Page 43 of Unmasking My Dark Knight

Now that he said it, maybe I did underdress for the cold. My pullover sweater kept me just comfortable enough when the sun was out… but at nightfall, it felt chillier than I anticipated.

“Not today,” I said. “I just really need to find those pesky rings, so I’m sure I won’t be here too long. The funhouse was a bust, though. Did you talk to the maintenance workers about the ditch today?” I asked, feeling somewhat optimistic. I really didn’t want to go digging in the mud myself, and figured if the professionals who spent all day working in that spot couldn’t find the rings, then maybe they weren’t really there.

“I’m sorry, but the ditch was a bust…” he said, looking down at the tips of his shoes. He seemed just as disappointed.

“Shit…” I cursed, sighing. “I mean, shoot. Whichever word. Never mind—what about the lost and found? Anyone turn them in today?” I crossed my arms, trying to keep warm.

He shook his head. “There was nothing valuable in those bins for me to take.” He grinned.

I eyed him in a playful way.

“I’m sorry. That’s not funny. But I promise we'll find them.” He reached for my hand like he had before, and I happily took it. We began walking down the familiar path I’d already grown accustomed to.

“I think so, too. Well, I hope to, anyway. If they really are lost, my parents can replace them, I guess,” I said.

“You mean her parents?”

I shook my head. “No. It’s my brother’s wedding, too. And since it’s my fault I lost them, my parents will fix the situation before the bride and groom figure it out. I think they would be embarrassed that I lost them. They are very particular about their image.”

“Interesting,” he said under his breath.

The single word made me feel icky, like my parents solved problems by throwing cash around.

“Sometimes… I forget my life is pretty different from most people.”

He smirked. “I can imagine.”

My heartbeat pounded nervously against my chest.

“I’m not, like, spoiled or anything. I’m very grateful for my life,” I added quickly and defensively.

“I’m sure you are very grateful for your life,” High Jynx said, not with disdain or anything, just very even-toned.

I sighed. It’d been a long time since I was this nervous and tongue-tied. It’d be best to leave before I embarrassed myself any further in front of him. “Maybe I should just go in this direction.” I pointed toward the section where Tallulah and I stopped to eat a pretzel on our first visit. Maybe I dropped the rings while hyperventilating near the haunted seesaw. “I really need to find those rings. As you know… and anyway… I gotta go back to the chateau in thirty minutes. I can’t have anyone notice I’m missing. Tallulah might kill me before Chucky does with his plastic knife.”

He laughed. “I can't have him killing you. Who else would I look forward to seeing every night?”

I put my hand to my chin to make sure my jaw wouldn’t drop. I could just squeal like high school me with her first crush. All I could say was, “Thank you.”

“The Chateau Lumière du Étoile?” he said.

I nodded. The way he pronounced the French accent was beautiful. “Yeah, that’s where my brother’s getting married.”

“You’re pretty fancy then, huh?”

I hesitated. “My family is comfortable, yes.” Typically, I enjoyed bragging about where I stayed, where my family came from, and their wealth, but it didn’t feel good to say any of that out loud to High Jynx. Not that I was ashamed, it was more like… I wanted us to be in this bubble we created together. I wanted to hold onto it for as long as I could.

“I want to show you something… will you come with me?” he asked, trying to go in the opposite direction.

He could ask me the same question over and over again, and each time I’d say yes. I wanted to say yes to his adventure, his antics, his kingdom, and this fantasy.

I nodded, and he led us away.

CHAPTER 17

Romeo

Seeing Ivy Jade, sitting on the bench in the crowded park, felt like Christmas morning. Every time she came back into my little bubble, into my little world, it felt a little more like acceptance and hope.