by Carly Marino
Cole held my hand. “You’ll never be normal, and you should be proud of that. Being Inflexaen makes you special. Embrace it.”
“Yeah, well. Normal is what I’ve always dreamed of being.” I sighed. “But I guess I have to learn first. I can learn, can’t I?”
He released my hand and strolled to the stone terrace wall. Resting his forearms on top, he leaned forward, gazing out at the maze of hedges. I wished I could read his thoughts like he could read mine. “We’ll have to see. I’m not sure what abilities you have. Being human and all.”
“Yeah, I have a feeling this whole part-human thing will be more of a disadvantage.” I stepped closer to him. “But I’m ready, Luke Skywalker. Let’s do this.”
Glancing over his shoulder, he chuckled. “Luke Skywalker? I think you mean Yoda or Obi-wan.”
“Same thing. Now teach me.”
He shook his head. “Not really. Doesn’t matter, either way, ’cause I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“We have to focus on one ability at a time. See what you can do. Wanna shoot for after school this week?”
His words warmed my cheeks. Spending more time with him meant—spending more time with him. Yes, his eyes sparkled with his perfect smile and his body… I forced my gawking gaze to focus on his face … which made my ears tingle and my heart stamper, but my excitement had nothing to do with those things. The more time I spent with Cole, Nora, and Drake, the more I’d learn where I came from, what I could do, and how I could fit in.
An involuntary smile lifted on my face. I could do normal things. Hug a person I loved, share a passionate kiss with an attractive guy, hold hands, dance close. The possibilities brought joy to my chest and tears to my eyes. I could truly be normal, and I couldn’t wait.
“This week sounds perfect.”
Chapter Nine
I tapped a pencil on my Spanish book, restless, annoyed, and on edge. Where the hell had Cole, Nora, and Drake gone this week? It was already Thursday and they’d just vanished. Cole didn’t return any of my texts or calls. I was borderline stalking at this point.
I probably imagined the whole thing. An Alien. Ha. Who believed that crap? Wynter, Ethan, and Aunt Karen hadn’t acted any different since Sunday. They didn’t even ask about my day-date with Nora, which was unusual for Wynter.
And if I didn’t dream everything, then what about the Resparés? Weren’t they after me? Going to kill or kidnap me? If that were true, why hadn’t Cole shown up all week? Unless they were the ones after me. I held my breath. Maybe they stayed home to rally other Resparés.
Señorita Torres wiggled onto the edge of her desk. Her tight black pencil skirt didn’t leave much room for her to move. She rattled off in Spanish, her attention landing on me and her bright-red lips curving into a smile.
My cheeks heated, remembering the vanilla taste of her lipstick and floral smell of her perfume. I cringed. So gross.
A shadow moved past the window, and I jumped. Goosebumps tensed the skin on my arms. Could Cole, Nora, and Drake be the ones I should be afraid of?
This is ridiculous.
My hand shot up.
“Qué necesita, Señorita, Thea?” Señorita Torres raked through her waist-length tea-colored hair.
“Uh—I need to use the bathroom.”
“En español, por favor.”
I huffed. “Necesito el baño.”
“Necesito el bańo…”
I groaned. “Necesito el baño, por favor.”
“Muy bien!” She motioned to the paddle with the words, hall pass carved in the side before continuing with the lesson.
I snatched my book bag and hurried out the door, leaving the pass dangling next to the door. I needed to get some air. I’d never skipped school, but I couldn’t stay another second. I was so confused. When I left Cole’s house on Sunday, I got a glimpse of a new life. A chance to learn more about my parents and my abilities. But now … now I felt alone again.
They’d left me.
I scurried down the hall toward my locker, almost there, but Ethan called my name from behind.
Shit. I paused and waited for him to catch up. “Hey.”
“Where are you going?” He flicked his hair from his eyes. “’Cause, I’m pretty sure you don’t need your book bag to go to the bathroom.”
I shrugged. “That time of the month.”
