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Gage and I share an amused look as we follow her in.
“You know she’s going to hit on him at least one time, right?” he whispers to me as we wander toward the counter.
“As long as she comes and visits me, I don’t really care,” I whisper back.
“Are you two bitches talking about me?” Nina grins. “It’s cool if you are. Just make sure it’s all good things.”
A smile touches my lips. Man, I’m going to miss this—miss them. Even on the shittiest days, the two of them can make me smile.
The smile remains on my face as I skim the choices on the menu. I’m dithering back and forth between a hamburger and chicken tenders when Gage lets out a sharp cough.
“Creeper alert at five o’clock,” he hisses under his breath.
I casually tilt my head, glancing to my right to see what Gage is yammering about. Standing a little ways to the side of us is a tall man, maybe a few years older than us, with dark eyes and black hair that reaches his chin. He has a scar across his forehead, a series of unrecognizable star patterned symbols branding his neck, and strangely, he is wearing slacks and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top button undone. Even businessowners in Honeyton rarely sport suit attire, so he stands out like a ballerina in a mosh pit. What really makes him creepy, though, is the way he’s staring at me, as if he’s attempting to burn a hole into my head with mind powers or something.
“Do you know him?” Nina glances from the stranger to me.
I shake my head and start to look away when the stranger approaches us. I tense as he nears us, wishing I brought my pepper spray.
“You’re that girl moving in with the Everettsons, right?” His voice is shockingly deep.
I feign stupidity because there is no way in he
ll I’m about to tell him the truth. “Who?”
“Don’t lie to me, little girl,” he warns, a bit of an accent seeping into his tone. “I know you’re moving in with them. I came here to warn you to be careful.” He looks at my friends and then leans in and lowers his voice. “They’re not who you think they are.”
“I have no idea who you’re talking about.” I resist the urge to gulp as my pulse accelerates and the lights above me flicker on and off.
The stranger glances upward then back at me. He stares at me confusedly as he reaches into his jacket pocket.
Fearing what he could possibly be grabbing, I instinctively step back. But he only retrieves a card.
“When you want to find out the truth, call me.” He urges me to take the card.
I keep my hands at my sides. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but I’m not sure what you’re talking about …”
He drops the card at my feet, spins on his heels, and then strides out the door, glancing at me one final time before walking outside.
“Holy hell,” Nina breathes out. “That was beyond creepy.”
“Agreed.” Gage bends over and picks up the card. “Okay, this just got even creepier.”
“What?” I take the card from him, and my brows knit. “It’s blank.”
“Yeah, I know.” Gage scratches his head. “That was really strange, especially how he knew you were moving in with the Everettsons.” He looks at me with worry. “Do you think we should call the police and report him?”
“It wouldn’t do any good. Technically, he didn’t break a law. And considering how interested the police have been in finding my parents, who are missing, yeah, I don’t see the point in telling them.” I restlessly pat the card against the palm of my hand.
While the entire ordeal with the man was bizarre, the strangest part was when he glanced up at the lights then at me when I made them flicker, as if he knew about my strange ability.
But, how could he possibly know about that when I’ve never told anyone? How did he know I was moving in with the Everettsons? And what did he mean by the Everettsons aren’t who I think they are? I’m not sure, but the whole ordeal has me on edge and really wishing for my parents to return.
Chapter 6
An hour later, Nina pulls up in front of my house to drop me off. We spend about fifteen minutes hugging and saying goodbye while promising to visit each other every weekend. Then as I’m getting out of the car, they give me a goodbye gift.
“Because I have a feeling you’re going to need it,” Gage explains as I glance in the gift bag that is full of an assortment of mini bottles he must have stolen from his mom, along with a small, wooden box. “There’re a couple of joints in that box, in the false bottom. I’d recommend keeping them in there, too, until you’re ready to light up.” His gaze travels to the Everettsons’ truck in the driveway. “That Gabe guy seemed like he could be pretty strict.”
