Betrothed Read online

  ‘But your ears, Amy.’

  ‘So what if they’re a little pointy?’

  ‘A little!’ Jack scoffed. ‘You could open cans with those things!’

  ‘Don’t,’ I whined. ‘You’re making me self-conscious.’

  ‘Oh don’t worry, Marla, they’re very cute little can openers.’ Jack laughed, as he reached across to pinch the pointy tip of my ear. ‘Does Leif have pointy ears too?’

  ‘Yes,’ I confessed.

  ‘Well then, think about this. If you hate your own ears so much—and you are forever whinging that you do—then why would you imagine the same imperfection—your view, not mine—on the object of your desire, the man who is supposedly the perfect creation of your imagination?’ He hesitated for a while to let his point sink in. ‘Didn’t think of that, did you?’

  ‘So what are you saying, Jack? That I’m a fairy and Leif really does exist in another world somewhere?’

  ‘I’m just saying that until we get some answers, I wouldn’t rule anything out.’

  A little later we were sitting around Ruby’s dining table, chatting—about school, the weather, that kind of thing. When the conversation turned to family, I asked about my own. ‘Ruby, I’ve been wondering if my parents left any way to contact them, an address or something.’

  She shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not, dear.’

  ‘No clue at all as to where they might be?’

  ‘I do believe your father mentioned the name of the place they were from, but I couldn’t say what it was now. I suppose I should have written it down.’

  ‘Does Faera sound familiar?’

  Her eyes lit up instantly. ‘That’s it, Faera!’ There was not a trace of hesitation in her voice. A thrill of excitement raced through me. Faera existed!

  ‘Did he say where this place is?’ Jack asked. ‘What country it might be in?’

  ‘Not that I recall . . . but of course, it was a long time ago now.’

  ‘Did he have an accent?’

  What a brilliant question. Jack was so clever! I wanted to jump up and hug him.

  ‘Yes . . . it was unusual—very formal and there was a lovely tone to it. He definitely wasn’t from here.’

  ‘Musical and old-fashioned?’ I asked.

  Ruby smiled, ‘Precisely, dear.’

  Just like Leif’s.

  Hilary asked about surnames, but apparently my parents hadn’t mentioned them. It was disappointing, but not unexpected. Surely surnames would have been on the letter if they’d wanted me to know them. After an hour or so, and the promise of a future visit, we said goodbye and headed to the sea.

  Bondi Beach was a crescent moon of pale sand freckled from one end to the other with people. We claimed a patch and threw down our towels. I stretched out on my back and enjoyed the sun on my skin as our discovery raced around my mind. Faera existed—probably in some strange, far off country, but just to know it was real was amazing. And Leif—could Leif be real too? Not a Fae prince obviously, but alive somewhere and dreaming of me? Could he be on the other side of the world? Perhaps, connected to my parents somehow, all three safe and happy and yearning for me? I mentally slapped myself. It was all just wishful thinking and could only lead to heartache and possible, no, probable, insanity. I sighed, frustrated at just how much I didn’t know.

  Jack picked up a handful of sand and trickled it onto my belly. ‘You all right?’ he asked after a moment.

  ‘Just thinking.’

  ‘About what?’ He was lying on his stomach beside me, eyes on my middle as he flicked off the sand with tickling fingers.

  ‘What do you think, Jack?’

  ‘Guess that was a stupid question.’

  ‘It’s all so confusing. We know that my parents are from this place Faera, but where is it? And why’s my father’s accent the same as Leif’s?’

  Jack didn’t answer—he was absorbed in blowing the final grains of sand from my belly button. It was making me feel shivery and melty all at the same time. I hoped he didn’t notice.

  ‘So strange,’ Hilary murmured from the other side of Jack.

  ‘I know, but surely if Faera is real, something should have come up when we searched the internet. You can Google any random town and something is bound to pop up about it, even if it’s just information about the annual fly-swatting contest.’

  Hilary laughed. ‘Fly-swatting contest?’

  ‘You know what I mean: every small town has some crazy thing to put them on the map.’

  ‘True,’ Jack said, bringing his attention from my tummy back to the conversation. ‘I remember hearing about some town that had this mad throwing-yourself-down-the-hill competition.’

