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“Looks like we’re all ready for a slumber party,” she said, putting a crock of gravy on the table. The entire table was made up with a small turkey, green beans, broccoli casserole, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, stuffing, buttered rolls and gravy.
Jessica sat at the table with her feet picked up off the floor and her knees close to her face. Her glasses reflected the light from the chandelier above the dining room table. She, too, was in pajamas, wrinkled, like she’d been in them all day, too. “I’m so hungry,” she said.
“Then we should eat,” Erica said, brushing her palm over her daughter’s head. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Just tired,” Jessica said.
“You’ve been laying around all day, watching TV,” Erica said.
“All the Christmas movies are starting,” Jessica said and put her feet on the floor. “Can we eat?”
Erica smiled at this, and then looked at me. “Are you having a nice Thanksgiving?” she asked.
I nodded. Erica stepped away from the table, and went back into the kitchen.
I couldn’t imagine a better Thanksgiving.
INTO THE NIGHT
Dinner was nice and comfortable—much less stressful than the chaotic afternoon, but the moment it was over, we all assisted with dishes and putting food away.
When he caught me leaning on the counter with my eyes drooping in exhaustion, Kota told me to go lie down in his room.
I expected his mom to say something, but she didn’t. Had she heard her son tell me to go to his bed?
Once I was upstairs, I crawled into Kota’s bed and spread out a little, comfortable.
I meant to be awake when Kota got upstairs.
My phone vibrated against my rib cage several times, waking me from the middle of a deep sleep.
I stirred, groggily searching it out. I actually didn’t remember where I’d put my phone, and for a minute, I forgot where I was. But then I realized I was in the middle of Kota’s bed and I wasn’t alone. Kota had his back to me. Nathan was on my other side on his stomach.
I dug the phone out from between my body and the bed. The light on it was blinking, letting me know a message had arrived. I felt the scratches on the back, my sleepy brain trying to remember how it work to see what was going on.
It buzzed in my hand again, and I clutched it to my chest to quiet it, not wanting to wake Kota and Nathan.
It might have been an emergency, but then, if it was, wouldn’t someone have contacted Kota? Where was Kota’s phone? Was he too dead asleep to answer?
Night had fallen. I don’t know what time I’d fallen asleep, but the sun had still been up—sometime late in the afternoon.
Did Erica know I was still here?
The room was partially lit by a street light’s glow outside and blinds being partially open. I got up, sliding to the foot of the bed as quietly as possible, taking my phone with me. I headed to the bathroom to find out who was sending messages so early.
Kota and Nathan stayed absolutely still, breathing deeply.
Once I was in the bathroom, I checked the messages.
Luke: Hey.
Luke: Wake up.
Luke: Awake yet? Come outside.
Luke: Don’t make me climb up after you.
I shook my head, my sleep brain confused. Oh no, not another camera stealing event. Now? I was so tired. I was sure I couldn’t climb into a house now.
I checked the time, eleven p.m. It wasn’t that late. Stealing a camera, or something equally dangerous, didn’t seem likely, unless he just wanted to get there sooner and wait until two in the morning like last time.
I groaned, but reasoned if I didn’t answer, he might have to go alone, or another boy would have to join him. Could I sleep knowing Luke needed me and there might possibly be danger?
I sent along a text.
Sang: I’m awake now.
Luke: Grab some clothes and come along. Something nice, like one of your skirts. Comfortable shoes, too. I’m parked at the street.
That didn’t sound like a break-in. Perhaps this was a trick of some sort. The guys said we got to relax for the weekend. Was this relaxing? Did he have some sort of prank in mind?
I remained in the bathroom, easing from one foot to the other, debating if I wanted to go or not.
I was kidding myself. Of course I’d go. I would have stayed awake for the rest of the night wondering what he was up to.
My mind started working out how I would get downstairs and out the door without waking anyone up. I realized I couldn’t do that. I remembered Kota being hurt that I slipped out without telling him before. Now that I was a little more awake, I knew I had to tell him. At least him.
I snuck back out of the bathroom and tiptoed over to Kota in bed, asleep.
I gently brushed my fingertips over the top of his foot.
He sat up in a rush, blinking and breathing heavily.
I held my breath, sorry that I’d frightened him.
He rubbed at his eyes. “Sang?” he whispered.
I remained still in the room and simply handed him my phone. I motioned for him to read the contents of Luke’s message.
I considered the message might be Volto, but Kota would tell me if he suspected it was someone else than Luke, right? Besides, I could probably peek out from the house and see if it was Luke or not. Volto would have to be very tricky to get me to fall for that again.
Kota sucked in a breath and then brought the phone close to his face so he could read without his glasses. The light illuminated his high cheekbones and put a gentle glow to his eyes, giving him an eerie, haunted look.
He studied Luke’s messages, blinking several times at them, and then sighed and passed the phone to me. Then he waved me on. “Go,” he whispered. “Text me if they get to be too much. Do you need any money?”
I was worried I would wake Nathan with my questions, so I used a blank message space to type out: “Money?”
Kota chuckled quietly, took my phone from me and typed in a message.
“Go get your cash from your jar. Trust them. Have fun. Make them bring you home before you get too tired.”
I was already tired. And them? His answers gave me more questions, but he seemed comfortable letting me go along with whatever this was. Have fun. Bring money. Whatever it was, Kota approved, so it couldn’t be too bad.
I sighed. I’d have to grab nice clothes from Nathan’s house and money from the jar. I nodded to Kota, gave him a small wave.
Before I could leave, Kota reached out, taking my hand. I thought he wanted to say something more.
He brought my fingers to his lips, kissing my knuckles.
I slipped away. I checked out the front window, spotting a Jeep. A blond head was in the driver’s seat: Luke.
At the top of the stairs, I turned back and he was still watching.
My heart was fluttering from his kiss and nervous about what was ahead.
Max greeted me in the hallway and I had to keep him from escaping out of the back door. I ran around, barefoot to the black Jeep waiting out in the street.
I hesitated, moving toward it slowly. Was North in there, too? What was all this about?
The driver’s side window rolled down. Luke peered out.
Next to him was Gabriel, tired-eyed and yawning. Their clothes were simple: jeans and T-shirts. Why did they want me to dress up?
Gabriel took one look at me and groaned. “What? That’s not dressing up. You’re in pajamas still.”
“My clothes are at Nathan’s,” I said. I didn’t want to tell them I’d spilled the beans to Kota. “I’ll go get them. But do I need anything else?” I asked. “Supplies? A dummy phone? Money?” I was still suspicious that this had something to do with the Academy. Maybe it was a job, since they said to dress nice. I had to trust, I knew, but I still had a lot of questions.
“Money’s good,” Gabriel said. He opened his door and jumped out. “Let’s go get some.”
“Aw, come on,” Luke said, putting th
e Jeep into park. “Don’t go in there with her. You’ll take forever.”
“I’ll grab the clothes,” Gabriel said, before he shut the door. The street was completely quiet except for us and the gentle rumbling of the Jeep. Gabriel motioned for me, and I ran around the Jeep, following him. “Is your tip bucket here? Grab whatever green is in there and let’s go.”
The air was still, but there was a solid bite of cold and I could see my breath. “Where are we going?” I asked, following him toward Nathan’s house.
Gabriel used his key to open the door and then shooed me inside. “Hurry, hurry,” he said.
