Chapter 10- Confrontation

  Neo

  I stay up all night, thinking, trying to figure out what I'm going to say to him when I finally see him tomorrow.

  7am comes faster and slower than I thought it could. I take a shower, hoping it will help clear through the brain fog, will help drown out the one constant question. The one constant name.

  I walk to school again, even though I know it will piss Rosa off that I'm not riding the bus with her. I also skip breakfast, mainly because I don't want to deal with Ari and Rosa's worried looks. I don't need the sympathy right now.

  Instead, I head straight to the lockers. I still have no idea what I'm going to say to him but I'm hoping that if I can at least just face him I'll get over the nerves and just talk.

  But he's not there.

  I frown and bite the inside of my cheek as I grab the books from my locker and walk to our first css.

  Still no Jax.

  My stomach is roiling with nausea now and I'm thinking maybe I should have eaten something. I don't know what else to do. He's not here. Again. So I sit and I wait. Again.

  I make it through two whole csses and half of a third without falling asleep. And that's when the headmistress comes in.

  Jax

  I don't go back Friday.

  I know it will drive Neo mad with annoyance wondering if I'm pnning another scheme to take over the world but I just don't care. The meeting with Samuel leaves me rattled, although I hate admitting it. When I get out of range of the Demilunes, I feel my back start falling down against a tree and I can't stop the warm tears that are streaming down my cheeks. I just sit there, knees to my chest, head buried in my arms.

  I know I'm a monster. I know that what I am is wrong. When I was old enough and my foster family started sending me to the hunters for training, they told me what happened to mother. How she died giving birth. To me. I did that. I killed her. In my gut, I know it to be true, even if I don't know what the hell kind of monster I am.

  And I know that I and every other creature needs to die.

  Neo

  The headmistress is a fierce woman, tall, broad, and with a very stern bun. Most people are terrified of her. Maybe that's why she's in charge of the school.

  "Mr. Griffin."

  The whole css turns first to her, then to me. I lower my head and groan inwardly.

  "Mr. Griffin. Please come with me," the headmistress says in that rich alto voice of hers.

  Rosa gives me a concerned look as I get up. I shake my head at her and she looks away, displeased. She knows I'll tell her whatever is going on ter.

  "Ah. Hello, Mr. Griffin. If you would follow me." She turns briskly on a tall bck heel, her maroon skirts swaying around her ankles.

  She leads me across the grounds to Whisperise, the ancient stone building that houses all of the magic csses, the common room, and at the top, the headmistress's office and meeting room.

  We start walking up the stone steps that lead to the top of the building. Only then does she start talking.

  "As you may be aware, Mr. Griffin, we have reached the halfway point of the year. Which means it is time for your biannual transformation examination."

  My heart drops at her words. Oh no....not this. Of course this has to happen when I've had literally no sleep or food.

  She opens her office door and I see that the desks and other furniture are already moved out of the way. Waiting inside for us are two of the board members.

  Every year, twice a year, ever since I first got to Dempsey, the headmistress and at least two members of the board would put me through these "checkups" to make sure that I'm "adequately learning how to handle my unique powers and eventual responsibilities". Whatever the hell that means.

  This year, the two representatives are Amycus, a centaur who's got to be nearing a hundred years old, and Fayetta, a regal looking elf woman who could very well have been or is the Queen of Elves.

  "Hello, Cameron. It's nice to see you again," Amycus says politely.

  I bow my head at him respectfully and then bow fuller to Fayetta.

  "Well, Mr. Griffin. You may begin with whichever form you wish. Your goal today is to completely change into each of your 15 forms, demonstrate a power vital of each, and then return to your original form. We will also be doing a timed portion of the assessment in which you will demonstrate how quickly you can completely change into and out of each creature. We will end the session with asking you to turn multiple parts of yourself into multiple different creatures. Do you have any questions?"

  The headmistress' speech is the same each time. I bow my head, shaking it no.

  "Then you may begin."

  I raise my head, shaking off the exhaustion and letting a fierce determination sink into my bones.

  Here we go.

  ******

  It's hours before the exam is done. I'm filthy, sweating, and half naked. My head is pounding, my knees are trembling, and it's all I can do to get back to the common room.

