Unholy Offerings

The final bell rang, and the three of us strolled out of school, bags slung over our shoulders. The day hadn’t been as bad as I’d expected—aside from the obvious weight of everything going on. Belle seemed in better spirits, and I wanted to keep it that way. No talk of murders. No talk of the book. Just normal conversations for once.

“So, Luca,” I said, glancing over at him. “What are the odds you actually study at the library today instead of scrolling through whatever soccer stats you’re obsessed with?”

“Oh, come on,” he shot back, rolling his eyes. “I multitask. I can keep up with scores and learn about... uh, whatever we’re studying.”

“Physics,” Belle said, smiling faintly. “And last time I checked, you failed the last quiz.”

“Failed is a strong word,” Luca muttered. “It was more like a... learning experience.”

Belle chuckled softly, and for a moment, I felt the tension ease. It was good to hear her laugh again. She deserved that after everything.

Luca opened his mouth to say something else, but his eyes flicked toward Belle, and his expression shifted. “Oh, speaking of—”

Smack!

My hand landed hard on his back, and he stumbled forward, glaring at me. “Spider,” I said quickly, keeping my tone casual.

“Spider?” Luca asked, rubbing the back of his jacket. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I didn’t answer. I just gave him a look and flicked my eyes toward Belle. He caught on immediately, his scowl fading as realization dawned. “Oh. Right. Yeah. Thanks for that.”

“No problem,” I said, adjusting my bag strap. I didn’t want to risk her mood souring again. We just needed to get to the library, study a bit, and then I could sneak in some research on the curse.

As we reached the parking lot, I spotted our bikes chained near the rack, but something—or rather, someone—immediately made me slow down. Dez. He was leaning against the bike rack, arms crossed, his black BMW parked just beside it. The smirk on his face sent a chill down my spine.

“What the hell is he doing here?” Luca muttered, his voice low.

I didn’t answer. My hand instinctively tightened on my bag strap as I glanced at Belle. She’d frozen mid-step, her lips slightly parted as she stared at Dez. His head turned toward us, and his smirk widened when he saw her.

“Hey, Belle!” he called, straightening up and waving as if we were old friends. Except he wasn’t looking at me or Luca. Just Belle.

The three of us exchanged a look, equally stunned. Belle blinked, her face a mix of confusion and discomfort. “What—what does he want?” she whispered.

“Hell if I know,” I muttered. My mind raced. Dez wasn’t the type to “wave” at us—or anyone, for that matter—without a reason. I gave Belle a nudge. “Say something.”

“I... uh... I don’t...” Belle stammered, her voice trailing off as she took a small step back. Her hand clutched the strap of her bag tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Dez didn’t seem to notice—or care. He pushed himself off the rack, striding toward us with that same smug expression. “Relax, sweetheart,” he said, his voice smooth but dripping with condescension. “I’m just offering you a ride. Ditch these losers and hang out with me for once.”

“What?” The word shot out of my mouth before I could stop it. Dez’s smirk barely flickered as he shifted his attention entirely to Belle.

Belle took another step back. “I—I’m not—”

“You don’t belong with them,” Dez interrupted, waving a dismissive hand at me and Luca. “You’re better than this. Better than them. You should be hanging out with people like me.”

My jaw tightened. Memories of every shove, every insult, every laugh at my expense flashed through my mind like a slideshow. Dez wasn’t “offering” Belle anything—he was staking a claim, like she was some prize he’d just decided he wanted.

Luca didn’t give him the chance to keep talking. He stepped forward, his fists clenched and his voice sharp. “Back off, Dez,” he snapped. “She’s not interested.”

Dez laughed, a sharp, mocking sound that grated on my nerves. “Interested? She hasn’t even thought about it yet. But I’m telling you, Belle—you don’t belong with these two. You’re better than that.”

Belle’s mouth opened like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. I could feel the heat rising in my chest, my hands clenching into fists as I tried to figure out what to do. Before I could act, Luca stormed over, grabbed Belle’s wrist, and gently but firmly led her toward the bikes.

Dez’s voice followed us across the parking lot. “Hey, Belle! The offer’s still open. You’ll figure it out eventually. You’re meant to be with me, not those two.”

I glanced back, my teeth clenched, but Dez wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were fixed on Belle, his expression unreadable.

Belle shook off Luca’s hand once we reached the bikes. “I’m fine,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’m fine. Let’s just go.”

Without another word, we hopped on our bikes and pedaled away, the weight of Dez’s words hanging over us like a storm cloud. I glanced back once, seeing Dez still standing there, watching us leave. Something about the way he looked at Belle sent a shiver down my spine.

We pedaled away from the parking lot at high speeds, the silence between us heavier than the winter air. It wasn’t until we hit the hill on Maple Street, the bikes picking up speed as we coasted down, that Luca finally broke the quiet.

“What the fuck was that about?” he blurted, his voice sharp and cutting through the stillness.

I flinched slightly at his outburst, my grip on the handlebars tightening to keep my bike steady. Belle, riding just ahead of us, glanced back briefly, her expression mirroring Luca’s confusion. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice soft but laced with disbelief. “I have no idea.”

