Crimson Secrets: The Mac Tire Chronicles, #1

By Garnet Davenport

Dark family secrets. Nightmares. Blood sacrifices. An unimaginable destiny.

 

She's your typical teenager about to graduate from high school. Shay Evans, a good student, looked forward to attending college with her twin brother Tommy in the summer. Her mind was filled with happy thoughts of the future.

 

But then the nightmare started.

 

Someone or something was following her. Shay felt an overwhelming dark change inside. As she ran, she felt her body shift – confused and hunted, Shay is thrown into a new supernatural life as the last female wolf! 

 

With the family's dark secret now uncovered, Shay is forced to choose a bond between other wolf shifters. Brothers Duncan and Declan approach Shay with eyes filled with past sorrows. 

 

Yet none are prepared when a goddess full of bloodlust appears.

 

Will Shay and her new allies be able to run or stand and fight?

 

Bonus Materials: Sneak peek of Sapphire Secrets. Read chapter 1!

 

Support the Author's Original Work! 

Any previous version of Crimson Secrets does not support the author. Please do not purchase the version distributed by Green Ivy Publishing. The author, Garnet Davenport, holds all rights to Crimson Secrets and The Mac Tire Chronicles

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Foxtrot Publishing LLC
• Release date: Jan 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393634065

Book preview

Chapter

One

➢ Disjunction

There I was, running through the trees. The branches ripped at my arms as I tried to escape from whatever was chasing me. I could hear its panting and heavy footsteps behind me. I couldn’t catch my breath. I could feel my blood as it dripped down my fingertips. I turned to look behind me, but I couldn’t see anything.

All I could hear was the deep growling coming closer. My breath was warm in the night air. I could see it in front of me as I ran, but that was as far as I could see. I knew I had to keep running. I couldn’t stop. I feared for my life.

I felt as if I was slowing. I couldn’t keep up the pace to get away. I could hear every raindrop fall through the leaves of the trees and hit the ground. Then there was a crack far off in the distance, and I jerked my head. Panicking, I took off, not looking before I ran.

Everything went dark.

Samantha Shay Evans, let’s go. It’s time for breakfast.

My eyes shot open. Crap! She used my full name. I rolled my eyes as I sat up in bed and yelled back, Yeah, I’m coming.

I got up and went over to my bedroom mirror. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I was still so tired. My whole body ached to move. I looked in the mirror, squinting to see myself clearly then reaching for my dark-rimmed glasses so I could actually see. My green eyes, which normally looked so electric, looked old and tired, almost gray. My lips were slightly chapped and dry, and my dark auburn-brown hair was so tangled that it was sticking up slightly on the right side in a knot that looked like a bird’s nest.

I tried to comb it down with my fingers.

Samantha Shay Evans, right now! Mom yelled with an annoyed tone.

Just a second. I got the one part of my hair somewhat combed out.

Now!

I swung open the door to my room. All right, I’m coming, I yelled back as I hurried out of my room and down the stairs, rounding the corner and walking into the kitchen. Everyone looked up at me as I walked to the table.

You look terrible, Tommy said, barely looking up.

I turned to him, tilted my head and gave him a fake smile. Gee thanks.

He smiled back at me as I sat down at the table and grabbed the toast off my plate. I cleared my throat. I actually didn’t sleep very well.

Tommy and I had always been close. Besides the fact that we were fraternal twins, we actually looked pretty similar. However, the last few years there had been a weird separation between us. I suspected he might have been keeping a secret from me.

We had a best friend in common, Matt Pearson, but that was about it lately. Tommy had been busy with lacrosse and then he got an internship at Callamore Industries. Matt was normally around when Tommy wasn’t. Matt had black hair and dark honey-brown eyes. He did a bunch of outdoor activities, so he almost always had a tan, and over the last two years he and Tommy had been bulking up and getting really fit. It was like some type of muscle club. I would think they were using steroids, but they would never use anything like that. I think they were just looking for a way to look older.

I can remember that we were so close when we were little. I guess like most twins we did everything together. It had been hard to make time for each other these days; the only time we had was while we drove to school. I smiled at my thoughts.

My mom spoke from behind the kitchen island. Sweetie, you need to eat your fruit salad. She was always concerned about me eating healthy. She had decided sometime while she was in college to protest animals’ suffering by turning into a vegetarian and ruining everyone’s enjoyment of eating meat.

