arms above my head to stretch.

“Sadie,” Olivia said from somewhere behind me.

“What?” I called, not turning.

“Sadie,” she said again, more urgently.

Groaning, I dropped my arms suddenly and spun. “What?”

Before I could move, I saw him. He was taller, by at least a few inches, and his hair was shorter. He was scruffy, his face housing a little more than a five o’clock shadow. Looking delicious in his trousers and buttoned shirt. I swayed on my feet. My heart clenched and my stomach turned. Was I going to puke or pass out? Either way, it would be embarrassing.

Breathe, Sadie, breathe.

“Sadie, this is Aiden,” she said pointedly. They moved toward me when it was obvious I wouldn’t, well, couldn’t, come over there.

He held out his hand, “Hey, Sade.”
Sade
. My gosh, did he remember? My chest tightened even more, making breathing nearly impossible. His eyes, so calming and seductive, studied me. His voice was the same, smooth and deep, rumbling through me with each word.

His voice saying my nickname was almost too much.

“You remember?” I choked out hopefully. Fingers clutched the necklace while I hesitantly reached for his hand.

“I read your necklace. That’s a cool nickname,” he said, grabbing my palm.

Heat flowed through me, my body remembering him and reacting. I limply shook his hand, though he was kind about it and adjusted his own shake. I’d been so sure he remembered…and now my heart was in my feet.

“It’s,” I started, my words jumbling as they fought to escape my mouth. “Nice to meet you, Aiden, was it?”

He dropped my hand, instantly leaving an empty feeling coursing through my soul. “Yeah, Aiden. You look so familiar. Have you been to California?”

I shook my head no.

“You must have one of those faces,” he said.

“Must,” I said awkwardly.

How in the hell was I supposed to act around him?

Olivia watched me, smiling and nodding occasionally as Aiden rambled about his own college experience. Scott soon joined us, standing next to me to hold me upright.

“So, you want to come hang out for a little while, Aiden? You can stay at my Grandma’s house tonight if you’d like.”

He nodded. “That’d be great. I have someone with me. Is that ok?”

Scott agreed. Olivia led Aiden away, turning back to check on us as Scott worked on making my legs move again.

“He called me Sade,” I whispered.

He wrapped his arm around me and squeezed. “We’ll help him remember, sis. I promise.”

###

Juniper and Mark offered to drive me back, to save me from more awkward embarrassment with Aiden.

“It’s understandable,” Juniper said, attempting to reassure me once more I didn’t make a fool of myself.

“I asked him if he remembered.”

“He called you Sade, a name
he
came up with for you. I would have thought the same thing,” she said.

Burying my head in my hands, I couldn’t believe Scott invited him to Grandma’s. No way could I stay there with him in the house. I would have to go to my parents’ for the night.

“We’re here,” Mark said. He turned, smiling at me. “Sadie, I don’t get all this girl stuff, but I do know Aiden cared for you. You gotta give it time. We’ll fix what Harlow messed up.”

Everyone kept saying that, but no one knew for sure he would get his memory back. Their words were simply for my comfort.

On unsteady limbs, I climbed from the car and we headed inside. The door was still ajar, so I pushed and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the scene in front of me.

Aiden stood with his arm around the waist of a tiny, petite, blonde girl whose laugh was way too loud and fake. She was cute if you liked that sort of girl. Juniper’s eyes grew large as she looked back at me and I felt the power rush through my body.

Immense amounts of anger cause uncontrollable power surges in some sorcerers, and I was about to have one. Scott noticed, racing toward me and pushing me back out the door. He whisked me out of sight and directed me toward the woods behind the house.

Screaming, I threw my hands up and allowed the magic to flow. The energy connected with the ground, flames dancing in waves as they rose and fell with my anger. I let it all out. The amount of power coursing through me was astronomical and I was surprised I wasn’t losing momentum.

“Sadie,” Scott called from about ten feet behind me. “Are you finished?”

Lowering my arms, I turned. I nodded once and stalked past him, back to the house. The sound of water drifted around me as he put out the damage I caused. His feet hitting the ground behind me seconds later told me was running after me, but I didn’t care.

There was only one thing on my mind, and that was getting Aiden back.

###

Storming back in the house, I stopped when all eyes turned to me. I knew I must look crazy with my windblown hair and pissed off expression, but I didn’t care. Striding toward Aiden, I gave Barbie a glance over and a smirk before grabbing him to me.

With my body pressed against his, I locked my arm around his neck and pulled him to my lips. Years of missing him escaped in the form of a kiss, and I felt his arms wrap around my waist. Moving my mouth with his, I willed him to remember me, to remember us. We broke free when Barbie doll snaked her way in between us and pushed me away.

