by K Swanson
I glanced in the direction she wanted me to go. I didn’t want to burst her bubble and tell her I’d likely find the exact same thing we’d been surrounded with since we stepped into the woods. Trees and dirt, with some large shrubbery thrown in for good measure. “All right. Shall we meet back here in ten minutes?” Just because I felt pessimistic didn’t mean I wanted to discourage my new friend.
She nodded once, chattering like a magpie as we took separate routes. Every few minutes, I checked the time on my phone, then I turned back for our meeting place once five minutes had passed. I was relieved not to have found anything unusual. I hadn’t realized it until we’d separated, but what if one of us had found a bear? Did bears even live in these woods? I’d prefer not to find out.
After waiting in our meeting spot for a few minutes, I frowned, peering in the direction she’d gone. “Bekka?”
There was no response. I spun in a circle. This was where we were meeting, right?
I called her name again. Still no response. Heading for the path she took, I watched for signs she’d been there, but I had no idea what to look for while tracking.
Where was she? It wasn’t as if she could have disappeared into thin air. I called her name again, only to be met with silence. By the time I’d spun in a circle, I was thoroughly turned around. With as many times as we’d zigged and zagged, I had no idea which way home was. To make matters worse, when I checked the map on my phone, it said I didn’t have service.
I continued wandering, hoping that something would look familiar. When thirty minutes had passed and I was still lost, my stomach flipped uneasily. If I’d been heading the correct way, I would have found the edge of the woods by now.
There seemed to be no sign that Bekka had even been there.
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and my heart gave a hard thump. The only thing keeping me from truly panicking was remembering that CJ wanted me to text him. Perhaps if he went long enough without receiving one, he’d come looking for me? Now if only I could convince myself of that, I’d be totally fine.
Another shiver swept up my spine. The feeling of someone watching me intensified, but there didn’t appear to be anyone around.
Did that tree look familiar? I could have sworn I’d already passed it. It kind of had a fork thing going on, with the tree practically split in half.
The snap of someone stepping on a twig nearby made my heart race as I spun around, scanning my surroundings.
The sound of footsteps moving over dry leaves got closer. My throat felt as though it was closing as I spun in a circle. No one was in sight, but I backed away from the noise. Wait, what if it was Bekka? Tentatively, I called her name as I took another couple of steps backward. And then I ran into something and screamed, my hand going to my chest as my heart felt as if it would burst out of my chest.
A voice registered through the blood pounding in my ears. “Are you okay?”
“CJ? Wh-what are you doing here?” Brushing my hands against my thighs, I tried to hide how freaked out I’d been. I fought the urge to wrap my arms around him and tell him how happy I was to see him.
“I’m almost always out here.” He gave a small shrug. “And Bekka found her way out of the woods near my house. I waited for a few minutes, but when you didn’t follow, I wanted to make sure you weren’t lost.”
Standing up straighter, I snorted. “Me? Lost?” My voice squeaked, making my face heat. I’m sure I would have found my way out eventually. Maybe. Probably.
He smirked. “Well, now that I found you, you owe me.” With his head, he gestured in the direction he walked.
My brows went up. “I owe you?” Did I even want to know what I owed him?
“Yep.” Nodding, he looked way too pleased with himself. Before I could ask what he meant, he pointed at a large boulder. “That means you’re heading toward your house.”
I stood next to him as he pulled a neon paint pen from his pocket and marked the rock. The mark wasn’t big, but it would be easy to spot in the foliage.
“What do I owe you?” With a cringe, I waited for him to reply.
“Lunch with me and my friends next Monday?”
“Wait… that’s it?” For some reason, I’d expected more.
With a thoughtful frown, he glanced at me. “No, you’re right. That’s not nearly enough.” Now, what would he insist on? If it was as tame as sitting with him at lunch, then I truly wouldn’t mind.
As we continued walking, he pointed out another couple of things to help me find my way in the woods, like a tree that had split in four, each section growing and twisting away from the trunk at a different angle. I must have seen it my first time through, but I hadn’t noticed it.
The grin was back in place as he announced, “All week.”
“I’m sorry, what?” All week for what?
“You’ll sit with us all week.”
I thought about that. “And if your friends aren’t okay with that?”
He shrugged and snorted. “Having a cute girl sitting at a table full of guys? I can guarantee no one will object.”
My cheeks heated. He thought I was cute?
Trying to cover my embarrassment, I replied, “If you say so.”
It didn’t take much longer to find the exit, then I was looking at the back door of a familiar house. My brow furrowed as I got closer. Bekka’s bag was missing. Had she really left me in the woods? Shrugging, I headed for the house. It wouldn’t do any good to be angry about it now, but on Monday, I planned to ask her about it.
“See ya later, Hayls!”
I smiled, giving CJ a small wave. “Bye. And thank you.”
Instead of replying, he winked and disappeared into the forest.
* * *
When Saturday rolled around, I groaned. With everything that happened yesterday, I’d never gotten around to doing my homework. But I had the entire day to work on it. After a quick shower and some breakfast, I headed outside with my backpack. The sun shone brightly, but it wasn’t really hot out, which made it the perfect weather. My phone vibrated, and I dug it out of my pocket.
