Silent Conversation- Chapter 7

Silent Conversation
….Chapter 7


We sat down at a nice wooden table and a waitress practically jumped on us. Cole’s father ordered some wine straight away and it was delivered quickly. It was a red wine, and it was very bitter. I ignored the taste and drank some more.
Cole nearly had his glass finished by the time I had taken my third sip. Anna kicked him under the table. I only knew that because she accidently kicked me in the process, but I wasn’t going to say anything.
When we placed our orders, again, it was finished in record time. I looked around the place and realised we were almost the only people in the room, save for the couple near the door. They kept flashing glances at us, as if wishing we were not there.
I tucked into my chicken parma, and looked to see what everyone else was having. Cole was munching on fish and chips, Anna had a salad with pieces of chicken flaked on the top, and Cole’s father was having a steak that only looked half cooked.
My phone went off in the middle of the dinner, and I embarrassingly clicked the off button.
Anna shook her head, “No. Take it. It might be your mother, and we don’t want you to miss that call.”
I turned my phone back on, and they were already calling back. My phone had an annoying theme tune that was completely unfamiliar, and it was vibrating in my hand.
“Hello?” I said quietly, as Cole’s family went back to eating.
“Janice? You there? It’s Hunter.”
“Hunter! What a surprise!” My eyes flickered to Cole, and he looked up at me, frowning slightly, “Why are you calling at this hour?”
“Wanted to know if you’ve had a nap yet and regained a memory”
“Yes. I have actually. It was the last memory I had ever had. I was saying good-bye to you, and I took the glass. Then you kissed me.”
Anna glanced at me, then at Cole’s ridged form.
“Actually Willow, you kissed me. And when you get more of your memories back you’ll realise that we’ve done more than kiss.”
My mouth fell open with a small popping noise.
“Don’t call me that,” I was surprised at how cold my voice sounded, “I am Janice, not Willow. And I’ve moved on. Sorry to disappoint.” I hang up and turned my phone off.
Cole didn’t look at me, but Anna asked me, “Are you going to eat that?” and pointed at a piece of cheese on my plate.
“It’s all yours.” I answered, my voice sounding unbelievably bleak in comparison to my bright and happy surroundings, and I admired this family for not asking questions.
“Ex-boyfriend?” Anna asked. I take my latest statement back.
“No. Just a friend who thinks he can push me around.”
“Mmm… The controlling type. I would stay away from him if I were you.” She said, eating my cheese.
“Trust me,” I said, “I will. He has nothing he can offer me anymore.”
Anna’s eyes flashed to her husbands, then back to mine.
“Good choice, honey,” and she patted my hand that was resting on the table. It was still clutching my phone tightly, and it was slippery with sweat. I put the phone in my pocket and smiled at Anna. I wasn’t about to let a phone call from some loser ruin my night.
I finished my dinner, giving more cheese to Anna, and I had strawberry mousse for dessert.
When we were about to leave, the couple by the door stood up and followed us out. Anna stiffened but made no comment that she had noticed them following. We closed in on the car, and that was when they attacked.
The couple jumped on Cole, and half a dozen other people leapt from the shadows. I was grabbed by three females who snarled in my face. I tried hitting them, but they always seemed to maintain a certain grip on me that avoided them getting hit.
Anna was crumpled on the ground, and was being kicked by a few males. Cole was fighting with a girl, and there was a knocked out boy behind him.
Cole’s father was kneeling under a flurry of kicking feet, and after one foot caught him in the temple, out he went too.
The others jumped on Cole and he landed on the ground with a thud. I cried out in pain as I saw the blood dripping from his nose.
They all turned towards me and the leader, a female, stepped forward.
“Princess,” she snarled, “A lovely night for a dinner party! Think you could fool us? The fey from the Seelie Court were always so stupid!” She kicked me in the jaw.
The other people around me laughed wickedly, and pinched me where they could reach.
The leader walked around me, analysing the situation. Finally, she spoke, “You may call me Lithium. Follow me.”
I didn’t really have a choice, especially after seeing the short knife they held at my back.
I was pushed into a black commodore, and in the back they put a blind fold on my face.
We drove in complete silence, despite my suggestion of the radio.
When we reached an abrupt stop, hands grabbed me again and I was tossed out of the car. I was pulled to my feet just as quickly and the blindfold was snatched off my head. I stood, dizzy and disoriented for a moment, before gathering my bearings.
“Bow,” lithium hissed into my ear. I knelt on my knees, and a woman got up. She was old, like a wizened apple, but beautiful.
“Welcome,” she said, “Please child. Do not kneel. Come here!” I stood up and walked to her, as if in a trance.
“Where were you when they found you?”
I didn’t have a chance to answer, as Lithium stepped forward, “We found her in a restaurant, dining with Solitary Fey.”
Solitary Fey, I thought, what are these people on? I hope they share…
“Daughter,” said the woman who was obviously in control, “What is it like living with humans? What do you miss most about Faerie?”
I gaped at her, “Living with humans is ok. I don’t remember Faerie. I took a serum that concealed my memories from me.”
She sniffed me over, “This is pretty glamour. It’s cast by a powerful Faerie. Maybe by your beloved Solitary Fey? Hmm… Just a twist there, and… Aha! Gone!”
I felt strange, like I was about to sneeze. Then I looked at myself. My hands were a faded blue colour, and my fingers had elongated, adding another joint onto it. Lithium ordered a Faerie to bring a mirror, and I looked at my face.
My eyes widened in horror. My eyes were still deep purple, and my hair still a shiny black, but my ears were pointed through my hair. My face was more pointed, like a-
“Faerie,” I whispered to myself.
And the worst part, on my back was a pair of gorgeous silver wings. They shimmered like the stars themselves.
At the snap of Lithium’s fingers, the ‘glamour’ fell back upon me, disguising me back as a human, but I could still feel the disgusting appendages on my back.
Then, just as a thousand questions teetered on my tongue, I blacked out. I have to stop doing that at the most inappropriate time!
…
I woke up at the edge of the forest, alone. I picked out my phone from my pants and I called Cole to check if he was ok. He told me to wait and he’d pick me up.