Chapter 24: Everything I Want

As Corrie was leaving the science building after a long and brain-numbing biology class, she spotted a familiar face in the crowd that was trying to simultaneously enter and leave the building. Paul smiled when he saw her, but immediately started moving away. He wasn’t so close that he was forced to by the spell, so that meant he was actually trying to keep away from her. Good. Trouble with him was the last thing she needed. She kept forgetting to talk to Payton and Elena to get the spell taken off him, but maybe it was better to leave it on for now.

Between biology and seeing Paul, she was already in a pretty bad mood when she walked into the theater building to find Byron. The first face she saw didn’t help. “Hello, Corrie,” said Leila, smiling calmly. “Looking for your boyfriend?”

Corrie stopped and crossed her arms. “Yes, and I don’t need your help, thanks.”

“Oh, don’t bother. He’s talking to Professor Marsh about the auditions. You will just have to wait.”

Corrie sighed. “What do you want, Leila?”

“I? What makes you think I want anything?”

“There has to be a reason you stopped me in the hallway to talk to me.”

“Oh, no. I already have everything that I want.” Her smile widened.

Corrie had the uncomfortable, sick feeling that Leila was talking about Edie. Even if she wasn’t talking about her right now… “What did you do to Edie last night? She wasn’t making any sense when the two of you came back.”

“I did nothing to Edith. Why would I do such a thing?”

“I don’t know, because you’re crazy? You can stop with the innocent act. You know I know.”

Leila looked to either side slowly. “There is no one else here. You needn’t worry about being overheard.”

Corrie let her backpack drop to the ground, clenching her fists. “I know you think you’re smarter than everyone else—”

“I do not think that,” Leila interrupted smoothly. “I am, however, smarter than you.”

Corrie decided not to dispute the point. “Even if you are, that doesn’t give you the right to mess with people. Edie thought it was midnight when you got back and it was only a little after ten. She has late-night snacks sometimes but she doesn’t need to go to the dining hall for them. And she never goes to bed before midnight. What was that all about?”

“I really don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Who are you trying to impress? Really? I know what I remember, I’m not going to forget it, and I know you have the ability to mess with people.”

Leila’s eyes narrowed. “You have no idea what abilities I do and do not have.”

“You have enough magic to hide those ears of yours. You’re probably hiding other things too. I wonder why you always wear turtlenecks.”

“They are flattering to my shape. Maybe if you learned about fashion you would know how to dress, too.”

Corrie had to wonder why Leila was trying to bait her with stupid little barbs about her intelligence and fashion sense. Maybe Leila didn’t know that Corrie didn’t really care very much about those things, but surely she had to know that Corrie cared more about Edie than most other things on this campus. “That’s not important. If you don’t fix what you did to Edie, I’m going to tell her all about you.”

“I seem to recall you trying that once before and it didn’t go so well. There must be a reason you said nothing about it last night.”

“I didn’t say anything last night because she was tired and I didn’t want to stress her out more. Besides, I figure it’s a lot easier for you to do your mind-messing magic if you’re right there. I know that’s why she didn’t believe us when we warned her about you earlier.”

Leila laughed. “Or she didn’t believe you because you were not telling the truth.”

“If you don’t leave her alone I will find a way to stop you.”

“Oh? And how do you propose to do that?”

“Professor Lal is on our side.” Corrie knew she would have to have some evidence to bring to Professor Lal, and she didn’t know what, but she would figure out. Maybe if she brought Edie to her office and asked her about Leila, her confusion would be evidence enough.

Leila laughed again. “Lal is on no one’s side, except, of course, her own. And I am of her people. Who do you think she will believe—me, or you useless humans?”

Corrie was only an inch or so shorter than Leila. She had plenty of leverage to grab the faerie’s shoulders and slam her against the wall. “You take that back, you fucking bitch!”