CJ: What are you up to today?
Haylie: I’m outside doing homework.
Was it good that he was texting to ask what I was doing? Maybe all his friends were busy and he was bored? My stomach jumped with giddy nerves. What if he wanted to hang out?
When I didn’t receive a reply right away, I attempted to turn my attention back to math, but it wasn’t easy. CJ had claimed I owed it to him to sit with him and his friends. I suspected if I refused he wouldn’t force me, but I did want to make friends. Would they even like me? In study hall, I’d noticed CJ sitting next to a thin guy with reddish-blond hair who seemed to blush every time he was called on. It was sort of endearing. That was the only time I really saw CJ during the day, but still. Why would he want to introduce me to his friends?
Finally, I made my way through my math problems and started on history. Most of the work was easy. I’d covered some of it at the institute, so it wasn’t all new to me. As I checked my answers, I twisted my wrist, the silver bangles clinking together.
My neck prickled, making me feel as if I were being watched. I glanced around, finding a familiar shadow nearby. “CJ? What are you doing here?”
He shrugged, a small smile playing across his lips. He wore khaki shorts and a green T-shirt that hugged his body, showing the shape of the silver band around his bicep. He never seemed to be without it, and I wondered if it was sentimental or, similar to my bracelets, if he was so used to wearing it he felt weird without it.
“Came to see how you were doing after yesterday.”
“You didn’t need to do that.”
He scuffed the toe of his boot in the dirt, blushing faintly as he dropped to the ground next to me. “I won’t stay long. My moms aren’t home right now, so I’m bored.”
Moms? Plural? I watched him closely. “Moms?”
His chocolate eyes met mine in a stare that dared me to sa
y anything negative.
“Sorry, that was insensitive.” I cringed. I was aware those types of relationships existed, and I could see how it would be too personal to discuss.
He gave a small shrug. “No, it’s fine. I’m used to being teased about it. I’m not ashamed, but I generally try to refrain from speaking about it.”
“I wouldn’t make fun. Besides, it’s really no business of mine what goes on in their bedroom.”
He held up a hand, his other covering his face. “God, stop! I never want to discuss my moms and their bedroom.” With a shudder, he peeked through his fingers at me, and I giggled.
A slow smile tugged at his full lips. “I like that sound. But alas, I need to go. I’m supposed to transplant a couple flowers from pots that are getting too small.”
“Thank you for coming.”
His grin stretched wider as he stood. “Too easy, Hayls. I’ll catch you Monday.”
With a last wave, he headed toward the side of the house.
Not long after CJ left, the feeling of being watched came back. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and a shiver ran down my spine. Part of me wanted to figure out who it was and confront them. Another part of me was terrified they might have the power to drag me back to the institute, and there was no way I wanted that.
As I stepped through the front door, Min was coming out of the office. “Perfect timing. Want to help me make dinner?”
With a smile, I nodded. “Let me run my bag upstairs and I’ll be right back.”
Minutes later, I stood in the kitchen, drying my hands after I’d washed them.
“Today, we’re making flash-roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and a salad.” My mouth watered just thinking about it.
“That sounds good. What would you like me to do first?” I wasn’t exactly sure what flash-roasted chicken was, but I liked regular chicken.
She ducked inside the pantry and pulled out a small bag of potatoes. “Would you mind peeling these?”
After locating the peeler, I got to work. We were silent for a while, and I was nearly done peeling when she said, “I saw you outside with a boy earlier. Who was that?”
Heat ran through me, and I rubbed my cheek against my shoulder.
“Just a guy who lives nearby. We ride the bus together.”
Recognition lit up her dark eyes. “Oh! You must mean that Jones boy! I was chatting with his mom a while ago. I want to spruce up the yard, but I’m not sure what I want to do with it.”
“Yeah, he said he helps his mom with their greenhouse.” At least, I was pretty sure he’d said it was only one of his moms who worked with plants.
She finished chopping the cucumbers and got a second cutting board out before turning back to me. “Could you please cut the potatoes up and put them in the pot of water on the stove?”
Nodding, I got back to work. Once those were boiling, she had me mix cream of chicken soup, milk, and ranch dressing. I dipped the chunks of chicken in it then sprinkled crushed up tortilla chips over the chicken. After a quick drizzle of butter over them, I put them in the oven to cook.
“Perfect. Why don’t you go pick out a movie for us, and we’ll watch it after dinner?”
After eating dinner, and discovering I loved flash-roasted chicken, we watched a romantic comedy with one of Min’s favorite actors before I headed for bed.
Introductions
As usual, I met CJ at the bus stop on Monday. When he saw me, he let out a loud whistle that had me blushing as I made a show of looking around.
I made my way over to him and he smiled. “Hey, good looking.”
Normally, I’d have bantered with him, but seriously, my hair would not be tamed this morning, and nothing I did seemed to unwrinkle my shirt. Yeah, I could have worn a different one, but after ironing it, and hanging it in the bathroom with me while I showered, nothing happened. Even after attempting to use my telekinesis— something I admittedly didn’t use all that often, since it had major drawbacks— didn’t help. Out of defiance, I’d worn the shirt anyways.