When I was little, she made us watch a documentary showing cows getting slaughtered. I felt shivers go down my spine at the memory of it, and I sat up straighter. It gave me nightmares for weeks after I saw it.

I definitely lost my appetite for meat after that, but lately I had really been craving the protein. I’m not that hungry, for some reason.

My nerves were still on edge from the nightmare I’d had last night, and I had a weird unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.

You didn’t eat much at dinner last night. Are you sure you’re feeling all right? my dad asked, showing concern, but I knew he was busy looking over his last-minute preparations for his big presentation to Julius Callamore.

He’d been talking about this for months. Some big deal that he’d been overly stressing himself and my mother over.

Julius Callamore was one of the leaders of our community, and my dad was his financial advisor of sorts. I had only seen the man once. He was almost a celebrity in our small town because of all the business and jobs his company brought here. Callamore Industries was a leader in acquisitions. They bought portions of other companies that needed advice on business operations. The one good thing about Julius Callamore was that he left the small businesses alone, and I’d heard he even helped out when they were in need. My dad worked so hard and stressed himself out to make sure the rich stayed rich.

No, I’m sure it’s just because I didn't sleep very well, I said, sighing as I took another bite of bland, dry toast and chewed it slowly.

I looked around at my family and decided that the weirdest thing about breakfast was the fact that we sat at the table as a family and didn’t look at each other as we ate or communicated. Most of the time my dad worked on his laptop, my mother was searching the web for her newest vegetarian creation for dinner, and Tommy was attached to his phone. He was more popular than me and definitely got along with people more. I could sit and just watch them, and no one would even notice.

An alarm went off on Tommy’s phone. Hey, we’ve got to get going, he said, looking at the clock on his cell phone. You’re still in pajamas. He looked up at me for a second and then grabbed his orange juice and gulped it down.

Yeah, I’m going. I got up, grabbed my other piece of toast, and went running back upstairs.

I closed the door to my bedroom and leaned into it, taking a moment to gather myself. Then I went to my closet and pulled out the first T-shirt and pair of jeans I could find to put on. I looked around the room for my favorite red hoodie, but it was nowhere to be found.

I opened my door and stuck my head out. Has anyone seen my red hoodie?

No, sweetie, my mom yelled back. Where did you leave it last?

I turned around in the doorway and said quietly to myself, My room.

Then I heard Tommy say, Just pick a different one. We’ve got to go, we’re late.

I growled in frustration. I turned and grabbed a black hoodie. Fine. Hey, Tommy?

Yeah?

I hesitated just a moment and said, I forgot to tell you that we have to get Matt. Umm… his car isn’t available.

We both knew what that really meant. In reality Matt typically got the keys taken away from him for something stupid every other week before his dad realized it was too hard for Matt not to have a car.

I was trying to grab everything and run, headed out the door.

You need to hurry. I’ll be out in the truck, Tommy called out.

I stopped for a second just to double-check that I had everything. I jerked my head over to the window when I heard something smack into it. I walked over to look. A black bird had flown right into the glass. It was lying on the roof outside my window. I watched it for a moment as it lay still. There was something about this bird that terrified me. It almost didn’t look like a crow; it was bigger than I had imagined a crow would be.

Then it jumped into a standing position, looking at me, tilting its head back and forth as it watched me. I thought crows were supposed to be intelligent. I shook my head and then walked away from the window. That was weird.

I started to run down the stairs to catch up with Tommy. Okay, I’m coming, I yelled out as I flew out the door. I looked up at the sky. It was dark and wet—even the air was wet—and that was weird for mid-October in Kenosha county.

I got into Tommy’s red truck, and as he drove I watched out the window. It seemed like there were crows covering the sky as they circled.

We went straight over to Matt’s house, and Tommy honked the horn for Matt to come out.

Shay, are you doing anything after school today?

I looked at him. Nope.

Matt opened the door to the truck and hopped in. Hey man, what’s up?

He already knew we were running late because of me, and I was sure that was why he was smiling.

Nothing much, Tommy said.

Hey, Shay. Matt leaned forward and around the seat to look at me. Damn, Shay, did you sleep at all last night?

Tommy laughed and Matt smirked at me, probably expecting me to come back with something sarcastic and witty, but I didn’t have anything right then.

I was looking out the window of the truck toward the sky.

