Still, I couldn’t help thinking about Jace. I had to force myself to stop craning my neck looking for him. I didn’t want to be obvious by asking about him, so I suffered in silence. There was something about him I couldn’t put my finger on. He was different from the other guys. Not just because he was new to town. There was something else.
I decided not to think about Jace anymore. Unfortunately, my resolve crumbled after about a minute when I heard someone speak his name. My hearing zoned in on a small cluster of people standing by the patio door a few feet away from me and I eavesdropped shamelessly.
“I asked Jace to come with me,” Becky said, “but he had other plans.”
“What about Homecoming?” Katie asked, “Did he ask you yet?”
“Not yet,” Becky admitted. “But he will soon.
“Well, what if he doesn’t ask you and everyone already has a date?” This question was from Sydney. Bad move. I turned slightly so I could see the expression on Becky’s face.
Becky glared at Sydney. “Well, if that happens, I guess I’ll just go with Justin.” Sydney’s eyes went wide when Becky threatened to steal her boyfriend. “After all, Justin has been after me for two years. You were his second choice.” Becky and Katie giggled as Sydney walked away.
“Why am I here?” I wondered. These weren’t really my friends. A friend is someone who loves and supports you no matter what. These girls couldn’t wait to rip someone apart. I turned away from the group I was standing with and went in search of Robert. I didn’t want to be anywhere near Becky any longer.
Robert smiled as I approached. When I reached his side, he grabbed me around the waist and kissed the side of my neck. He knew I didn’t like public displays of affection, but I decided to let it go just this once. I felt guilty about my waning attraction toward him and didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his friends by pushing him away. He pulled me into a close embrace and his thoughts poured into me. Within seconds, I read his intent to pressure me into doing something inappropriate as soon as we left the party. Sickened, I mumbled something about getting a drink and moved away from Robert and his group.
Stepping outside on the back patio, I called my mother and asked her to pick me up. After giving her directions, I took a deep breath to try to calm my churning emotions. I could tell my mother was curious, but she didn’t ask why I was leaving so soon. We’d always had a deal—if I felt uncomfortable in any situation, especially a date, she would pick me up with no questions asked. She’d probably want to discuss it later, but I was okay with that. I just wanted to get away from there as quickly as possible.
Robert had obviously tired of waiting for my return. He was engaged in what appeared to be a very intimate conversation with a blond sophomore who seemed to be pitifully enamored by his attention. When I interrupted them, the girl blushed and lowered her eyes. Robert seemed irritated to see me, but when I told him I didn’t feel well and was leaving, he looked relieved. With a quick kiss on the cheek, he dismissed me.
Leaving the party, I had an overwhelming feeling my goodbye to Robert was the end of a chapter in my life. It was the same feeling of premonition I’d experienced when I kissed my father goodbye the morning before he was killed. Lately, I’d been having a lot of strange thoughts and notions.
As my mother steered the car toward home, I saw two mocha-skinned men playing basketball in their driveway. One of the guys looked like Jace. This time, my sense of premonition was screaming at me, insisting my life was on a new trajectory. The waiting was over. Something had begun.
Chapter Seven
Alisa
I woke up too early Saturday morning and an eternity of waiting stretched out before me. Jerica hadn’t asked me to bring anything to the barbeque, but I decided it would be nice to make some chocolate-chip cookies. It would be rude to show up empty-handed, and besides, baking would help me kill some time and keep me from going crazy with anticipation.
Later that afternoon, Bryce’s truck pulled up in the driveway right on time. I grabbed the platter of cookies, yelled goodbye to my parents, and dashed out the door, trying to suppress the anxious smile that was spreading across my face. My smile dimmed when I discovered Jace was not in the truck, only Bryce. Oh, great.
“What’s that?” he asked, pointing at the foil-covered platter.
“Cookies. Can you hold this a second?” I shoved the platter toward him, climbed into the passenger seat, and fastened my seat belt.
“Chocolate chip.” He was already biting into one as he asked, “Can I have one? Oh, these are good.” He handed the platter to me and backed out of the driveway.
We rode along in silence for about a minute. I concentrated on looking out the passenger side window. I tried to be as still as possible, afraid the slightest movement would remind him of how much he hated me.
He finally asked, “So, it’s hot out today, isn’t it?” I guessed Bryce wasn’t any better at small talk than I was. That was probably the only thing we had in common.
“Yes, it is,” I replied. “It’s always hot this time of year. It doesn’t usually cool down until October. Then it’s nice.”
“I won’t be here in October. I’m leaving in a few days and I’ll be gone until December,” he said.
“So, where are you going? I mean, if you can’t tell me, that’s okay. I know it’s training, so it might be a secret…” Oh, nice. I was babbling.
“I’ll be out of the country. It’ll be cold there by October.” His response was polite, but evasive. “Can I have another cookie?” he asked. The truck swerved a bit when he stretched to reach the platter. When our hands brushed, a warm rush of energy traveled from my fingertips to my shoulder. I wondered if he deliberately shocked me with his magic.
