Page 31 of The Glittering Edge

“I don’t drink.”

Penny’s face grows red, even as something about Alonso not drinking strikes her as strange. Why did she think he drank in the first place?

“S-sorry. I just say weird stuff when I’m nervous.”

There’s a pause. “I know,” Alonso says, his voice soft.

He knows? Penny is so caught off guard that she meets his eyes. They’re a strange gray color, but they’re not cold. They’re questioning.

About what, though? Penny can’t tell. She’s too distracted by the fact that he doesn’t seem so scary right now. Even though he’s already snapped at her, and even though she just implied he was drunk at work, he seems… fine. Maybe even nice, or nice-adjacent.

So she chooses this moment to say the words:

“My mom had an accident.”

It’s immediately clear this was a mistake. Alonso’s eyes narrow, and the edge returns to his voice. “You think I don’t pay attention?”

Penny vacillates between anxiety and exasperation. Exasperation wins, and she throws her hands up. “I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to. I know your mom is in the hospital. Did you have a point?”

“Mypoint,” Penny says, “is that I think it has something to do with you.”

Alonso stares at her like she just molted.

“Me,” he says.

“Yes.”

“And who told you that?”

Penny presses her lips together. “I think you can guess.”

“Wait.” Alonso’s mouth hangs open as he processes something, his gray eyes unfocused. “Corey actually told you?”

Penny braces herself for rage. “I… I don’t know if we’re talking about the same thing.”

Alonso takes a step closer, and Penny reflexively moves back. He notices, and he runs his tongue over his teeth. Penny’s stomach twists.

“He said the curse is our fault, right?” Alonso says.

The curse. Those are the words that have been running laps in Penny’s head since the night she ran into Corey at the hospital. Hearing them out loud is enough to force all the air from her lungs.

“What else did he tell you about us?” Alonso asks.

Penny clears her throat. “Corey said you and your family are, um…”

“Say it. Out loud.”

It takes Penny a second before she gasps. “Is that aTwilightreference? I thought you were a witch?” She gasps again. “Oh my god, are vampires real, too?”

“No, vampires aren’t real.” Alonso pauses, suddenly thoughtful. “I mean, I don’tthinkthey’re real. I guess they could be—”

“Stop!” Penny holds up both hands in surrender. “Please. No more revelations this week.” Her shoulders sag. “So the curse is real.”

Alonso nods, once.

“And your family…?”

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