He leaned his shoulder on a locker and folded his arms. “Nice try. I’m not grossed out by that shit. You and Wyn have been synced for years.”
I stuck out my tongue. “Yuck, Ethan.”
“You’re skipping, huh?” His smile brightened my mood. It always could, ever since grade school.
I scuffed my shoe on the white tile. “Yep.”
“I’ll text Wyn to grab my stuff. We can go do something.”
True-blue, sweet, caring, and genuine Ethan. “I have cramps. Can you tell Wyn I’m heading home?”
“Yeah, sure.” He shoved his hand into his jeans’ pocket. “You seem different. Is this about Conway?” His eyes narrowed—the telltale sign that protective Ethan would make an appearance. “He did do something to you. Didn’t he? Is that why he’s been out all week? If he—”
“No. He didn’t do anything.” Not really, kind of, maybe. “I’m just tired.”
“Okay.” Ethan pointed the paddle down the hallway like an airport director. “If you’re going to get by the gates, you better take the back exit.”
“Thanks.” I scurried in the opposite direction.
****
Karen was going to kill me when I got home. Skipping was one thing. Staying out past dusk was another. I’d driven the coastal highway until shades of indigo and gray embraced the clouds and shadows overtook the landscape. Hours had passed, but time seemed to stand still. The chill from the ocean breeze and the damp scents didn’t help my sore heart.
Nothing could.
I pulled over and the walls closed in on me. Tears poured down my face, fogging my vision. My chest heaved as the initial shock from the news melted, and the weight of my newfound reality crashed in.
Fear, confusion, and loneliness swallowed me. I was an alien. Terrifying beings wanted to kill me. Kill everyone, and they had no idea. But I did, and I couldn’t warn them.
Not to mention, I’d tasted a sense of belonging and had it ripped away. How could Cole do this to me? He’d left me to mull over all of this by myself.
I sobbed. Maybe for five minutes, maybe for an hour. Either way, I sniffed and coughed until my eyes felt dry, and my ribs ached.
My phone sang a happy tune that didn’t match my current mood.
“Hey, Wyn.”
“You answered,” she said, annoyance in her voice. “I can’t believe you skipped without me.”
I wiped my eyes. “Sorry. I wasn’t feeling too great.”
“That’s what Ethan said. I was going to come over but someone’s at your house?”
“Huh?”
“There’s a car parked in front of your mailbox. It’s been there since I got home. Where are you, anyway?”
Rolling waves of fear expanded through me, accelerating my heart. “I should probably go, Wyn. Call you later.” I hung up, threw my car in drive, and rushed home.
My hands shook. “Aunt Karen just has company. This is a good thing.”
Now, she couldn’t yell at me for skipping. Who was I kidding? Guests or not, she’d pull me aside to have words. And Aunt Karen never had company. I pushed on the gas pedal, drove the few miles home, and swerved onto my street.
My car crept into the driveway. I eyed the silver sports car resting in front of my mailbox. I’d never seen it before, which gave my stomach a good hard clench. Would a Resparé be stupid enough to park right in front? Hi, I’m here to kill you.
I got out and grabbed my book bag from the back seat before sneaking over to the car. The only personal item inside was a crystal hanging from the rearview. Lots of people had crystals dangling from their mirrors. Not weird.
“You’re home.” Her eyes twinkled with what looked like excitement. Well, this could go better than I’d hoped. She motioned with her head toward our kitchen.
I twisted around the door frame. My mouth dropped.
Cole rested his back on my kitchen counter. His arms crossed over his chest and a smirk tilted on his face. I wanted to slap him.
Aunt Karen finger-brushed my hair. “Cole stopped over to surprise you, and we’ve been chitchatting.” Her shoulders straightened and her pleasant smile pinched into her classic scolding. I braced myself for a lecture. Cole must have told her I skipped. Why would he tattle on me? Then again, what did he care? He left without a single word. The tension in her forehead relaxed, surprising me. “Luckily he came by when he did. I was three minutes from calling the police. Next time you stay late for extra credit, you call. Got it.”
