Table of Contents
Title
Dedication
Forward
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Later
Author's Note
About the Author
These Lying Eyes
By Amanda A. Allen
It is rare for anyone to have parents as wonderful as mine. This book and all my love are for you. I never could have done it without your support, encouragement, and faith.
~Amanda
Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder…
Sanity is Not.
Chapter 1
Mina woke to the sound of car doors slamming and seagulls calling. Stray sunrays slanted through ivory-edged French doors; they pranced onto the carved canopy bed and tip-toed across Mina’s eyelids. She yawned and kicked free of the covers, snuggling deeper into her pillow. Sleep fluttered at the edge of her mind when she felt tiny feet tromp across her cheek. She groaned and flopped onto her back as a small foot landed on either side of her nose. Two hands pressed against her eyebrows. A tiny breath from a tiny mouth blew across her eyes.
“Why?” she moaned. She wanted to escape back into the familiar dream of a boy with lovely broad shoulders. Even a dream that couldn’t last was better than here.
“Time to get up, sleepy pants.” She heard whispering from two other voices hovering a few feet above her bed. She rolled onto her side, flipped the covers over her head, and curled into a ball. Three small flying beings soared between her and the canopy. Beloved imaginary friends who should have faded long ago.
“Wake up, wake up, wake up,” demanded Zizi with her soft, precise buzz. The sound tickled Mina’s ear while the seven-inch sprite pulled the covers off Mina’s face. She heard the flap of wings and felt a slight breeze ruffle her hair. Scrunching her eyes tight, she fought the familiar rise of frustration. She didn’t want to see the carrot hair and blue eyes anymore. As much as she cherished the sprite, from the top of her orange head to the tips of her orange and yellow butterfly wings, every glimpse of Zizi reaffirmed that Mina was unwell.
“Mina…” Zizi’s voice sing-songed; the buzz of her accent echoed in Mina’s ear like a bee. Mina pressed her bicep over her ear, but Zizi wrapped her arms around Mina’s wrist and flew backwards.
“Gah!” Mina said as she swung her feet onto the floor to face her friends.
Zizi let go of Mina’s wrist, snapped her wings closed, and dropped to the bed where, without a mirror, she parted her orange locks around her crimson horns, and wound her hair into a neat bun.
“She’z awfully calm.” Hitch said, landing next to Zizi. He wore blue jeans, a gray t-shirt and was a rainbow of blues with his skin, hair, eyes, and wings.
“She doezn’t remember.” Poppy said, settling on Mina’s thigh, folding her bat wings. She tossed her silver-streaked, maraschino-cherry hair and put her hands on her hips, staring at Hitch. Poppy was dainty—even for a sprite—so that if you breathed on her, it seemed she would tumble through the air. Her skin glowed in shades of chocolate highlighted by rosy pinks and tans; her eyes were the deepest shade of brown, almond shaped, and slightly tilted. Even though she was the smallest, Hitch shifted under her gaze and almost weakened.
“She’s right here,” Mina said, following Zizi’s example and beginning to untangle her mass of gold and red curls.
Silence.
“Someone tell me.” Mina yawned deliciously and considered taking a bike down to the library to spend the day with Grace, or maybe she’d sneak over to Cannon Beach for a resupply of chocolate.
The sprites faced off, silently battling over who would break their news. Poppy looked to be winning for a moment, but she snapped her first. Thrusting her hands into her hair, she grabbed her own silver spiral horns.
“Gah,” Poppy moaned, frowning at Mina and then almost whispering, “It’z the first day of school.”
Mina could almost feel her face pale; her stomach clenched for a moment before she glanced out the window, realizing she was late, and she rushed to get ready. Before she was ready in her mind, she was holding the handle to her bedroom door. She paused, pressed her face against the door, and took a slow deep breath.
A rush of reassurance from all three sprites provided background music to her anxiety. She forced deep breaths in and out and remembered her promise. She couldn’t help looking sickly and overbalanced by her mop of curls; she couldn’t help what she saw, and she couldn’t help being the only child her parents forced to see a shrink.
But she could help feeling whiny about it.
She’d probably be eating alone today; she wouldn’t be greeting anyone who wasn’t related to her, and she anticipated the next four years to be long, slow torture, but at least, they were the last four years of being trapped in Ocean Haven.
For a moment she indulged in the whine anyway; her parents knowing something was wrong, but they couldn’t know know. Right? Because, if they did, they’d put her in a crazy house. She’d almost confessed to the shrink once about her imaginary friends. She’d pulled up her mental shorts, steeled her flippin’ spine, and said in short rushed sentences,
“I’m crazy. Well, maybe I’m crazy. I think I’m crazy. I can’t sleep. I’m sick to my stomach, all the time.”
Doctor Seal’s pencil paused. But, without even a glance in Mina’s direction, the doc had said it was probably stress and promised deep breathing would help. And the part Mina hadn’t said, she debated and fought with herself over confessing,
“You see I see things…”
Only, why elaborate when all the doc did was give a list of television therapy? Deep breaths. Counting. Exercise. Sleep. Shiz.
