Runes (Paranormal Romance, YA,)
Page 4
“Raine?”
“Okay, you busted me. I don’t want to wear the stupid T-shirt.” I pushed off him, turned off the light, and crawled back into my bed. I could hear him move about as though trying to get comfortable.
“If I thought you meant it, I’d kiss you,” he said.
“Oh, shut up.” He was humoring me now.
Another stretch of silence followed, and I wondered what he was thinking. “You are in a crazy mood tonight,” he said.
He had no idea. “Do you remember the pact we made when we were ten?” I asked.
“Which one? I lost count after the one about not having sleepovers when you grew boobs.”
I giggled, remembering that conversation. “So, why are you here?”
“I don’t know. What pact are you talking about?”
We’d vowed to always discuss anything that bothered us. Torin bothered me in a way I didn’t understand, yet I couldn’t see myself discussing him with Eirik.
“We said we’d apply to the same colleges our junior year,” I improvised.
“Don’t worry about it. We will go to the same school.”
If only I could be sure of myself the way he was. “I think we should choose now and go for early decision. Berkley maybe or… Where are you going?” I asked when he sat up.
“Can’t you see it?” He pointed outside.
The light from the upstairs bedroom in Torin’s house was flickering on and off. Three flashes, pause, one, pause, three. It was a signal Eirik and I had developed and used whenever one of us wanted to talk. “How does he know our signal?”
“I don’t know,” Eirik said, sounding pissed.
“Wait.” But Eirik was already across the room. He opened the window. I followed as he scrambled down the tree. I could see a silhouette in his old bedroom. Torin. The flickering light stopped. Seconds later, Torin opened his front door and stepped outside.
How did he move so fast? Or was there someone else with him in the house? A parent perhaps? I couldn’t climb the stupid tree, so I peered at them from the balcony. Their voices didn’t carry, which only added to my frustration.
After a few minutes, Eirik came back and stood at the foot of the tree. “Throw down my keys.”
I frowned. “Why?”
“I’m heading home. My mother called him.”
I glanced at Torin. He was leaning against the porch pole, his arms crossed and eyes on Eirik as though making sure he left. “I’m coming down there.”
Eirik shook his head. “No, Raine. You’ll break something.”
“I’m not using the tree.” I closed the window behind me, grabbed his keys, shoes, and camera, and crept along the hallway. There was no sound from my mom’s bedroom, but she was a light sleeper. I frowned, hating the fact that I was starting to think of the bedroom as hers instead of hers and Dad’s. Downstairs, I found Eirik waiting outside the front entrance. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t know, but I’ve got to go.” He looped his camera around his neck and slipped on his shoes.
“Why did your parents call him and not me?”
“Because they always assume I’m at the old house whenever I’m not home.” He took his keys, and for a moment, he stared down at me. The silence stretched. I was so sure he’d kiss me, especially when his eyes went to my lips. Instead, he stepped back, lifted his camera, and clicked. He grinned when I scowled. He clicked again. “Night, Raine. See you tomorrow.”
I walked down the driveway and watched him drive off, then glanced at Torin’s house. He stood on the porch, still leaning against the pole, except his eyes were now focused on me.
What was his game? I wanted to march over there and demand answers, but I was too pissed. I turned, entered the house, and crawled into bed. Sleep eluded me for so long and when I finally slept, I had a weird dream I was being chased by something invisible.
***
The scent of fried eggs reached me when I woke up. Dad. He often cooked a special breakfast on my birthdays. Excited, I ran downstairs, taking two steps at a time. I stopped when I reached the kitchen and saw Mom at the stove turning scrambled eggs in a pan. Disappointment rolled through me.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” she called out, bangles jiggling on her wrists, her hand-made stone necklace and matching earrings bearing the same weird symbols. “Eggs and toast coming up.”
Smoke drifted from the toaster. I popped the toast out. “Do you need help with anything?”
“No, I’m doing fine.” She turned off the stove and turned to study me. “When are you wearing your shameful shirt?”
I frowned. “T-shirt of shame? What… how did you know?”
“Sweetie, you’re my only child. Of course I know everything you do, including bets you make with your friends or when they sneak in and out of your room instead of using the front door.” She glanced toward the stairs. “When’s Eirik coming downstairs?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it without saying a world. No wonder the table was set for three. “Since you know everything, you should know the answer to that question.”
She chuckled and glanced at me from the corners of her eyes. “Speaking of the T-shirt of shame, you and he haven’t kissed or—”
“No-oh.” Images from last night flashed in my head, making me blush. “He was feeling kind of sad last night. His parents are thinking of moving back home to Europe, and he’s trying to convince them to let him stay here and finish high school.”
Color drained from Mom’s face, leaving her pale. “Really? I must talk to Sari and Johan.”
“Eirik said you shouldn’t.”
Mom walked to where I stood and rubbed my arms. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I know how close you two are.”
“Can he live with us if they let him stay?”
“I don’t know.” She stepped back. “That depends on his parents. If they don’t mind, of course he can stay with us.” She picked up a toast and scraped the burnt parts into the garbage can before scooping the eggs onto two plates. The top side of the eggs looked undercooked.
