Ez put his arm around Opal’s shoulders and guided her behind us as we hurried to Arts & Crafts.
Professor Celosia took one look at Opal’s tears and the torn blanket in my hands before she waved us through the door. She immediately gave me a needle and thread without us even having to fill out a form on what it was for. We sat on the floor cushions that were gathered around a window at the farthest corner of the Arts & Crafts room, and I got to work. The boys remained quiet as Opal wept, and I hand-stitched the pieces of the quilt back together.
Oberi bobbed her head. “Oberi likes your blanket. Says she appreciates the narwhals,” I offered.
Opal gave a sad little noise. “It doesn’t matter. It’s ruined now.”
“It’s not. Never been a project that I couldn’t patch up. I promise I’ll make it good as new.”
Ancestors, Kyle had really fucked it up, but I vowed to myself I would fix the blanket somehow, for Opal’s sake.
The sadness in the air was so heavy as I worked. Ivy had told me months ago that his family— Opal’s family— was really fucked up, and that she was in here because of them. I couldn’t fathom how all of this was connected.
I glanced around the room. There was no one else in here. It felt lonely without Marcus in the corner working on his paintings. The gang had literally taken everything from him. But maybe it was best that we were alone, because Opal really seemed like she had stuff to get off her chest.
Ez was the first one who was brave enough to speak up. “What’s your daughter’s name?”
“Marina.” Opal’s lip wobbled. “She’s three.”
“That’s a pretty name,” Ez offered. “She’s the same age my kid would’ve been.”
“Re-really?” Opal wiped her nose. “I didn’t know you—”
“Yeah. I got my girlfriend pregnant when we were sixteen,” Ez said. “But she lost the kid, so… it wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”
If possible, Opal looked even more depressed. “I see. I hope you two can work it out, once you get out of here.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Ez said immediately. “We were bad for each other. I’ve moved on. I’m never going back to that relationship.”
“Oh.” Opal looked down at her hands. “I’ve never had a boyfriend.”
Ez was definitely confused, so Opal added, “It wasn’t a one-night stand, or anything. Though I wish it was.”
I had already guessed what was coming, but by the horrified expression on Ez’s face, he’d just figured it out. Charlie, ever the silent and supportive bystander, remained by my side and let Opal say what she needed to.
“My mom died when I was really young,” Opal explained. “My family has always been really chaotic. Drugs, alcohol… you name it. Ivy left as soon as he could. He tried to take me with him, but the vampires wouldn’t have me… so I had nowhere else to go.”
Opal shivered. “Marina… her father… he’s also her grandfather.”
I didn’t understand, until I did. The realization was like a knife to the gut. Ancestors. It was worse than even I had imagined. The blood had drained from my brother’s face, leaving him pale and horrified.
“My dad had always… but it got worse, as I got older.” Opal was turning green, like this made her physically ill to talk about.
I couldn’t imagine Opal’s pain. What I’d endured, I’d only had to go through once. Opal had put up with years of abuse.
Charlie’s hands quivered. I couldn’t imagine how hard this was for him to listen to. He had difficult memories of his own trauma he had to deal with. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. He instantly calmed at my touch.
“You don’t have to explain your story to me,” Ez insisted, and he grabbed Opal’s hand. “You don’t have to relive it.”
I wanted to tell him to back off on the touching and give her some space. But Opal didn’t seem uncomfortable at Ez’s hand. Instead, she leaned into his grip. “I want to tell you everything. I wantsomeoneto know. I can’t keep carrying this around alone.”
“Okay. So go on.”
Opal was totally fixated on Ez. It was like the two of them had forgotten Charlie and I were here as she continued. “I was so scared. I hid the pregnancy from my father as long as I could. When he found out, he tried to make me get an abortion, but by then, I was too far along.”
Opal blinked rapidly. “Prom was a couple of weeks after I’d found out I was pregnant. I was so excited, because Ivy had sent me this beautiful dress from Chicago, and I really wanted to wear it. I just wantedone nightof happiness and peace. I thought I’d be like Cinderella, you know, and some prince would come and sweep me off my feet, make me forget about my problems for a night.”
Opal’s voice grew volatile. “They were silly dreams. At the party, a couple of jocks cornered me. They didn’t hurt me, but they tore my dress and pulled at my hair. I was so humiliated, I ran off. I couldn’t stand up for myself back then, and I’d always been shy. By the time I was confident enough to go back out on the dance floor, I’d been gone for hours, and people wondered where I’d gone. Then, when we got back to school, those jerks toldeveryoneI’d been gone for so long because I was sleeping with them. The rumor was pretty much confirmed in everyone’s eyes once word got around that I was pregnant.”