Mina had researched the visions herself. She’d learned that she wasn’t the only one with lingering imaginary friends and slept better for weeks after. Only now…she wasn’t 13 anymore. At nearly 15, each month that passed made the sprites more likely to be really bad stuff.
Schizophrenia. Brain tumors.
Poppy anchored herself onto Mina’s shirt by a fist. “Don’tz you worry, Meenziez.” The sprite’s voice lowered with each word, “We’z gonna get you through thiz and anything elze that comez along.”
“It’z not going to be the same thiz year.” Hitch added. “Hailey, Peter, Ben will all be at school with you. You won’t be ignored.”
“Hailey,” scoffed Zizi. “The former best friend? That is your comfort for our Mina, Hitch?”
“One, two, three, four, whateves zeckers, let’s go.” Mina said pushing her fears aside for the thought of her favorite cousin, Peter. Maybe they’d have lunch. It would be nice to go to school with him again.
“It’z gonna be ok.” Hitch repeated.
“Right.” Mina agreed, closing her eyes for a moment and wishing her imaginary family were her real one.
Zizi landed on Mina’s shoulder and sat with her legs dangling. “Change is coming. Can you not feel it?”
“I smell it.” Mina mocked, laughing as she darted down the stairs, determined to find something to be
happy about. What was she going to do when she was surrounded by her brother and a group of cousins, and her eyes were following the sprites? She didn’t know.
Probably lie.
But she wasn’t going to gnaw it to death before it ever happened.
“If you would trust me,” Zizi said, beginning the familiar argument as she flew in front of Mina to stop her.
Mina stopped on the steps as she said, “Trust my imaginary friend in explaining away why I see her?” Mina smiled softly not needing to elaborate further. She stepped around her friend and down a step before pausing again.
It was awfully quiet. Her family was full of freakish morning people. She tilted her head to the side and heard nothing. Hitch flew ahead and zipped back, with a flash of iridescent wings, and he landed on her shoulder to whisper to Zizi. Poppy leapt up to join them.
What was their secret?
“Oh no,” she said as she realized. It was too quiet; her brother was usually loud. If he were here, he’d be watching TV while he ate, goading their toddler triplet sisters, teasing their mom. And then, Mina remembered the car door that woke her.
He wouldn’t have.
“You’z brother iz terrible peoplez, Meenziez. I neverz liked himz.” Poppy growled.
Hitch’s agitated voice echoed Poppy’s curses from earlier. The rumble of his dragonfly wings emphasized each brutal Z. Mina hardly heard them over the blood rushing through her ears. She entered the kitchen almost feebly to find her Mom seated at their table covered with empty boxes of cereal, piles of bowls, and no sign of any of her siblings.
“Where’s Erik?” Mina asked. “He’s my ride.”
“Hmmm?” Mina’s mother sighed into her cup of tea, and Mina realized her mom hadn’t even registered her entrance.
“Where’s Erik?” Mina emphasized barely holding back a screech.
“Older brother?” No answer other than a sleepy grimace from her mother.
“Big giant jerkhole?” Mina demanded, her heart racing again. She was going to be a fourteen-year-old heart attack victim. It was the first day of school. It was the first day of high school.
It wouldn’t be so bad except Mina’d missed the day where they let you find your classes and explore the campus because Sarah had a 4H project she was presenting—a butterfly garden. Her parents had promised Erik would take her early today, so Mina could find her way around. She’d reminded everyone just last night.
“Mom!” Holy Shiz, she was already screwed. How was she supposed to fade without the safety of being in class early, off to the side? And how could that happen if she didn’t beat everyone else to the classroom? She hadn’t expected to love high school, but she’d hoped to be invisible.
“Oh,” her mom paused, and her cornflower blue eyes avoided Mina’s. Mina stared at her mother who was delicate with fine features and hands. Even as overly skinny as Mina was, she was still bigger than her mother. But while her mother radiated health, Mina constantly looked as if she was shaking a bad case of the flu. Her mom’s hair was curly too, only her hair formed gentle ringlets other women envied while Mina’s was a wild mass of curls. Adding to the unfairness, her mom’s hair was a beautiful golden blonde while Mina’s hair was dramatically bi-colored gold and red.
Her mother continued taking a sip of her tea still refusing to see Mina, before saying, “Well, he needed to leave, and you weren’t up yet. He said he couldn’t wait.”
Mina glared, and her mom glanced up and away. Mina knew what happened. Stupid Erik grinned at their mom, kissed her cheek, and walked out. Her mom would have told him to wait, but he probably just called over his shoulder that he couldn’t, and she didn’t stop him. Maybe her mom called Erik’s name weakly. She had known at the time that Mina would be upset, but Mina was easier to placate and discount than her brother.
“What about finding my classes?” Mina’s voice was cold. She pulled her wet curls into a messy bun and plopped into a chair at the table. Life would be so much easier as an orphan, she thought. It would have its own special brand of suck, but at least she wouldn’t be betrayed by her mother every day.
“Oh, I don’t think it’ll be too hard.” Her mom said. “Don’t worry Mina. Lots of kids will be lost today.” Her mom patted her arm.