“Who do you think you are?” she screeched.

“We haven’t met. I’m Sadie. You are?” I lifted a brow and gave her my sweetest smile.

“His girlfriend!”

Aiden still hadn’t spoken, his fingers lingering on his lips as he stared at me wide eyed. Had he remembered? Was a kiss all it took?

Come on, Sadie. This isn’t a damned fairy tale.

Holding my hand in front of the blabbing face, I said, “Yeah, I don’t care. Move please.” I sent a shock to her feet and she stumbled as she found herself walking to the other side of the room.

“What in the...?” I heard her saying.

Gasps surrounded me, but I didn’t care. Stepping toward Aiden, I smiled. “Aiden?”

“Wow,” was all he said.

Olivia came to my side, locking her arm in mine. “Sadie, let’s talk in the kitchen,” she said sweetly. She practically dragged me away.

She pushed me ahead of her, hot on my heels as I took my time strolling to the kitchen. Once there, she turned and flicked her hand to ensure we had privacy. The room didn’t have doors, but she magically sealed us in.

“What are you doing?” she hissed. “You majorly pissed off Amy.”

“Who’s Amy?”

“The girlfriend,” she said with an eye roll.

“Oh,” I said. “Her.” Walking to the counter, I hoisted myself atop it and crossed my legs at my ankles. “I don’t care about her.”

“Sadie,” she said, exasperated. “I know you missed him, but this isn’t the way.”

“Why not?” I questioned.

“We have to make him remember.”

“What better way than with my lips?” I teased, winking at her.

“And if he leaves ‘cause his girl got upset?” she countered.

I stopped swinging my legs. “I didn’t think of that,” I muttered. Did I screw everything up by letting my emotions control me? Seeing another girl hanging all over him made me green with envy.

“I’m going to smudge her memory to make it look like he kissed you,” she sighed. “I hate to do that, but we need him here.”

She turned her head, grabbing her stomach and then her chest. “Scott’s upset,” she whispered. Waving her hand in front of the seal, she released us and rushed to find him.

Jumping from the counter, I followed quickly behind her. Arriving in the living room, I found Scott and Mark holding Aiden back as he attempted to make a beeline for the door, or so it looked. He squirmed and fought against them, but they were stronger.

“Let me go! Amy!” he screamed.

“Aiden,” Scott said calmly. “Please listen.”

“Who are you people?”

Mark and Scott exchanged worried glances, then Scott took both his arms and held him from behind. Mark stood in front of him, waving his hand in front of his face. Aiden stilled, eyes glazed and staring straight ahead.

“Aiden Rivers, your girlfriend Amy broke up with you before you came to town and you’re going to stay here because of how upset you are. You won’t fight us about leaving anymore,” he instructed.

My heart clenched knowing we were deceiving Aiden. What was I thinking, throwing a temper tantrum like a child? I should have sucked it up and followed the plan. It’d been five years, did I really think he wouldn’t date anyone?

Yes, yes I did.

They released him. He shook his head and looked around confused. “What’s everyone staring at me for?”

Olivia sighed in relief beside me and hurried to him. “Aiden, I was asking if you wanted to see where the ceremony will be tomorrow! You must have spaced out because you didn’t answer.” She made it seem so nonchalant and true he didn’t question her.

“Yeah, sure. I must have got lost thinking…about something.” He looked around one last time, eyes lingering on me before following Liv out the door.

“Sadie!” Scott yelled.

Well, he was angry.

“I know,” I said with a wave of my hand. “Olivia already gave me the once over about what I did.”

“I can’t believe you were so careless! What if Amy saw what you did outside?”

I shrugged.

“You’re infuriating!” he seethed. He stomped from the room and out the backdoor.

Juniper took one look at me and burst out laughing, doubling over after a few seconds. “You just walked up and kissed him!”

Smirking, I turned away so she wouldn’t see how proud I was of myself.

Mark cleared his throat. “What did you do outside?”

“Blew up some trees and set shit on fire,” I replied.

He chuckled under his breath and shook his head. “Same old Sadie.”

Juniper gave him a look and nodded. “She is, isn’t she?”

Rolling my eyes, I fought back my own grin. “Stop, guys. They’re really mad at me.”

Juniper shrugged. “I thought it was hilarious.”

“I should have controlled myself,” I said. “Listen, I have to get out of this dress.”

“We’ll go find Scott,” Mark said.

They left me standing in the middle of the living room, torn and confused, yet excited at seeing Aiden again. How long would this take? Would he still want to be with me once he remembered?

Would he hold it against me for running his
girlfriend
off?

There was only one way to find out.