  When I crash through the door, I'm in such a state that I don't even notice that Jax has returned and is sitting in a chair by the fire, muddy locks a mess around his face, book in hand. He's the only one in there so at least there's that I guess.

  He looks at me, eyes wide. All I can do is stare back.

  And then I colpse.

  Jax

  I'm out of the chair in an instant, catching Neo before he hits the floor. His body is rigid and hot, like a fire is coursing through his veins. His face is flushed pink, not the fair, creamy color it usually is. I barely even register that he's shirtless, that the pins of his chest are rippled and covered in sweat.

  I lift him up in my arms and carefully y him on the chaise by the windows before whispering a catch all healing spell.

  I stand there, waiting, watching. His chest is rising in ragged movements and his eyelids flicker rapidly back and forth. I pick up his hand and whisper the healing spell once more, putting more emphasis, more energy into it.

  His breathing halts.

  And then his eyes open.

  Neo

  Everything hurts.

  When I finally come to, I'm lying on the lounge in the common room by the ceiling high windows that look out on Lochness Lake. Jax is standing a few feet away, watching me hesitantly...worriedly. I can't remember if he was here when I came in. And I can't remember if I fell on the couch....or if he put me there.

  Regardless, I'm gd that he's back and not bringing any obvious trouble. Cuz I certainly don't have the energy to handle that.

  He's still staring at me, those icy blue eyes so wide and inquisitive I almost look away. I realize that I'm still shirtless and it sends a rush of heat through my chest and I feel my embarrassment and anger start to rise. Does this all really have to be happening right now?

  Jax

  Neo's staring at me and I see the moment when his emerald eyes go from being there to being angry.

  Is he pissed that I picked him off the floor? Or just angry that I'm back in general? I feel my heart stutter at the thought, cringing. But I steel myself and narrow my eyes.

  "What the hell was that?" I demand, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.

  Neo grimaces and looks away, leaning back against the pillow and the windows. He crosses his arms to cover his chest, like that even matters right now. We've always had clothes on in front of each other and don't get me wrong, my heart is racing from having just been that close to him. But it doesn't matter because his face is still ragged, his breathing still bored, like he's still in pain.

  "Examination day," he finally mutters, closing his eyes. "Hand me my bag, would you?"

  My heart pangs at the word as I look over to one of the tables and see his ratty bag he's had since first year. Examination. The fucking examination. The test those cruel creatures put him through twice a fucking year. He usually handles them fairly well. They exhaust him, don't get me wrong, but he's never been this bad.

  "Losing your grip, are you?" I sneer, tossing him his bag and secretly trying to get him to tell me why it was so bad for him this time. I hate doing it but he can't know how worried I truly am. He takes the bait.

  His eyes snap open and he's gring at me now. He pulls a school sweatshirt from his bag and pulls it over his head before responding. "If you must know, this is your fault. If you just stopped disappearing, I wouldn't be up all night worrying."

  My gut clenches, my heart thumping so loud I think he's going to hear it and call me out. He's like this...because he didn't sleep? Because of...me? I grind my teeth, stamping down the thought...the hope that it was because he cared, that he was worried for me. I know it's not either of those.

  Whatever look is on my face, it must give him some sort of satisfaction because he turns his head and has his eyes closed once more.

  I'm still standing so I head over to my chair, fully expecting him to pass out once more. As I sit though, he starts talking again.

  "I know why you've been gone," he says, his eyes still closed. His messy russet locks are starting to fall into his face, his skin returning to its normal color. My heart almost stops.

  He....knows? About the hunters? That I'm a SPY? And he's not attacking me? I don't move, just watch him, waiting for what he's going to do next.

  "I...read the letter. The one from your dad. It fell out of your pocket st week and I...I looked at it." He's still not looking at me but I hear the guilt creeping into his voice. My heart slows down, my fists unclench. Of all the things...

  "Why would you read something that wasn't yours?" I ask, my voice strained. I wasn't sure how I felt about Neo knowing about the possibility of my father. I think I'm just...worried. Worried about what he would think.

  He doesn't answer right away. I turn to look at him, really look at him. Only to find those green pools staring at me, studying me, looking for....something.

  "I had to know....whether it would lead me to the truth. About whether you did have pns that could harm us all." He says it with a straight face. He's not ashamed. And I can't bme him. The things I've done in the past to him....the people I'm in league with right now...I deserve to be untrusted.