“You don’t have to sit so far away from me. I don’t bite, you know.” He gave me a sideways glance. “About the other day…I didn’t mean to be so harsh, but our family doesn’t associate with normal humans unless we have to. Please don’t make us regret trusting you.”
“I won’t,” I replied. It was irritating to be reminded once again that he thought I wasn’t good enough for his family. His distrust doubled my determination to prove him wrong. He thought I couldn’t keep a secret? He had no idea how closed-mouthed and stubborn I could be.
Bryce pulled his truck into the driveway and turned off the ignition. “Wait. Let me help you,” he said, getting out of the truck. He came around to the passenger side, opened my door, and held the platter until I got out. “The cookies I ate on the ride here will be our little secret, okay? You don’t want me to get in trouble with my mom, do you?”
My heart fluttered inside my chest. I figured it must be the heat or the excitement about seeing Jace. I knew my heart didn’t just skip a beat. Not because of Bryce.
“Hey, sorry I didn’t ride over to get you,” Jace said as he flung open the front door. “Dad said I had to finish my yard work.”
I carried the platter of cookies into the house and asked, “Where can I put these?”
“I can take care of those for you,” Bryce offered as he stepped in behind me.
“I’d better hide these,” Jace laughed. “Bryce is greedy when it comes to anything with chocolate. You’ve got to watch him like a hawk.” He relieved me of the burdensome cookies and started toward the kitchen. “Hey, I’m going to take a quick shower. Sorry, Alisa. Bryce will you get her a drink and take her out to the patio?”
“Sure, Jace. I don’t mind entertaining your guest.” Bryce walked through the kitchen toward the patio door, motioning for me to follow him. He halted in front of a red cooler and rooted around for a drink. “Pick your poison.”
“Thanks,” I said, selecting a can of soda. I followed Bryce over to a glass-topped patio table. Sitting down as far away from him as I possibly could, I was at a loss for words. Should I try to make conversation, or wait for the rest of his family to rescue me?
“Mom and Dad should be here in a few minutes. They made a last minute run for su
pplies. I’m afraid we’re not very organized yet.” Bryce seemed totally relaxed. He had his feet propped up on the chair next to him. I tried not to stare at his long, muscular legs. “So, Jace tells me you’re some kind of genius. You’re the only junior in Senior English?”
“Well, I’m not a genius. Actually, my grades are pretty average,” I stammered. Jace had been talking about me? I wondered what else he’d told Bryce.
Bryce raised his eyebrows. “So, you’re in Senior English for fun?”
“Well, no,” I replied.
“So, you’re smart?”
“No…I mean…I don’t know.” I glanced away from him. “They just advanced me back in eighth grade, so now I’m out of sync with everyone else…” I was always out of sync with everyone else—my English placement had nothing to do with it.
“Do you hang out with the seniors?” His questions came so rapidly, I didn’t have time to bolster my defenses. I shook my head.
“So, you hang out with the juniors despite the fact that they’re obviously inferior to you.”
I shook my head again.
“Who do you hang out with?”
“No one,” I admitted before I could think.
“You’re too good for the people around here?” he asked.
“No. I just…”
“Alisa, you are an enigma.”
I didn’t know whether or not to be insulted. “What do you mean?”
“You’re afraid to talk about yourself, but brave enough to face a Hunter.” Bryce smiled widely. “You’re really different from the people in this town. No wonder you have a hard time fitting in.”
“Excuse me?” I gasped. I was sorely tempted to leap up from my seat and run away, but I was too shocked to move. Apparently, Jace had been talking about me. He must have told Bryce what a total geek I was and how my own cousin wouldn’t even hang out with me.
“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it. You said you didn’t hang out with anyone, so I assumed… Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. You’re right. Actually, I don’t fit in around here. It’s not exactly a secret. If you hang out in Oaktree long enough, you’ll figure that out on your own.” So, maybe Jace didn’t say anything about my bleak social situation, but it was only a matter of time before the whole Alexander family found out on their own. Thanks to Becky, I was a complete misfit, and despite Jace’s acceptance of me and Rachel’s recent kind gestures toward me, my popularity was unlikely to change in any significant way.
“Look, I said I was sorry. It’s no big deal if you’re lacking in the friendship department. At least you have Jace, right? Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I never had a lot of friends in school, either.”
“I find that hard to believe,” I said, studying his attractive physique. “I bet people fought over you every time they had to pick teams in gym class. And the girls were probably all over you.” I cringed at what I’d said. I should have stapled my lips shut before I left my house. Or, better yet, I should have stayed home. He would totally think I was flirting with him. As if I’d know how.
“You’d be surprised,” he said without acknowledging my slip up. “There were a lot of people who found me difficult to get along with.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, do you want another soda?” He pointed his hand toward the cooler several feet away. “I can get you one without even getting up.”
I remembered the trick he did with the spinning fork, and shook my head.