Extra credit? My gaze slid to Cole, who was still smirking. “Uh … yeah. Sorry.”
“Well, I’ll give you a pass this time.” She whispered, “Cole’s a nice boy… Cute too.”
I groaned and rolled my eyes. “He’s okay.”
Cole chuckled, pushed off the counter, and walked to us, stern but too casual for comfort. “Your extra credit took you a bit longer. What’ve you been up to?”
“Are you seriously asking me what I’ve been up to? Where the hell have you been?”
Aunt Karen coughed. “Um … I’m … going to get something from my room.”
“It was nice meeting you, Karen,” Cole said a little too pleasantly.
“You too, Cole.” Aunt Karen glanced at me and mouthed, be nice, before she scurried off.
I marched to him. “You ghosted me after dropping a freaking bomb on my head.”
“I had some business to attend to.” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and I pulled away.
“Business? Seriously? What type of business could you possibly have to attend to? Did Drake and Nora have this business as well?”
“Sort of.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Sorry I left you hanging.”
I snorted. “Well, you could have at least called or texted me back. I thought I’d imagined everything.”
A small smile peaked the corners of his lips. “Didn’t think you’d miss me so much.”
I growled. “You’re such a jerk. Why are you here, anyway? Am I in some kind of trouble?”
“I need to talk to you.” Unease crossed his face, and he glanced at the door. I had a hard time reading him. Something was off. I didn’t take Cole for the nervous type. Especially, around girls. But maybe…
I glanced away from him. “Oh yeah? About?”
Cole removed my backpack from my shoulder and set it next to the sofa. “Wanna go for a walk with me?”
“I—I guess. Let me go change first.”
He nodded, and I jogged upstairs to my room. I glanced in the mirror, mortified at my bloodshot eyes, hot-mess of snarly blonde hair, and black mascara smudged under my eyes. I cringed. I looked like a stoned raccoon.
I quickly changed, slicked my hair into a ponytail, and snagged the photo of my parents from the drawer. Cole might know more about them. They had to have a master list of Inflexaens. Right?
“Going out, be back,” I called to Aunt Karen.
“Okay,” she said from her bedroom. “Be safe.”
Be safe. The words had an all new meaning now.
Cole pressed his lips together. “Ready?”
“Yep.”
He held the door for me.
The night air had a slight chill, and clouds hovered over the low-hanging full moon. I inhaled the breeze carrying Cole’s clean-scented cologne. I withheld a sigh.
We ambled the sidewalk in silence. The homes in my neighborhood were modest like mine—simple one or two stories with white picket fences, shutters, and well-kept green lawns. Lights turned off and on as we past. Shadows moved behind closed blinds, and I imagined families having dinner, laughing and talking about their days.
I’d always envied my neighbors, most I’d never met, but they always appeared happy—normal. Their worries consisted of paying bills and what food they’d cook for dinner. Not hiding from evil aliens or keeping weird abilities a secret. I scuffed my shoe. Must be nice.
I kicked stones, and they rolled in front of us. Crickets chirped in harmony, but the high-pitched noise pinched at my temples.
“So…” I said, breaking the silence more to get out of my own head than to talk. I feared what he might say.
“So…”
At the end of my street, we stopped at a large empty lot. The grass and weeds had overgrown, making them almost over my head.
Cole raked a hand through his shag of chestnut waves. “I don’t know how to even say this.”
My chest clenched. “Say what?”
“I think you should go.”
I cocked my head to the side. “Go? You just brought me here? I thought you needed to talk. We can talk in the house if you—”
“No, Thea. Go. Like pack up your stuff and leave this town. They know you’re here, but you can’t be traced. If you don’t tell anyone where you’re going, you’ll be safe. Neither Inflexaens nor Resparés can sense you. Get the hell out of here before it’s too late.”
My breath hitched. Go? He couldn’t be serious. “You’re joking, right? You expect me just to pick up and leave the only life I’ve ever known? How the hell am I going to convince Aunt Karen to move, anyway? We’ve lived here for years. That wouldn’t be fair to her. This is her life too.”