  Hilary winced. ‘Ouch.’

  ‘Has it occurred to you, Marla, that if this Faera place is for real, then this guy Leif might be as well?’

  ‘Of course it has, Jack. But surely if that were so, he would come looking for me.’

  ‘Presuming he knows where to look,’ Jack said.

  ‘He could just be pining away somewhere, dreaming about you like you have been about him, but with no way to find you,’ Hilary added.

  ‘Stop, you’ll get my hopes up!’

  Jack jumped to his feet and offered a hand to each of us. ‘Come on then, let’s go find food, I’m starving.’

  We walked along the esplanade, found a takeaway shop then headed back to the beach to eat. Within moments a group of seagulls flew over and began marching back and forth in front of us, staring us down with beady, begging eyes.

  ‘How are the plans going for the dance?’ I asked Jack as I picked at my salad.

  ‘We finally decided on fantasy as the theme.’

  ‘Ooh, that should be fun,’ I grinned.

  Jack laughed. ‘I’m not talking about leather and whips, you sleazy thing. Fantasy as in fairies, witches; stuff like that.’

  ‘You’d better make that clear at the assembly tomorrow, or we’ll have all the skanks turning up in leather minis and fluffy handcuffs.’

  ‘Amy, you shouldn’t refer to girls as skanks,’ Hilary said, her brow creased with disapproval.

  ‘Well, what would you call Simone and Brittany?’

  ‘Um, girls, like us.’

  ‘Ew, don’t put me in the same category as that pair.’ I thought about the way they were always fighting with each other over friends, guys, clothes—anything really. Not only that, but they were just plain mean, especially Brittany. I clearly remembered the whole of Years 7 and 8, when she only referred to me as ‘scab girl’. She used to tell everyone to keep away from me or else they’d catch my disease. It worked too. In those days Jack and Hilary were the only ones who’d hang out with me.

  ‘Anyway,’ Jack said, ‘the plans for the dance are coming along. The Year 10 art class is making this huge castle and we’re dragging out the props from that production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream we had a couple of years ago; trees and stuff, remember?’ We both nodded. ‘And we’ve got heaps of glow stuff to sell.’ Jack chuckled.

  ‘What?’ I asked.

  ‘I was just thinking about Harry when he went to the Reject Shop last year and bought a whole bunch of glow sticks to sell at his school disco. He put this massive markup on them and almost managed to sell the lot before he got caught—would have made a killing if he didn’t have to give the money back.’

  I grinned. ‘Your brother’s one of a kind. What other nine-year-old would get an idea like that?’

  ‘I remember Mum going off when she found out. But Dad told her to leave him alone because he was just practising his entrepreneurial skills.’

  ‘He sure takes after your father,’ Hilary remarked. Jack’s father was a big name in the business world.

  ‘You’d think that’d take the pressure off me,’ Jack said.

  ‘Is your dad still giving you a hard time?’ I asked. Jack and his father had completely opposing views regarding his future, and I knew it bothered Jack way more than he ever let on.

  ‘Always.’
Jack sighed, then, never one to wallow, changed the subject. ‘Anyway, what will you two go as to the dance?’

  ‘We should go as fairies,’ I said.

  ‘How appropriate, and Jason can dress up as Leif the fairy prince,’ Jack suggested with a smirk.

  Apart from making a scoffing sound in my throat, I ignored the comment and asked, ‘What about you?’

  ‘A vampire I think. It’s all about vampires these days. I thought I’d get some of that fake blood and go around biting everyone. Jason will be my first victim.’

  ‘He’s not that bad,’ I said.

  ‘I’ve known him a lot longer than you have.’

  Jack had gone to the same primary school as Jason and I’d sometimes wondered if there was something in that to account for the extreme dislike between the pair. ‘Do you know something I don’t, Jack?’

  ‘I know plenty but you know I don’t like to bitch,’ he replied. Hilary and I burst out laughing.

