Chapter Four

A week later Marietta sent me on a mission to find some kind of frilly fabric for one of Anna’s dresses. Things had been unnaturally quiet since the incident in the kitchen and I’d been so on edge I didn’t even have the urge to do any research into Catherine and William.

Pageant errands were the bane of my existence. I lost track of how many dresses each of them needed, they were all so big and ruffled and ridiculous. I always assumed most girls bought their dresses but Marietta was a talented seamstress and insisted on making theirs. According to her, it made Anna and Suzie stand out even more. In my opinion, it made them even more spoiled.

After already trying two of the fabric stores in town, I decided to try one a little closer to the waterfront.

The waterfront and old downtown were my favorite parts of Savannah. I took my time strolling down the sidewalk and studying the buildings. It was such a pretty city but what gave it that creepy, yet almost magical feel, were the trees. Tall, drooping trees, draped in Spanish moss were twisted and gnarled from hundreds of years. Thick, green 'town squares' dotted the neighborhoods nearest the river and I always compared it to living near the forest. You didn’t have to walk far to find a large open park and plenty of green space.

Every free second I had, I spent taking pictures of the trees and the squares. Right now, I had enough to make a very impressive coffee table book. Photography gave me the chance to escape. When I looked through a camera, the world disappeared. Along with it, all the taunting, and the sadness and the being ordered about faded away. Then, all I was left with was the object in my viewfinder. The simple plays of light and dark, the brutal honesty of the image, it helped my world make sense even if it’s just for that second.

Staring across the street at a particularly massive live oak and considering how I would capture it in the best light, I didn’t see the person standing right in front of me. The collision would have knocked me off my feet if someone with a strong pair of arms hadn’t held me upright.

“I’m so sorry, I’m such an idiot...” I started before getting a really good look at who still had their arms supporting me. It was Jason Preston. I couldn’t believe it and the shock struck me speechless.

He didn’t say anything either, just smiled at me with that little dimple in his chin and his dark brown eyes sparkling, dark hair falling across his forehead. He was even hotter in person.

I noticed a couple beefy guys nearby watching me like a hawk and assumed they were security.

“You okay?” he finally asked. I still couldn’t think of anything intelligent to say so all I did was nod. “Good, you were looking around like you’re lost. Are you lost? I’m not from here, but I can pretend and help you find your way.”

There was the cocky grin I remembered from TV.

“Are you flirting with me?” It was such a ridiculous thought and saying it aloud really made me wish I were anywhere else. I heard my voice and recognized the snarky tone, as if I found the idea of him flirting with me repulsive.

He let me go and looked at the ground as he laughed. “Maybe but I’m not doing a very good job at it, obviously.”

“I’m from here. I was just looking at the trees.” There, I said something even more idiotic. I expected him to run away at any moment and not spare a single glance backward.

Instead, he turned towards the tree I’d been staring at and cocked his head to the side.

“I can see why, they’re very mysterious. Like sad old ladies draped in veils.” That surprised me. It was the last thing I expected him to say. “It makes sense that Savannah has the kind of reputation it does.”

“Reputation?” I got the uneasy feeling I normally got when people started talking about my home. It was hard to listen to them wonder or mock the presence of ghosts when I’d felt them my entire life. Most of them treated it as a novelty or a tourist attraction.

“Yeah,” he looked back at me. “They say it’s the most haunted city in America. I’d love to find out for sure while I’m here doing this movie. I’m Jason, by the way.” He held out his hand.

I heard a squeal come from the end of the block and knew he’d been spotted by his adoring fans.

“I know who you are.” I stared at his hand without taking it, vaguely aware it was rude. The whole conversation felt a little surreal to me. My brain completely stopped working which didn’t help with trying to find something to say. “My stepsisters are crazy about you.”

He lowered his hand and tucked them into the front pockets of his jeans. He flashed the cocky grin again. “Are they as beautiful as you?”

With a shake of my head, I rolled my eyes and walked away.

“Seriously?” He called after me.

“Yep,” I answered over my shoulder as I saw a group of girls running towards him.

“Where do I find you if I need another cruel shot at my ego?”

It was hard to not answer him. I kept on walking but his laughter followed me the rest of the afternoon.

I didn’t have much experience with boys, but not from lack of interest. Seeing how the boys at school bowed to my stepsister’s whims I knew they weren’t for me. I hated the fact that Jason did all the stupid cliché things like making my heart speed up and my palms sweat. I growled in frustration.

When I reflected on the five minutes I spent with Jason, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed with myself for not even attempting to be charming and with him for being almost exactly what I expected.

I finally found the fabric Marietta sent me in search of but it had taken much longer than it should have. Luckily, when I made it back to Baubles, she was with a customer and in full suck-up mode. To make matters even better, the twins were also out and it was Saturday, which meant it was my one night to go out, my one night a week I had with an extended curfew.

Hoping not to upset Marietta any more than necessary, I took extra time with my chores to make sure there wouldn’t be anything worth complaining about.

“Quinn?” My head jerked up at the sound of my name. It was Mrs. Hoppel, my high school English teacher and head of the Photography Club.

“Hi, Mrs. Hoppel, what brings you here?” I caught Marietta watching me intently.

She patted her short grey bob. “I’m getting a little trim. I wanted to congratulate you after graduation but I wasn’t able to find you.”

Mrs. Hoppel had always been my favorite teacher and taught me a lot about photography. I considered her my mentor in a sense.

“I’m sorry. It was so crazy I must have missed you.” She was another one of the people I cared about who had no idea what life was like at home. Oh, I’m sure she heard about the trouble I got at school but that was different.

She reached into her large tote purse, pulled out a couple brochures and handed them to me. “These are some schools I wanted you to look at. This first one, obviously, is Savannah College of Art and Design. I know how much you love living in the city so I assume it’s your first choice. It’s getting down to the wire for late applications so you might want to do that soon. If you haven’t already, that is.”

I knew she was trying to be helpful but it made me uncomfortable. There would barely be enough money for me to set myself up somewhere new let alone start any kind of college. Going to SCAD was my dream but I didn’t see it happening. I took the brochures from her and smiled.

“The other one,” she continued, “is for the Hallmark Institute of Photography in Massachusetts. I understand the idea of going to the North and those frigid winters is appalling to any of us Southern women but this is an excellent school. Maybe you want a change of pace.”

Marietta hovered nearby, not even making an effort to conceal her eavesdropping. I’m glad Mrs. Hoppel didn’t notice her because she would have launched into an embarrassing conversation about my future.

I thanked Mrs. Hoppel for giving me the information and walked her to the front door of the salon. When I turned, Marietta ripped the brochures out of my hands.

“I’ll take these. You won’t need them.” She sneered and walked away, leaving her awful jasmine perfume behind. I tried to ignore the faint musty water smell hiding beneath it. The scent scared me a little.

Later that night I went downstairs to remind Marietta I was leaving. She and the twins were in the family room watching a recorded pageant as if it was the evening news. For a brief flash, I had a vision of how the room used to look.

Once upon a time it was full of pictures of me, of our family. Now if you looked through the house, you’d find no proof of my existence. They hid me away like a dirty secret.

“Just wanted you to know I was going out, Marietta.” Anxiety slicked over my skin, I never knew what kind of mood she would be in or more important, what her mood towards me would be.

“Fine, remember be back by midnight.” She tore her gaze away from the TV and fixed me with a look of malice. “Don’t forget what happened last time.”

Before I could answer she turned back to the TV, dismissing me.

Walking out I heard Suzie yell, “Have fun with your lesbian witch friend.”

All three of them laughed as I closed the door.