“Your eyes are really blue,” he said leaning toward me.
What should I say to that? He wasn’t complimenting me. He was just making an observation. I hated him for putting me on the spot. I breathed a sigh of relief when the sliding glass door opened.
“Hi, sweetie,” Jerica said, stepping onto the back patio. “It’s hot out here. Alisa, do you mind helping me in the kitchen for a few minutes?”
“Sure. I wouldn’t mind a few minutes of air conditioning,” I replied, rising from my seat at the patio table and following Jerica. I wouldn’t mind a few minutes away from Bryce either. That conversation had me feeling more uncomfortable than the heat ever could.
***
As afternoon faded into evening, we sat in patio lounge chairs, too stuffed to move. Jace brought up the idea of tossing a football around or setting up the volleyball net, but everyone was lethargic after all the food we’d consumed over the past couple of hours.
“So, Alisa, how’s school?” Jerica asked. I shrugged. “Junior year is a big year. You have to start thinking about which colleges to apply for and what to major in. Have you given college much thought?”
No. But I probably should. “I’ll probably major in English or Psychology,” I replied unenthusiastically.
“Botany is a valuable major,” Jerica said.
“Mom, nobody cares about that stuff,” Jace mumbled. “A bunch of stuffy professors and elderly ladies are the only people I ever see at those conferences you go to.”
“Thanks, Jace. You make me feel so young and vibrant.” Jerica rolled her eyes and laughed. “Hey, isn’t the Homecoming dance coming up soon?”
“Oh, yeah,” Jace said. “That’s like a huge deal at our school, at least for the girls. That’s all they ever talk about. Hey, Alisa. Who are you going with?”
My face heated when Jerica and Jace turned to look at me. Wonderful. I could sense Bryce listening for my answer too. He already knew the truth about me, and I didn’t see that as a good thing. “Hmm.” I shrugged as if I hadn’t given it a second thought. I already knew who I was going to Homecoming with. Nobody.
“Hey, we could go together if you want,” Jace said casually. “I’d rather go with a friend than take some girl who’s going to get ideas about us. Girls always take things too seriously. After one date, they’re planning our wedding and naming our imaginary children.”
“Yeah, cool.” I was totally nonchalant, like hot guys asked me out every day. “Sounds like fun.” I blushed, remembering all the times I’d mentally planned our wedding and picked out baby names.
“I’ll have my driver’s license by then, so maybe I can borrow Dad’s car. I’m taking my driving test next weekend, so wish me luck. Otherwise, we’ll be walking,” Jace said.
I was so excited at the idea of going to Homecoming, I hadn’t hit panic mode yet. That would come later. I mean, it’s not like it would be a real date. It’s not like he was going to be my boyfriend. But it could be the beginning of something, I hoped. I forced myself to stop thinking along those lines. I needed to stay connected with reality and not get my hopes up.
“Does anyone want more food before I put all this away?” Jerica asked, getting up from her lounge chair. We all groaned in response. “Okay. Anyone want to help me take all this into the house?”
“I’ll help,” I said, hoisting myself up. “Just tell me what to grab.”
With my minimal help, Jerica stored all the food in plastic containers and stacked them neatly in the refrigerator. She handed me a cold bottle of root beer and sat down at the kitchen table. She motioned for me to join her.
“I’m not going back out there yet,” she said with a sigh. “It’s too hot.” She took a long drink from her bottle. “You seem a little quiet. I hope you aren’t still feeling uncomfortable around us.” Jerica smiled reassuringly. “Did you have any questions about what Abe and I told you the other day?”
“Yes, actually, I have a ton of questions, but most of them are stupid. I don’t want you to get in trouble for telling me so much about yourselves.”
“Don’t worry, Alisa. We told you about ourselves because we believe we can trust you. I have a good feeling about you, and in my family, that means something.”
“Bryce doesn’t trust me,” I said before I could stop myself.
“Bryce has a hard time trusting people. He’s never had many friends. His heritage means a lot to him, and he finds it very difficult to mix with non-magical people.” Jerica looked troubled. “Abe and I worry about him. Are you sure you don
’t have any questions I can answer?
Yes, but I didn’t want to push my luck. Instead, I said, “No. Thanks for everything today.”
“I’m glad you came. I’ve enjoyed having you.” Jerica stood up from the table. “Let’s head back outside. The boys will start looking for us soon and I’m afraid if they come into the kitchen, it will start the feeding frenzy all over again.”
Mosquitoes were out in full force as soon as the sun set. That was my cue to leave. I said my goodbyes and hopped into Bryce’s truck. I tried to repress a yawn as we pulled out of the driveway. Jace flipped through every channel on the radio, trying to find the perfect song.
“Hey, Bryce? Can you drive me and Alisa into the city next weekend?” Jace asked. It was the first I’d heard of any plans. Wisely, I kept my mouth shut and waited for Bryce to explode.
Spellbound (Spellbringers Book 1) Page 5