I tried not to cringe. She was trying, so no matter how gross it tasted, I’d eat it. “About tonight, I’ll need money for pizza and drinks.”
“Okay. Remind me to add money to your debit card, too. Oh, and I’ll buy the cake.”
“Double chocolate with whipped cream frosting,” I said.
She laughed. “Double chocolate it is. Get my wallet, sweetie, will you?”
I rummaged inside her hand-woven bag, found her wallet, and placed it on the table. After pulling out some bills, which she handed to me, she picked up her plate.
“I’ll be home early with the cake. Happy birthday.” She touched my cheek, turned, and walked away, forking her eggs. She disappeared upstairs.
The eggs were so terrible even pepper couldn’t save them. I reached for a toast and smeared it with jelly. I was munching on a piece when Mom reappeared downstairs.
“Bye, honey. Love you.”
My mouth was full, so I signed ‘I love you’. The door leading to the garage closed behind her. I gave her five minutes, then dumped the rest of my food in the garbage and poured myself cereal. I finished eating, tidied up a bit, and headed upstairs.
I had two text messages, one from Cora and the other from Eirik. He must have gotten a new phone or salvaged his old one. They were on their way. I still had to finish my AP English report, but my heart wasn’t really in it. It was my birthday, and I wanted to do something fun with my friends.
After a quick shower, I changed into a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt, grabbed my laptop, and settled on my window seat before I remembered Torin. I found myself studying his house. The white slats covering the windows were closed. I wondered how he knew things like the light signal. Could he really do magic? Stupid question. Of course not. Magic wasn’t real.
To prove it, I called DC Tires. No one remembered seeing a guy fitting Torin’s description at the shop or any scratches on my car. Maybe he’d snea
ked by them and fixed the scratches when they weren’t looking. Why should I care whether he’d lied or not? If he wanted to pretend he could do magic, that was his problem. Pushing the matter aside, I went online and started my rounds.
First, I stopped by the website of Flight 557 and checked the latest news. There was nothing to give me hope. Next I checked my e-mails and stopped by social and book-related sites. Usually going through new releases, fan fiction of my favorite books, and checking which books were being turned into movies held me spellbound for hours. This time, I kept glancing out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of Torin.
Annoyed with myself, I moved to my bed and forced myself to stay there even when I heard his voice mingle with Mrs. Rutledge’s annoyingly chipper voice. Just because I was bored didn’t mean I had to spy and eavesdrop on my neighbors. When the doorbell chimed, I sighed with relief, closed my laptop, and ran downstairs.
3. RUNES
“Happy birthday,” Cora sang when I opened the door.
“It’s almost noon,” I griped.
“I know. Sorry.” She hugged me. “How does it feel to be seventeen?”
“The same way I felt yesterday,” I said. My eyes met Eirik’s. He stood behind her with a gift box tucked under his arm, his Nikon in his hand, and a sheepish grin on his face. “Is that for me?”
He lifted it out of my reach. “Yes, but you can open it later. Where’s your T-shirt of Shame?”
I slipped out of Cora’s hug and pointed at the front of my T-shirt. “Right here.”
Eirik peered at the writing. “Are you kidding me? What language is that?”
“Latin.” I grinned.
Cora read the writing and laughed. “Good one, Raine. I knew you’d find a way around it. It was a ridiculous idea to begin with.”
“Why? Because you weren’t qualified to participate?” Eirik asked, smirking. He gave me a hug. “Happy birthday.”
“Just so you know, we’re late because of him.” Cora pointed at Eirik.
Eirik crossed his arms. “How is it my fault?”
Cora glared at him, then focused on me. “You know my parents took my keys, right? I didn’t have a ride and made the mistake of calling him. He mumbled something and hung up on me.”
“I did not,” he protested. “The phone fell and before I could call her back, she called and started yelling. She sounded like a crazy person, so I turned off my phone. When I got to her place, she took forever to get dressed.”
“I so loathe you, Eirik Seville,” Cora ground out.
Eirik smirked. “You so adore me, Cora Jemison. You’re just pissed I got Raine a present and you didn’t,” he said the last word in a sing-song. “So, what’s the plan, Raine?”
I sighed. I hated it when they fought. It was senseless.
“We’re going to the mall for her present,’ Cora answered before I could. She looped her arm through mine and pulled me away from Eirik. “I’m tired of buying you books. Every time I get you something else, you gush, and I never see it again. And he refused to tell me what he bought you.” She glared at Eirik.
“Because it’s none of your business,” Eirik retorted, going toward the kitchen. The kitchen was his favorite place in my house.
“Did you hear something, Raine? I thought I heard a buzzing sound.” Cora dragged me toward the stairs. “Why don’t you change, so we can leave?”
I glanced down at my T-shirt and sweat pants. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”
“Everything. It’s your birthday. Spruce up a little. Even Pretty Boy,” she waved toward Eirik, “dressed up for the occasion.”
“I heard that, Smarty Mouth,” Eirik called out, his head inside the fridge as he searched for leftovers.
“Dressed up” meant Eirik wore a dress shirt instead of his usual threadbare T-shirts. His trademark black canvas and trendy, ripped jeans were the same. I stopped, forcing Cora to stop, too.