Yes that’s what I need, Mina mocked to herself. A good arm pat will fix anything.
“No.” Mina said calmly. “They won’t. Because they’d have gone to find their classes on the day the school provided. I’ll be the only one wandering around lost.”
Mina’s mom avoided her eyes. Now her mom felt guilty, but it would pass in moments.
“How am I supposed to get to school?” Mina asked.
“The bus stops at the end of the lane, Love. You have plenty of time to catch it.” Her mom dodged Mina’s eyes again.
Her mom was serious. Mina rejected the stab of utter betrayal and blinked quickly, refusing her eyes the chance to tear. She didn’t bother to shoot a pleading glance at her mom. Mina couldn’t take another no from her mother, another rejection of what Mina needed over what everyone else needed, and a no is what she’d get. So, it was her turn to avoid her mother’s eyes and grab an apple.
She paused for a moment before opening the drawer next to the door, finding a set of keys at the back of it, and palming them. She glanced back, saw her mom hadn’t noticed, and left silently.
Sounding genuinely worried, her mom called out, “You can’t just eat an apple, Mina.”
But, she didn’t pause in her escape. So, she hadn’t managed to gain any weight since the gym teacher called her parents to tell them she was too thin. She ignored her mom’s second call; yes, she planned to buy lunch at school, but right now, her mom didn’t need to know that. Let her worry about Mina for once.
* * *
She stepped out onto the patio, swung around, and opened the outer garage door. Quietly taking a helmet from a wide metal shelf, she caught movement from the corner of her eye, turned around, and gasped.
“Holy Shiz, Sarah! What are you doing? You gave me a heart attack.”
“That’s probably because you’re sneaking the scooter.” Her sister said dryly but almost as if she were talking through a tunnel.
Mina grinned until she saw her normally pale sister was almost glow in the dark white. With a rush of concern, Mina snapped on the light and looked her sister over. Sarah was nearly as thin as Mina, with peaches and cream skin, hair so blonde it was looked white, and warm pools of dark brown eyes. She was only in the seventh grade but already Sarah was more elegant and controlled than Mina would ever be.
“What’s wrong with your eyes?” Mina asked. Sarah was blinking rapidly, and as one of the few people Mina liked, let alone loved, Mina was worried.
“Are you ok?” Mina asked, touching her sister’s arm. “Are you sick?”
Sarah rubbed her eyes and shook her head.
“Why are you in pajamas? Aren’t you going to school? Are you sure you’re ok?”
“What? Yes.” Sarah ran her hands over her face. “I…I was looking for something.”
Mina stared at her suspiciously before saying, “Ok.”
“I didn’t sleep well.” Sarah opened the door and helped Mina push the apple green scooter out of the garage. “Kate checked the mileage before she went to school.”
Their older sister didn’t relish sharing her things, even when she was away. Which was unfortunate for her.
Mina grinned at Sarah before saying, “She’ll never know.”
“Um,” Sarah glanced at Mina before darting a glance around the house and waving Mina on, “that’s why she checked the mileage.”
“But she’ll never know it was me.” Mina smirked.
Sarah grinned back with a shrug. Mina left Sarah behind, pushing the scooter down their driveway past the leafless rotting trees that lined the way.
“Nervous?” Zizi asked.
“No.” Mina lied before admitting, “Yes. Damn it.”
She would be alone most of the day. E
ven if Peter had lunch with her, she’d be tagging along. No one would talk to her, no one would nod at her or touch her shoulder or shout, “hey,” as though excited to see her. She would, yet again, be the unseen kid that everyone else was grateful not to be.
“Work on your extra classes,” Poppy suggested.
Hitched landed on the edge of her messenger bag and said, “Find someone who isn’t a jerk and have lunch with them.”
“Right.” Mina said as if that were so easy.
“Go visit Grace today. Get some books from her. Have some tea with her,” Zizi suggested.
“I have to see the doc after school.” Mina said as she straddled the scooter and put on her helmet. “But then I’m going to the library. Grace has books for me on legends, for my extra classes.”
“Plus you don’t want to come home too early.” Hitch said, and Mina nodded.
They watched the bus arrive, each of them glaring at the bus stop. Mina snapped the strap under her chin, remembering how she’d once told her mom how much she hated riding the bus. And what had Mom said? The bus stops at the end of the road, love.
No wonder Mina had a complex. She sped down the road. Even so, the sprites leaving her behind, disappearing into towering trees and going wherever they went when they weren’t with her.
Chapter 2
Mina parked the scooter near the end of the school and watched the mass of people meeting up with their friends; they were hugging and bouncing in flip flops despite the wet chill in the air.
She had followed the windy road down from her hillside home above Ocean Haven, enjoying the feel of the air slapping around her body. Ocean Haven was one of the larger towns on the Oregon Coast extending from the hills to the beach. The downtown was lined with cobblestone streets and accented by old-fashioned street lamps. If she were to get off the scooter and walk towards the town, she’d be able to lose herself in eclectic shops, restaurants, art galleries. And how she wanted to, she ached to join the tourists that still haunted the town, buy some yummy food, and find a sunny bench.
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