22. Ellery

Ellery

I knew people were moving around me, knew there was commotion, but I was glued in place.

I had come back inside and went looking for Juniper after talking to Veronica, ready to pull her aside and tell her everything. I couldn’t find her, but did run into Rachel who told me what happened at the bar. Damn gossips didn’t know how to keep their nose out of my business, and I didn’t want her hurting over something that wasn’t true. She told me Juniper went to get some air so I headed towards the entrance.

I heard Juniper yell, but wasn’t quite close enough to make out the words. The yelling had drawn the other people in the area, but I got there first.

Got there fast enough to see one of the sculptures about to fall, Arthur blocking Tiffany. Then a beam of purple shot from Juniper, exploding the thing into snow.

I thought for a moment I had imagined it. That it was all just a vision, but as Juniper’s hand continued to glow for a few more seconds, I knew I hadn’t.

People were chattering around me, but none of it mattered. All that mattered was the look of horror on her face. She was scared. And while it was jarring, and needed some explanation, it didn’t change how I felt. I was just shocked.

I tried to stop her, but she ran, and I was still here, standing still.

“Damn,” Samuel said. “I knew she gave off a witchy vibe.”

That snapped me out of my tizzy. I took off outside. It was snowing, but I could see the tire tracks where one of the drivers had left.

She was gone.

I went back inside. I could take off after her, but I wouldn’t be able to really catch her in a separate car.

The crowd had mostly dispersed, but my immediate family was still there, huddled around Tiffany and Arthur.

“Are you guys okay?” I asked.

Tiffany nodded, still crying. “Juniper saved us,” she said. “S-she knew I was pregnant and made sure I didn’t get hurt.”

I blinked. “You two are…”

Arthur nodded. “We were keeping it a secret until after the trip so it didn’t have to be all about us.” He had Tiffany wrapped in his arms, comforting her, rubbing the back of her head. I’d never seen this caring side to the two of them.

“Where is she?” Rachel asked, talking about Juniper.

“Gone,” I croaked. “She took off.”

“Why don’t you text her? Try to tell her it’s okay.”

I sent her one. Then another. Then another with no answer. I tried to call, but it went to voicemail, meaning her phone was off or she blocked me.

“Fuck,” I resisted slamming my phone on the ground in case she did answer.

I thought to go after her right then, but maybe she needed her space. She looked so terrified. It was obvious someone in the past had done something to her, hurt her in some way when they found out.

While my logical brain wanted to deny everything I’d seen, I knew what I saw, and it didn’t change a thing.

A few minutes passed and Arthur took Tiffany upstairs to get some rest. Most everyone had gone back to the party.

“Everyone seems to think it was some kind of performance,” Rachel told me after doing some recon of her own.

I was glad for that. I wanted them to think it was anything but magic, despite what the truth was. And I was sure Juniper did too.

“I’m going to go pack our things and head home first thing in the morning.”

“Okay, let me know if you need help.”

I thanked her and headed up to our room. She’d left without packing a thing. I put everything in suitcases, memories of our time here flooding back. The outfit she’d worn on our ride here, the dress she’d worn to our romantic dinner out. The lingerie set that lay under it that night. With everything so uncertain, it hurt to see all those things, but I wasn’t giving up. Nothing had ever mattered to me in this way. Everything just a passing fancy.

Everything except Juniper.

The last thing I packed was the necklace. I looked at it one final time before shutting the case and putting it into my bag.

I went to bed early, hoping to move time faster so I could go out and get her.

Despite my best efforts, I didn’t sleep a wink. I tossed and turned, thinking about Juniper, hoping she got home okay. She still hadn’t texted me back, though I’d checked every five minutes. But now I was going to see her and try to make amends.

The drive back was long and lonely. I’d made this drive to and from many, many times. Always alone. But this time it felt hollow. I thought about stopping at the diner, but I needed to get back to her as soon as possible. We could go again next year. Together, both ways. I was sure.

When I finally pulled up to Juniper’s apartment I hopped out, her bag in hand. I took the stairs up two at a time until I reached her door. It had dark green chipped paint and golden ‘E’ on the door.

I knocked a few times and waited. Nothing. It was late morning and someone should have been up by now. I knocked again, a bit louder this time, feeling desperate.

I heard motion on the other side and waited with my heart pounding in my chest. As the door opened disappointment struck when Juniper wasn’t standing there, but who I assumed to be her roommate, Casey.

She was in a black hoodie pulled over her blue hair. Fringe bangs hung in her face and she had dark circles under her eyes, like she hadn’t slept yet.

She had thick framed black glasses that she pushed up her face as she looked at me. “Can I help you?”

I cleared my throat. “Yes, I’m looking for Juniper.”

“Ah, you’re lover boy,” she said.

I licked my lips quickly. “Sure, is she here?”

“No, she went to her mom’s for a few days. Said she needed to figure some stuff out.”

“Do you know where her mom lives? Or when she’ll be back?”

“I don’t know when she’ll be back. But I’m not telling you where her mom’s is. She needs space, dude, take the hint.”

Juniper’s best friend was forward. “Fine,” I passed her the bag. “This is her stuff. Tell her I’ll be back. And to answer my calls, I’m not upset with her.”

“Sure, I can do that.” She looked me up and down, assessing me in a single glance. “Though you do seem like a rich douche canoe, I can tell you really care about her.”

“I do,” I said sincerely. “And I am.”

She cracked a small smile at that before shutting the door.

I let out a deep sigh. If she wanted her space, I would give it to her. But not forever.

I knew I would get her back, and I wasn’t giving up.