“Well, it was definitely something,” Luca muttered, shaking his head.

I tried to ease the tension, forcing a smirk as I spoke. “Maybe Dez finally saw ‘the hidden beauty’ behind her glasses. Guess it left him speechless.”

Belle’s head whipped toward me, and I caught the faintest hint of a smile before she reached over and playfully smacked my arm. “Wise!” she hissed. “Stop it.”

“What?” I said, feigning innocence. “I’m just saying... maybe the guy finally has taste.”

Luca glanced between us, his brows furrowed. “Wait, what are you two talking about?”

Belle sighed, looking ahead again. “It’s nothing. Just Dez being Dez.”

“It’s not nothing,” I said, chuckling. “He didn’t just ‘notice’ her. He was practically drooling on her doorstep this morning.”

Luca’s head snapped toward me, and for a second, I thought he was going to burst out laughing. But he held it together, his lips twitching as he let out a low whistle. “You’re kidding me. Dez? That Dez? Wow. Belle, you’ve officially broken the universe.”

“Don’t start,” Belle said quickly, though her voice was lighter now. She nudged her bike ahead as we slowed, approaching the library. “Let’s just drop it, okay?”

We parked our bikes outside and chained them to the rack, the cold air biting at my hands as I fiddled with the lock. Inside, the warmth of the library enveloped us, and we instinctively lowered our voices to whispers as we made our way to a cluster of chairs near the far end.

Luca plopped down first, leaning back in his chair. “Okay, so maybe Dez has a thing for you now,” he said, his tone teasing but quiet enough not to draw attention. “What do you think, Belle? Ready to trade us in for some luxury rides and bad pickup lines?”

Belle rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the small smile creeping onto her face. “Oh, definitely,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She flicked her hair dramatically and struck a pose. “I mean, who could resist my womanly charms?”

Luca and I both chuckled, and for a brief moment, it felt like we were just normal teenagers, joking around without a care in the world. Belle laughed too, her shoulders relaxing as she pulled out her books. “Alright, alright. Enough about Dez. Let’s actually get some work done before this day gets any weirder.”

We settled into our seats, divvying up the homework we needed to tackle. For a while, everything was calm, the faint rustle of pages and scratching of pens filling the air.

After solving a few physics problems, something in my brain clicked. The real reason I came to the library hit me like a jolt. I glanced to my left—Luca was hunched over his notebook, scribbling furiously. On my right, Belle was flipping through her textbook, her lips moving slightly as she read to herself. They were both too focused to notice as I pushed back my chair.

“Bathroom,” I mumbled, slipping away from the table before either of them could respond.

I made my way to the mythology and history section, the rows of dusty books stretching endlessly before me. It felt like the right place. If there was anything remotely useful about the curse, it had to be here. I wandered the aisles, scanning titles until one caught my eye: The Tragedies Before Christmas.

My heart skipped a beat as I pulled the book from the shelf, its old leather cover creaking under my grip. I flipped it open and skimmed the first few pages, my breath hitching as I read. The book detailed a town—not far from here—that experienced a series of twelve murders over twelve days in December. The deaths were gruesome, symbolic, and eerily similar to what was happening now. But it didn’t stop there.

On the 24th day, something worse happened. Dozens of people died in a single event, far outnumbering the individual murders. The details were sparse, but it was enough to send my mind reeling.

I barely noticed myself sinking to the floor as I turned the pages, devouring the information. The curse wasn’t isolated. It happened town after town, passed on like a disease. The book didn’t explain how or why it started, but one thing was clear: it never struck the same town twice. People passed it on, hoping to escape its wrath.

“So it is a curse,” I muttered under my breath. My fingers tightened on the edges of the pages. “But how do we stop it? And what started it in the first place?”

The thought was cut short when a voice whispered right next to my ear. “What are you reading?”

I yelped, jerking forward and almost dropping the book. My heart raced as I turned to see Belle standing behind me, her hands raised in surrender.

“Relax,” she said, her voice soft but tinged with amusement. “I didn’t mean to scare you. You’ve been gone for, like, an hour. I came to find you.”

I blinked, glancing at the clock on the wall. She was right. I hadn’t even realized how much time had passed. I snapped the book shut and stood, brushing off my jeans. “Sorry. I got... distracted.”

Belle tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “Distracted by what?” She gestured toward the book in my hands. “What’s that?”

I forced a laugh, holding the book close to my chest. “Just some fantasy novel I found. Looked interesting.”

Her eyes lit up. “Fantasy? Let me see!”

“Nah,” I said quickly, slipping the book under my arm. “I’m gatekeeping this one. Gotta sample it first before I recommend it.”

She pouted, but after a moment, she shrugged. “Fine. But it better be good.” She glanced at the window. “Come on, it’s getting late. We should pack up.”

I nodded, my phone vibrating in my pocket as we returned to the table. A message from Mom lit up the screen: When are you coming home?

I quickly replied: Soon.

Tucking my phone away, I glanced back at Belle. The weight of what I’d read lingered, but I’d keep it to myself for now