  We finished off our lunch and threw the leftover food to the seagulls. They squawked and fought and called fifty more of their friends to join the party. Then we spent the rest of the day swimming and enjoying the sun, having such a good time that I forgot to waste any more of it stressing about my dreams.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  The next couple of weeks passed uneventfully enough and before I knew it, the school dance was only hours away. It was Friday and we’d just finished getting ready at Jack’s place after spending every afternoon of the last week making our costumes there. Jack stood before us now, flicking one side of his cape across his body. It was easy to see why he was always breaking hearts these days.

  ‘How do I look?’ he asked.

  ‘You look great,’ Hilary said, while I was still gathering my thoughts on the subject. ‘What about us?’ She did a little twirl before him. We each wore the satin and tulle dresses we’d slaved over, deep crimson for me and emerald green for Hilary, complete with sparkly wings borrowed from Hilary’s little godsisters.

  ‘Come closer so I can get a better look,’ Jack said.

  We looked at each other, suspicious, then together, took a step towards him.

  ‘Closer,’ he said and beckoned with one hand.

  We looked at each other and grinned, knowing he was up to something, before stepping forwards again.

  ‘Yum,’ he said and opened his arms wide as he lunged for us. He hooked an arm around each of our waists and pulled us inside of his cloak. Then he planted big love bites on each of our necks. We ended up a squealing, giggling pile on the floor. He let us up eventually—when he was ready.

  ‘Okay, so we taste good, but how do we look?’ Hilary tried again, after we’d brushed the crumples from our dresses.

  ‘You both look stunning. If I were Leif the fairy prince, I’d have a hard time choosing.’

  ‘Did you have to mention him? I’m trying so hard to forget,’ I complained.

  ‘Sorry.’ Jack pulled me against him and gave me a hug. It felt nice to be all wrapped up in his arms.

  ‘It doesn’t matter, I’m over it anyway,’ I said, when he released me. I wasn’t being honest, but subsequent searches for Faera since that day at Bondi had yielded nothing. Between that and the fact that my dreams had been absent for more than two weeks now, I’d come to the conclusion that regardless of Ruby’s revelation, there was no point thinking about Leif, my birth parents or my dreams anymore. Besides, Ruby was old—she could easily have been mistaken about my parents being from a place called Faera. More than anything though, it just hurt too much to think about Leif.

  ‘You sure the moron’s picking you up tonight?’ Jack asked. ‘You could come early with me.’

  ‘He’s coming,’ I said, not even bothering to protest. Things hadn’t improved between Jack and Jason over the last couple of weeks; they could barely stand the sight of each other. And that wasn’t the only problem: Jason’s friend Brittany wasn’t coping either. I was often on the wrong side of her jealousy and I knew it was only her fear of Jason’s wrath that kept her from making my life hell. Just today at recess I’d caught her glaring hot daggers at me. Unable to resist, I’d smiled sweetly and dropped my head on Jason’s shoulder, only to have her flash red with rage when his arm had come around me. It was kind of scary and I resolved not to provoke her again—no matter how good it felt to get even. Despite my health issues, I liked my life.

  Jack dropped me home on his way to set up for the dance and Jason arrived at seven to pick me up. He strode straight in when I answered the door and nodded approvingly as he took in my outfit.

  ‘You look hot,’ he said as he dropped a kiss on my cheek. Then he touched the mark on my neck. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Just a bruise.’

  ‘Looks like a hickey to me,’ he accused.

  ‘Does it? Do you want a Coke or something?’

  ‘Suppose.’

  He sat on the lounge next to Ashleigh while I went to the kitchen. She’d been watching him since he arrived, trying to look inconspicuous and failing. I watched them through the servery as I poured Jason’s drink.

  ‘Hey, little sis,’ he said. ‘Soz, can’t remember your name.’

  ‘Ashleigh,’ she said.

  He flicked the bell on the tip of her pixie hat. ‘Cute.’

  ‘Thanks,’ she mumbled, then got up and started towards the kitchen.

  Ashleigh pulled me into a corner, making us invisible to Jason. ‘How did you manage to get him?’ she whispered.

  ‘I haven’t “got” him and I don’t even think I want him,’ I whispered back. ‘I think I’m going to break up with him tonight.’ I was seventy-five per cent sure about it. I was having a hard time trying to keep up the pretence of caring and didn’t see the point any more. Nothing could make me forget Leif.

