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We won’t be home until late this evening. If you’re not awake by then, know that we’ll be leaving for school around seven thirty tomorrow morning. I’ll drive you tomorrow so we can talk to the principal and whatnot. After that, you can ride with Easton and Foster, who have assured me that they’ll show you the ropes of Farealee Land Academy.
And if you need anything at all, just let me know! That’s what I’m here for!
— Emaline
Crap, somewhere between the madness and moving, I completely forgot that I’ll be attending a new school. And an academy apparently. Not that I’m even sure what the difference is between one and a public school. Still, it makes me nervous.
“Please say you’re here for me,” a succulent voice sails over my shoulder, startling me so badly I nearly jolt out of my skin.
Whirling around, I find a tall, lean guy with short brown hair standing near the door. He’s wearing a long-sleeved, grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black pants, thick boots, and his intense golden eyes are meticulously skimming over me.
“Um …” I shift my weight, scratching at my arm.
The edges of his lips kick up into a grin. “You might be the best present I’ve gotten yet.”
I blink. “Huh?”
He grins, his lips parting. “I think I—”
The door behind him swings open and in walks a guy who looks like the other guy’s doppelganger. The only visible difference I can see is their outfits; the guy who entered sporting a navy blue, long-sleeved shirt instead of a grey one, and he has on jeans and Converse sneakers.
So, these are the identical twins.
“Hey, Hunter, what do you think about …?” He trails off as his gaze finds mine. “What is this?” he asks, deliberately scanning me over in confusion.
“I think Max got us an early birthday present,” the other guy—Hunter—sucks his lip between his teeth. “He did good this year. Way better than last year.”
Holden’s brows dip and I notice the scar Gabe was talking about. “Are you sure that’s what she is? She’s unreadable.”
Hunter tips his head to the side as he assesses me. “Yeah, I didn’t notice that before, but she is, isn’t she?”
Holden nods then asks me, “What are you?”
Puzzlement webs through my mind. What am I? Doesn’t he mean who?
I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m Skylin.”
Holden’s lips form an O.
“My, my, when Mom and Dad told us they’d be taking in someone as a favor to an old friend, I didn’t expect this,” Hunter says with a grin.
“Careful, Hunt.” A warning seeps into Holden’s tone as he throws a sharp look at his brother. After staring down a grinning Hunter for the most awkwardly silent minute ever, Holden sighs then focuses on me. “Hey.” He steps toward me with his hand outstretched. “I’m Holden, and this”—he nods at the other guy—“is Hunter. I’m sorry for being weird. We were just a little bit confused … We thought you weren’t going to be here until tomorrow.”
I guess that sort of explains their confusion, but I still don’t understand what they meant when they said I was unreadable. And Max said something similar to me last night.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I shake his hand, getting distracted by the sparkly warmth flowing up my arm.
Through the skylight above, the sunlight suddenly seems brighter.
What the hell?
Holden casts a glance upward, his brows knitting, but then he returns his gaze to me and a smile graces his lips. “I know the circumstance of you having to stay with us isn’t great, but I just want you to know that we’re glad to have you here.”
Thank God. He’s actually nice.
“Thanks.”
A bit of relief douses over me until Hunter steps forward, snatches my hand from Holden, and kisses my knuckles.
