Page 23 of An Unexpected Ascension
“I thought you loved dancing. Briar, you’re incredible at it. You have so much potential. Imagine the scholarships that it could bring!” she argues, her arms folding over her chest as she leans against the kitchen counter.
I face her on the opposite side, leaning against the doorless frame to the dining room.
“I’m starting high school in just a few weeks. I’ll join an extracurricular. Cheerleading is similar to dance, right? Or maybe I’ll try out for the school play. Those things don’t cost nearly as much and will require less driving around. I’m already convinced.”
Toquitdancing is to quit breathing, to cease living, but only on the inside. Tokeepdancing is to cease living for real, to quit eating and affording necessities. Really, there is no choice. I have already made up my mind.
My mother nibbles her bottom lip in thought, her eyes assessingme, squinting as if she could see right through the charade. I give her a soft, reassuring smile and she relents.
“I want you to be one thousand percent sure.”
“I am.”
“Okay, then I want you to send me all the details for tryouts. Whatever you decide to do, I don’t care, but keep that college resume building.”
“I will, Mom.”
She closes the distance between us, her lips planting firmly against my forehead, a silent understanding of my sacrifice.
“How entirely noble of you,”the demon teases.
I ignore his jibe and push myself to stand. I won’t be sharing any more intimate memories with the Devil’s minion. It’s bad enough I’ve entertained him this long.
Following my lead, he rights himself on his feet and shuffles towards me. With each retreat of my foot, he moves one step forward.
Darkness soon engulfs us as my back flattens against the far wall of the rocky cave. His fingers brush my collarbone before catching in my hair. He twirls it, rubs it between his fingers, then brings it to his nose.
“There’s something about you.”
“What do you mean?” I choke out.
His head dips between my neck and shoulder. I almost expect him to bite me or maybe even kiss me, but instead, he inhales deeply through his nose.
“There’s this feeling in my chest that I get. It buzzes, like a little vibration alerting me to fulfill a duty. But with you... with you, there’s a tug. It’s different.”
Sweat begins to bubble along my hairline.
“There’s no way. I just got here. I’m not going to Hell.”
Pulling back, he finds my eyes and with the tilt of his head, he graces me with a devilish grin.
“No, Angel. You’re not due in Hell.”
I let out a relieved sigh. “Then why are you here?”
“I can’t exactly say. But this is the third time I’ve felt that incessant tug. Once at the gates, then as I spotted you in the crowd not long ago, and now.”
I pinch my lips shut as his face ever so slowly lowers to mine, his hands on either side of my head. Mere centimeters, he hovers, our mouths just a breath away. I don’t dare speak a word for fear that they just might brush with the movement.
“You’re trembling. Are you afraid?”
“No,” I barely whisper.
“No? Does your heart not beat twice its speed?”
“I have nothing to fear.”
He chuckles, flashing a set of brilliantly white teeth. God, he’s so close I could almost taste him.