I don’t think so, I said, turning and smirking at him. Then I turned back to look out the window at the sky.

I continued to see crows. They were circling over the cemetery as we drove past. A thick fog blanketed the cemetery, so I could only see the tops of the weathered old headstones. Like that wasn’t creepy. It was almost like the crows were following us, or was it me they were following?

So, yeah, I don’t mind coming to get you. But at least let me know, since Shay is destined to be irresponsible. They both smiled and looked at me, but I pretended I hadn’t even heard what they were talking about.

Yeah, man, of course, said Matt.

We pulled into the entrance of our school, Tremper High School, and got out of Tommy’s truck.

I took a deep breath and looked up at the front of the building, hesitating before I had to endure another exciting day there. They say the best days of your life happen in high school. Well, let me just say that whoever said that should be dragged out into the street, shot and run over, and then shot again.

It was great, all the time, one big party. I could feel myself becoming more sarcastic with every passing moment. I just hoped that when I finished my senior year I would be able to get away from all these people that had strived so hard to make me feel like the most insignificant person alive.

Matt put his arm around my neck. Come on, you.

We walked toward the front door. Tommy yelled out, Hey Matt?

Matt turned around.

Take care of her, okay? Tommy said.

Matt smiled and said, Always do.

Matt had always been there for me. Lately he’d literally been my best friend while Tommy was so busy with lacrosse and his internship at the Callamore Industries.

We kept walking up the front steps and through the door. What’s going on with you today? said Matt.

I looked at the roof, seeing more crows sitting on the edge. Nothing. I just had this really in-the-moment dream last night, and it kind of freaked me out.

He looked like he actually wanted to hear about it and not just make fun of me the way that Tommy would have. Really? What about?

I decided I didn’t want to tell him too much about it. Oh, it was stupid. I was in the woods running from something. Probably nothing. Or worse, it was really the math test I’m about to take. I made a goofy face to shrug it off.

Yeah, nothing. You’ll get better sleep tonight. He said that in the creepiest way I’ve ever heard him speak.

Yep, I said. The bell rang, and I started to walk away.

I’ll see you at lunch, he called out in my direction, probably not expecting me to answer since I was pretty far down the hall and we eat lunch together every day.

I turned and said, Yeah, okay.

As I turned back around, I saw Matt walking up to Duncan Callamore. Duncan was at the top of the high school hierarchy of our generation. He already had his life planned out for him. I knew they knew each other, but jeez, did he really have to talk to that asshole?

I ducked into the classroom when I saw Duncan look up at me while Matt was talking to him. I moved quickly to get out of sight. And today keeps getting creepier, I said to myself.

Duncan was one of those pretty people that had just about everything in life handed to them. He was very nice looking, I could admit in one of my weaker moments, and got a lot of attention from girls, but he never acknowledged any of them. He probably thought he was too good for any girl in school. Besides the fact that we lived in such a small town that everyone our age basically grew up with each other.

He was still handsome. His hair was brown and slightly wavy, his eyes were brown, and he had these eyelashes that were so thick it made his eyes even more fascinating. He stood tall and wore jeans on a regular basis with some type of T-shirt or dress shirt. I personally thought his grandmother picked out his clothes.

The rest of the day went by fast, and before I knew it, the last bell rang and everybody piled out of class to their lockers and then out the door. I don’t even remember going to lunch with Matt. While I was getting my books out of my locker, I saw Matt by the front doors. I was sure he was waiting for me. He always did.

I caught up to him. Waiting for me?

He smiled. Who else?

I don’t know. Maybe your girlfriend? Of course, I said it jokingly, but he coughed and looked back at Duncan. I had never seen Matt with a girlfriend. Although I was pretty sure he had a thing for Angelica Callamore, but he would never admit that to me.

Angelica was so beautiful, even though she could be completely intimidating almost all the time. Her blonde curls were even perfect. She also spoke with a wit that made most people doubt themselves even when they knew the right answer.

I walked with Matt out to Tommy’s truck, and I felt like someone was staring at me. It was like the back of my neck was on fire.

When I turned around, there he was, Duncan Callamore. He was staring straight at me. It was very unusual. Sometimes he actually smiled at me just to pretend he spoke to the third-class citizens on the popularity ladder. I got chills up my spine and quickly got in the truck.