“Clearly you must be blind,” I remarked.
He chuckled. “Nope, my eyesight is perfect, and so are you.” Oh, good grief. Be still my racing heart, that was sweet.
“Erm, thank you?”
As the bus pulled up to the curb, he gave a small bow. “After you.”
Giggling, I headed up the steps, thanking him. We got halfway down the aisle before he nudged me into an empty seat.
After sitting next to me, he fiddled with his phone, and when it vibrated, he replied, “Looks like you and I have a date.” He paused, making his statement more. “I’ll walk with you to first period to introduce you to Nick. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm you by introducing all my friends at once.”
I bit my lip to suppress another giggle, even as I attempted to suppress the knot of nerves balling in the pit of my stomach.
While we chatted, I pulled a hair tie from my bag, attempting to make my curls submit to my will. With a roll of his eyes, CJ made a spinning motion with his finger. It took me a second to realize he was telling me to turn around, but I reluctantly did as I was told. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you before you rip all your hair out by the roots.” Without asking, he pulled my hand away from my hair, then his gentle fingers eased through my tangles, and I wanted to melt in a puddle.
“Do you frequently do girls’ hair?” Was he really going to make it look better than it had earlier? I was almost afraid to ask.
“No. Never, actually. Occasionally I put my own hair up though.”
Huh. That made sense.
He slid the hair tie off my wrist, letting his fingers linger on my skin a little longer than necessary and making me blush. “All done.”
“Thank you.” I touched my hair, and he seemed to have gotten nearly all of it up in a regular ponytail, which was no easy feat.
“Any time, Hayls. Shall we head in?”
The bus had pulled up and was beginning to empty.
I nodded as the butterflies flipping in my stomach returned. Would his friends like me? I followed CJ through the halls, and at one point, he grabbed my hand to make sure he didn’t lose me in a particularly crowded hall.
We got to my first class much too soon for my liking. Right outside the door, a guy towered over everyone else. The same guy who’d nearly tipped someone over on the first day of classes.
CJ raised his voice to be heard. “Nick!”
The big guy turned, accidentally elbowing someone. After what was likely an apology in their direction, he ran a large hand through his overgrown chestnut hair. An earring glinted from his left ear, and I was startled to realize I could see how bright his blue eyes were from here. I tilted my head slightly as I studied him.
With a smile, he took a few steps through the crowd. “Ceej!”
Smirking, CJ bumped fists with the other guy, then turned to me. “Hayls, this is Nick. Nick, Haylie.”
Nick held his hand out cheerfully, and when I put mine in his, he gave it an enthusiastic pump. “It’s great to meet you!”
Did he really mean that? I allowed my gaze to travel up from his chest to see that he appeared to be truly thrilled. “Nice to meet you as well,” I replied, unable to stop myself from smiling in return.
To CJ, he said, “Catch ya later.”
As Nick used our still-clasped hands to tug me into the room, I shot CJ a wide-eyed look. His shoulders shook with silent amusement as he turned and disappeared into the thinning crowd.
Once in the classroom, Nick bumped into one of the desks, wincing, then gently pushed down on my shoulders. After I was seated, he dropped heavily into the chair behind me. His knees bumped the underside of his desk, and he flinched again, shifting sideways to put his legs in the aisle.
“You know, there must be something special about you.” His voice was almost absent-minded as he pulled a notebook and pencil from his backpack.
I turned slightly so I could look at him. “Why do
you say that?”
When he glanced at me, I raised my brows to show I was waiting for his answer.
“CJ never invites girls to join us. He flirts with anything with…” He gestured to his chest with wild hand movements.
“Boobs?” I finished for him, choking back an amused laugh.
His cheeks colored and he ducked his head. “Yeah.”
Mr. Hall spoke, pulling my attention in that direction.
As soon as class was over, Nick stood. I expected him to take off, but he waited for me to shove my notebook into my bag. “What class do you have next?”
“Study hall.”
We made our way toward the door, and once we were in the hallway, he said he’d see me at lunch and we parted ways.
When I got to my next class, I was only mildly surprised to find no one waiting for me. Inside, I made my way to the desk I’d been using, only to have a hand snag me. Glancing down, I saw CJ grinning at me.
“Have a seat, Hayls.”
Plopping down in front of him, I turned my attention to the guy sitting next to CJ. “This is Sam,” CJ said. “Sam, Haylie. She’s eating lunch with us, today.”
The guy glanced up, hazel eyes barely focusing on some unseen point over my shoulder. “H-hi.” The tips of his ears turned pink as he dropped his gaze to the floor again. His middle finger poked at the corner of his eye, as if he were used to wearing glasses and pushing them back up on his nose.
“Hi!” I cheerfully replied, taking a moment to look him over.
He was thin, almost painfully so, but I had a feeling he wasn’t much shorter than CJ. A smattering of freckles covered the bridge of his nose. Normally, I associated freckles like this with a redhead, but his hair, while tinged red, was more white.
He didn’t look at me again, but fiddled with the zipper on his black jacket.
Meeting CJ’s gaze, I shot him a questioning look, and he mouthed, “Shy.”