He shook his head. “You wouldn’t have to convince her because she wouldn’t be coming. We’d give you some money, and you would just disappear one night.”
I opened and closed my mouth. “I can’t leave my aunt. Won’t they come after her?”
He let out an exaggerated sigh. “You are putting her in danger if you don’t leave. She’s human. They’d drain her within seconds.”
I didn’t need a mirror to know my face had blanched, and if I wasn’t pissed, I’d give in to my fear. “Basically I’m putting her in danger either way. Wouldn’t it make more sense if you just trained me? Did something happen in the last three days to change your mind? Because I thought that was the plan.”
He jammed his hands into his front pockets, and he peered at the starry sky.
“Well?” I insisted.
His gaze snapped back to my face. “You don’t get it. You’re weak, and you’re inexperienced. We’ve all had intensive training since we could walk. Do you honestly think a few days will make you a superhero?” He rubbed his forehead. “You have no idea how ruthless the Resparés are. They wouldn’t just kill you, they’d torture you. I can’t let that happen. I can’t let them hurt you, and I don’t know if I can protect you. Things are more complicated than you know.”
“Then tell me. Give me a chance to prove to you—”
“I can’t, Thea. Just go. You have to.”
I couldn’t stand there any longer. “You want me to go, fine. Then get the hell out of my way.” I shoved past him and pushed through the tall grassy field, away from my neighborhood, away from Cole. I couldn’t stand near him another second.
Long blades cut my arms and scratched my neck. I trudged deeper, tuning out Cole yelling for me. Screw him!
He might’ve had honest care for my safety, but I had a hard time letting go of him saying I was weak. Inexperienced, sure, but I had a lot of heart. If anyone hurt someone I loved, they’d more than regret it. I needed a chance to prove myself.
Plus, his sudden change of attitude pissed me off. One minute he wanted to teach me, the next he told me to run away. Whatever. He could leave. I had zero intention of walking away from my family to live a life alone on the run.
“Thea! Stop!”
I growled and quickened my pace. I tripped over loose stone
s but pushed forward, borderline running at this point.
My foot dropped into a hole, knocking me off balance. I yelped as I tumbled to the ground.
I rubbed the side of my ankle. “Worst day ever,” I grumbled.
I waited for Cole to come up behind me, but heard nothing. The air stilled. He no longer shouted my name, and I no longer heard his footsteps racing toward me. Yet, I had an eerie prickle on the back of neck like someone was watching me.
I picked myself up and searched at what seemed like miles upon miles of nothing. Clouds had now covered the moon, and the light from the street lamps stopped a few feet from me. I was in complete darkness
Hair rose on my arms, and a chill shivered up my spine. I didn’t know which way to go. I was lost, in this empty lot, at night.
“Cole!”
No answer.
“Cole!” My voice echoed, and tears stung my eyes.
Still no answer.
Where could he be?
The grass rustled behind me. I spun toward the sound, expecting to see Cole, but saw nothing except swaying grass. Just the breeze. “You’re paranoid. No one’s—”
Something brushed by me. I sucked in a breath. My heart pounded, and my instinct screamed to run, but my muscles froze.
The grass moved. Bending as if someone whirled around me. Faster and faster the invisible presence moved. Pressing down the grass, it encased me in a carved-out circle. My jaw quivered. A crop circle?
I whimpered, the sound of my pleading sob frightening me. My mind flashed back to Metro. Was this him? The blond man who tried to drain me?
Two shadowed hands gripped my arms.
I screamed. “Cole! Help! Cole!”
My essence seeped out, and a sharp pain speared into my skin, my knees once again jellified.
No.
A guttural growl ripped from my throat. The Resparé loosened his grip, and I ripped from his grasp. I ran, glancing at the silhouette behind me gaining speed.
The Resparé caught my wrist. My arms warmed, and heat burned to the tips of my fingers until they glowed a zaffre-blue—my favorite color in my palette. I gasped, and he let me go.