I could hear Matt and Tommy discreetly speaking about something, but I wasn’t paying enough attention to really keep up with the conversation.

My eyes were heavy as I leaned over the console on Tommy’s shoulder while he drove us home.

Crows were still circling overhead, as if there was prey nearby, and the clouds were dark like a storm was coming.

My eyes closed for just a second. My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to beat out of my chest, and then I heard a strange eerie sound that brushed over my ears.

Hey, we’re home, said Tommy.

I opened my eyes to see our little house, nothing great like the mansion the Callamores lived in, but it was home. I loved our little white house with the small porch out front.

My dad had recently repainted the shutters a dark red and sealed the new cement slab with gray sealant. Tommy and I wrote our names on the edge in the cement just like we had so many years ago when we were kids. This was my home, and I was more than pleased with it. My dad had worked hard to get a small two-story house in our area and then harder to maintain it.

Yep, I’m up, I said.

They both laughed at me.

What? I looked back and forth between them.

I think you drooled on me. Tommy looked down to his shoulder.

Feeling pretty embarrassed, I said, Oh, sorry. I rubbed my hand over my face and wiped the drool off. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders at him.

He rolled his eyes at me and got out of the truck. Matt and I followed behind him into the house.

My mom was standing there at the door as soon as I walked in. Sweetie, I’m so sorry you had a bad dream last night. Why didn’t you tell me?

I was pretty sure I had mentioned something about it that morning, but she rarely paid much attention while she was in the recipe zone. She was hugging me so tightly I thought I would stop breathing.

She stepped back, put her hands on my shoulders, and looked me in the eye. Then she pulled me in close again. Was I dying? I’d never had this much affection at one time.

Mom, are you okay? I asked, pulling away slightly to look at her with concern.

She smiled with her hands still on me. I was going to ask you that.

I paused to think why I wouldn’t be okay. I’m fine, just tired.

She let me go. Let me make you something to eat. Anything you want? Eggplant lasagna?

I looked back at her and smiled. Sure, Mom, sounds great. Then scoffed as she hurried off to the kitchen.

I had eaten so many vegetables over the past seventeen years I thought I might start growing a garden out of my ass. If it wasn’t for school and going out with Tommy or Matt for some real protein, I would have gone crazy.

I’m just going to go shower and change, I said. I’ll be right back.

Matt and Tommy were already on the couch watching TV. They didn’t even hear a word that came out of my mouth.

I ran up the stairs and paused before going into my bedroom.

Tommy and Matt started talking. Is she transitioning? Tommy asked Matt.

She has to be. Declan said he saw her out in the woods by the Callamores’, Matt replied.

The top step creaked as I put my weight on it.

Shay? Tommy asked.

Yeah?

You okay?

Yep, just had to tie my shoe.

He coughed. Okay, just checking.

I continued to my room, only a little mad that I wasn’t able to eavesdrop on a conversation that was clearly about me.

Chapter

Two

➢ Game Changer

Iwent to start the shower and then I got undressed. At least I didn’t have to share a bathroom with Tommy. The typical boy smell came wafting from his room the instant I opened my door. I got in the shower and let the hot water run down my face. I took a deep breath to let the steam into my chest, but every time I closed my eyes, I felt like I was instantly transported into the woods of my nightmare. I shook my head to keep myself awake. When I got out, I found my comfy pajamas to put on, and I lay down on my bed. I kept having flashes of my nightmare whenever I closed my eyes, even for a second. But I must have dozed off. When I woke up, the sun was going down. I started feeling hungry, and I could smell something delicious coming from downstairs.

When I turned the corner and walked into the kitchen, everyone was sitting at the table, even Matt.

I was going to stay for dinner, he said. Hope that’s okay?

I love having Matt around. He was like another protective brother, with no attraction to each other. Yeah, you know we would never turn you away.

He looked down at the plate of food my mom had just set in front of him. Well, I would hope not.

I smiled at him.

His mom was killed in a car accident two years ago. He hadn’t been the same since. It was pretty gruesome—closed casket and all. She was basically decapitated. I felt so bad about even thinking about the dead in that way.

I walked over to where he was sitting, bent down behind his chair, and wrapped my arms around his neck for a hug.

What’s that about? said Tommy. He pointed back and forth at the two of us. He thought Matt and I had a weird relationship, but I knew better.

Nothing, I said. It’s just nice having family around. I smiled and looked at the food on my plate. Matt looked at me and smiled back.