  I nod once. "I understand. But I would appreciate if in the future, you refrain yourself from getting into my things."

  This pisses him off and I can't tell if I'm gd about that or not. I go to turn away, to go back to studying or to pack up and leave, but his voice stops me again.

  "You're such a fucking asshole, you know that?"

  I frown at him.

  "I didn't fucking tell you that I read it for you to go all batshit crazy on me." He's sitting upright now, legs over the faded red cloth of the chaise, leaning towards me.

  It's been such a long two days, a long two weeks. And I just can't put up with this right now.

  "Well if you didn't read it at all then we wouldn't be in this position in the first pce!" I shout back.

  The tips of his hair are turning quickly between orange and red and I know I've really pissed him off. But I just don't care. At this point, what do I have to lose?

  "But wait. I forgot that the whole universe must bow down to Cameron Neokendrik Griffin. Because he's the true savior here to vanquish me from the earth. Well get in line because hundreds of people want to do that too."

  His face goes white and before he can say anything else, I grab my books and walk out smming the door behind me. I clench and unclench my teeth as I make my way to my car, trying to breathe, trying to think. I can feel the electricity in the air around me, my magic starting to leak through my control.

  I'm halfway across the yard when I feel his hand on my shoulder.

  Neo

  I didn't mean to piss him off. I'm just so...exhausted and he was acting like a damn uppity fool.

  I wasn't expecting his reaction, for him to just run . In the past, he would just get up and punch my face in to get me to shut up. But he hasn't done that in...I don't know how long.

  I sigh. I really do want to help him. No one should have to search for their family alone.

  I get out of the chair, hoping to Morrigan my legs don't give out on me. They don't but they hurt more than I care to admit. I push through the pain and follow him outside.

  Jax

  Did this idiot really follow me? What have we gotten into here? Why would Neo fucking Griffin want to be comforting me?

  "What do you want?" I mutter, not turning to face him.

  "Can we...talk?" He asks, his voice sounds hesitant but not angry.

  I roll my eyes. "We don't ever talk, Cameron. It usually ends up with one of us beating the shit out of the other."

  For a moment there's no response. And then, "Please, Jax."

  My breath catches in my throat. Since when does Neo say please...to me? I can't help it. I should, I should ignore him and save myself the pain...but I just can't. I want to see him...to talk.

  I push my hair back and turn around.

  He's standing right there. So close. Just like st week. The tips of his hair are a beautiful gentle pink. No matter how long we've gone to school together, I still don't know what each color means.

  He backs away, looking down and I start heading back inside. If we're going to talk, we might as well be comfortable and warm. He follows me and we go back to sitting in the same spots as before, facing each other now. Arch enemy and hopeless lover sitting in front of each other. Talking.

  "Look," he starts. "I'm sorry that I read the letter. I know I shouldn't have....but now that I know that you've been looking for your dad...well...I thought I could...help...if you needed it."

  I sit there for a moment, stunned. Is this really happening?

  Damn I must be dreaming. Or dead. I could definitely be dead.

  He must take my silence as a sign of disgust because he quickly continues with, "Look, I know it's not ideal, us being enemies and all, and I know we hate each other's guts, but I just thought...well I just thought..."

  "You thought what?" I demand, hopefully...hungrily.

  He sighs and the air blows his hair a little. Then he stares right at me, a fierce determination that is purely Neo.

  "I thought that if I were in your shoes, looking for my family, I would want help. It just seems like the right thing to do."

  I'm still a little dazed and not all too sure that this isn't a dream. Or worse, heaven. But when I look at him, I see that he's serious. Completely. He wants to help me. Find my father. Something that I hadn't even given much thought to.

  "Okay," I say, feeling as if I'm watching myself speak without controlling anything anymore.

  Neo's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "Okay?"

  I nod stiffly and start turning away. "Yeah. Okay. If it means you'll stop treating me like a suspect in every crime...then okay."

  I think I almost see him smile...almost.

  Neo

  Well. Got that over with. I can't believe I'm going to be helping the person who's made my past five and half years literally a living hell. But he has a point. If I help, I'll be able to keep an eye on him and make sure he's not doing anything fishy. I can't help but smile. An adventure! A mission! And a possibility to prove Jax's evilry once and for all.

  Just wait till Rosa hears about this.