“We’re going to have a little chat.” I gripped her arm and led her to the kitchen, where Eirik was selecting a large, shiny apple. He rubbed it on his shirt. “You too, mister. Focus on me.” They stared at me expectantly. “It’s my birthday, and I won’t put up with your crap. No snarky remarks for the rest of the day. Get it? You two will be nice to each other if it kills you.”
Cora stared at me with big eyes. “Wow.”
“Not the response I’m looking for, Cora.”
She raised her hands in surrender. “Okay. I’m not going to let him get to me.”
“Good.” I turned and cocked my brow at Eirik.
“Fine. She starts it, you know,” he added, then took a large bite of his apple and chomped on it. Cora huffed and moved to the window.
I shot Eirik a warning look and mouthed, “Be nice.” He rolled his eyes. “Now that we have an understanding, can I open my present?”
He pushed the box out of my reach on the counter. “Not yet. What do you have to eat around here other than apples? I smell eggs.”
“Mom cooked some this morning. Birthday breakfast.”
Eirik shuddered and made a face.
At the same time, Cora said, “Was it edible?”
The two had slept over at my place often enough over the years and tried Mom’s cooking. I wagged my finger. “No wisecracks about her cooking either. She tried and that’s what counts. Let’s head downtown to the Creperie for lunch, then the video store to pick up a movie for tonight, and then the mall.”
“What is it this time? Another Vampire Diaries marathon?” Eirik asked with a pained look.
I frowned. “I thought you liked Vampire Diaries.”
“Yeah, you said Elena was hot,” Cora added with a bite, but she was still staring outside.
“She is,” Eirik said. “But the way she moons over the brothers? Not so hot.”
I rolled my eyes. “I was planning on Supernatural.”
The cheer I’d expected when I mentioned the hit series about two brothers who hunted demons was missing. Instead, Cora turned and exchanged a look with Eirik, who shook his head. My gaze volleyed between them. “Okay, what’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Eirik said quickly and selected another apple from the bowl. “The Winchester boys and pizza sound great.”
“You can’t lie if your life depended on it, Eirik. What is it?” I narrowed my eyes and shot him the same look Mom often gave me when she wanted me to confess.
He pointed at his mouth, which was full, then at Cora.
Cora glared at him. “Coward. Okay, Raine. This is the problem. For the last two years, we’ve celebrated your birthday in front of the TV eating pizza and cake.”
“Three years,” Eirik corrected and took another lusty bite of the apple.
Cora nodded. “Yeah, three. This year we’re doing something different.”
I blinked. “We are?”
“Yes. We’re going to L.A. Connection,” Cora said.
“Dad would never allow…” I remembered he wasn’t around to say no. “I don’t know. I’ll have to ask my mother.”
“Call her and see what she says,” Cora urged.
I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to a club. “Can I at least think about this?”
“No,” Cora and Eirik said at the same time.
Okay, they were serious about this. I knew a lot of teens hung out at L.A. Connection on weekends. Even Cora often went with Keith. Eirik wasn’t big on the club scene, but maybe he didn’t go because of me.
“Okay.” I picked up the phone in the kitchen, which was near the window and glanced outside. Torin was raking leaves. No wonder Cora kept staring outside.
“Yummy, isn’t he?” Cora whispered.
He was, but I couldn’t say anything with Eirik close by. I speed dialed Mom’s number. “Mom?”
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“Can I go to L.A. Connection with Cora and Eirik tonight? Just for a couple of hours,” I added.
There was silence then, “Just a second, hun.”
The others watched
me eagerly. I made a face and turned toward the window as I waited. Torin had stopped raking and was shoving leaves into large garbage bags. He paused to wipe his brow, then lifted the bags and carried them to the curb like they weighed nothing, his walk graceful. As though aware he was being watched, he pivoted on his heel and looked toward my house. I turned my head before he could catch me watching him.
There was still silence on the line. “Mom?”
“Okay, Raine. We’ll give this a try and see how it goes. You don’t leave until I get home, and you must be back by eleven. No going anywhere else but the club and no drinking.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, yes, no, and I don’t drink.”
“I know, but peer pressure can make kids do crazy things. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”
I put the phone down. “She said yes.”
Cora rushed to hug me, hopping with excitement. Eirik lifted his camera. “Smile.”
I forced a grin, and he snapped pictures. Me in a club? This was going to be interesting.
“Can we go now? I’m starving,” Eirik said.
“Give me a second.” I ran upstairs, changed into skinny jeans, ankle-length boots, and a light jacket. I was about to leave when I glanced outside. Cora and Eirik were talking to Torin, their laughter filling the air. No, Cora was laughing while Eirik looked uncomfortable. What were they discussing? Not that I cared.
Suddenly, Torin looked up and stared straight at me before I could duck out of sight. My heart tripped. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. A tiny smile tugged the corner of his sculptured lips. Then he shifted his attention to Cora. I blew out a breath I hadn’t known I was holding. Not sure whether to join them or not, I headed downstairs and waited until Cora and Eirik were on their way to the Jeep and Torin was back to raking leaves before I went outside.