  ‘You’re crazy!’

  I shrugged.

  ‘Can I have him if you break up with him?’ she asked, keeping her voice low.

  ‘Don’t be so desperate. You’re too young for him anyway.’

  ‘Am not.’

  ‘Yes, you are.’

  ‘I’ll be sixteen in August!’

  ‘Exactly.’ I dashed back to the lounge room before she could argue, sat down next to Jason and handed him his Coke. ‘Is it all right if Ashleigh gets a lift with us to the dance? It’ll save Dad a trip.’

  ‘Sure. Where are your parents anyway?’

  ‘They went out for a few minutes—they’ll be back soon,’ I assured him.

  ‘Let’s get moving then, avoid the inquisition.’

  ‘What inquisition?’ I asked, turning to Jason to catch his expression. He looked indifferent.

  ‘I’m just not really into the whole parent thing.’

  The probability had just increased to ninety per cent.

  My irritation with Jason grew as we drove to school, and when he parked the car I jumped out and took off with Ashleigh. He soon caught up and moments later we were queuing outside the hall. Jack was taking tickets at the door, Courtney keeping him company. She was pressing close—like a girlfriend. It bugged me and I didn’t know why. I’d seen Jack with girls plenty of times, and it hadn’t bothered me anywhere near this much before. He called us to the front of the line, prompting moans of ‘No fair!’

  ‘Oh, shut up,’ Jack called down the line. ‘Take it up with the management if you’ve got a complaint. Oh wait, I am the management!’ He laughed. Courtney laughed with him and the whinging and moaning increased. He turned to me. ‘I love power.’

  ‘You do it well,’ I said, then glanced meaningfully at Courtney, whose head now rested on his shoulder.

  He grinned and it made me even more irritated.

  ‘Is Hilary inside already?’ I asked when I had my scowl under control.

  ‘She went in with Kyle a couple of minutes ago, said they were meeting Peter and Abby up the back. Make sure you wait inside for me. It’s insane in there.’

  The hall was packed. The student council had done a great job decorating. The
ceiling twinkled like night time and the walls were adorned with magical creatures. To one side of the stage the DJ was playing his tunes, to the other, the silhouette of a fairytale castle loomed with colourful lights jumping around behind it, spilling out through the windows. I spotted Hilary and Kyle standing with Peter and Abby and went to meet them, Jason following behind me. I wanted to tell him to leave me alone. I said hey to my friends and turned to Kyle. ‘What’s up at Hogwarts?’ I asked with a chuckle. Jason sniggered, pushing the odds of me dumping him up another five per cent.

  ‘Hilary’s idea,’ Kyle said, pushing the round glasses up his nose with a knuckle. ‘What are you supposed to be, Jason?’

  ‘Prince Charming,’ Jason grinned, putting his arm around me and pulling me against him. He wasn’t my idea of either a prince or charming.

  ‘Let’s dance,’ I said to Hilary, pushing Jason’s arm away. ‘I love this song.’

  We wove our way through the crowd and found a space on the dance floor.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ she asked, leaning close to be heard above the music.

  ‘Does Kyle have a problem with your godparents?’

  ‘No, he gets on really well with them—why?’

  ‘Jason’s really annoying me.’

  ‘How come?’

  Where to start? ‘Okay, first of all, he’s always having little digs at Jack. To be fair, Jack’s not much better, but it gets on my nerves and if it comes down to a choice between the two—well, you know there’s no contest. And then tonight, Jason pretty much tells me he doesn’t want to know my parents. What’s that about? If he liked me, he’d want to, wouldn’t he?’

  ‘Maybe he’s nervous.’

  ‘Jason?’

  ‘Well, you don’t have to go out with him.’

  Why did I feel like I did? ‘You’re right, as always, and I’m going to end it tonight.’

  We danced for a while longer before going back to the others. Jack and Courtney had joined the group, and Jason, according to Kyle, had gone to hang out with his friends for a while.

  ‘Good,’ I said.

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Jack asked.

  ‘Jason.’

  ‘I warned you.’