Are you feeling okay? Tommy asked as I sighed.

I’m just really tired lately. I don’t know. I put my hands on my forehead.

Yeah? my mom asked.

I figured I was probably coming down with the flu or something. My mother would worry too much and take me into the doctor.

It’s probably just because I didn’t sleep very well. I looked back up at both Matt and Tommy.

Is that it? Tommy asked.

Would there be something else?

Tommy looked back down at his plate and picked up food to put in his mouth. No. Not that I know of. I just don’t want to get sick.

I rolled my eyes at him and took another bite.

The rest of dinner went just like normal. There were no other questions and Matt and Tommy were their usual selves. They joked and laughed the entire way through. The truth behind it was Matt was Tommy’s friend first. I was the third wheel. It was always hard for me to be friends with girls. I didn’t know what it was. So I would hang out with Tommy, and it just happened that Matt spent lots of time with me when Tommy got so busy with lacrosse and the internship. Either way, we became really good friends. He would be just like my brother, except he didn’t live with us—well, not all the time. I smiled at Matt. With Tommy and Matt, I didn’t need any other friends.

What, weirdo? Matt asked, stuffing a giant bite into his mouth.

Nothing. I was just thinking. You want to stay over tonight? You could help fight the monsters in my nightmare. I laughed trying to make a joke out of it. Tommy looked at Matt when I said it.

Matt’s dad had been really lonely ever since the accident, and he hadn’t even gone out on one date. Well, when you put it that way. Let me just call my dad and let him know. He excused himself from the table.

I was so excited. It felt like it had been forever since he’d slept over. He walked out of the room. Matt went outside and got on the phone.

I excused myself and went into the other room to stand close to the front door just to see how his conversation was going. All I could hear was him talking about bloodlines, and that something was finally happening, and then he spoke some weird language.

I turned and started walking away from the door so it wouldn’t look like I was eavesdropping.

He started to walk back to the house, and I quickly went to sit on the couch.

The front door opened. Hey, you. He looked back at the door. Were you listening to my conversation?

I looked at him as innocently as I could. What are you talking about?

He looked through the hall to see if Tommy was coming into the room, but he was still eating in the kitchen. Yeah, okay. He scoffed.

I was pretty sure he knew I was lying.

You want to watch a movie? I asked as he rubbed his hand back and forth through his hair.

Then he came and sat down on the couch. He looked at the time on his phone. Sounds good.

I was looking through the movies on TV. What do you want to watch?

He always let me pick, but I always asked. Anything you want, he said.

I sat for a second. Umm…can we watch—

He cut me off and said, "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?"

I looked at him. I swear you’re the only one that can do that to me.

I selected my favorite classic ’80s movie and sat down on the couch, lying up next to Matt and putting my feet up. His warmth was the best part about watching movies with him. My arms were always freezing, and he was like a warm pillow.

Tommy walked into the room and flicked my legs. Scoot over. I lifted my legs to let him sit down and then put them on top of his lap. I thought it was great that I actually liked my brother—most of the time—and the best part was that I got another brother out of it without any weirdness when he stayed over. My parents were really cool about the whole thing, as long as he slept in Tommy’s room. I started to get sleepy, and my eyes gradually closed, and I could feel my body jerk around. Everything was dark.

I was in the dark, and I was running, pushing myself harder than ever before. The branches hit my face and arms as I weaved through the thick woods. I started to hear a whispered mumbling from the distance. Teach ar an cloch dearg, someone whispered through the woods.

I kept running. There was definitely something chasing me. I heard the thump of each step, and it was getting closer. I could tell I was in the woods just outside my neighborhood. I was almost sure it was the Callamores’ property.

I stopped, hiding behind one of the trees. I could feel my heart pounding out of my chest and blood dripping down the side of my face and my arms from the jagged tree branches cutting my skin.

I was so scared I was shaking. My chest was burning from running, and I couldn’t feel my lungs because the air was so cold when it entered. I felt like I could die.

Just then I heard a loud thud. Jerking my head in that direction and slipping on a tree root, I fell and then turned my head slowly, hearing something breathing on the back of my neck.

I was just about to jump out of my skin when I found myself eye to eye with the largest wolf I had ever seen. It was the most glorious gray wolf. He was an almost blue-silver color and had piercing ice-blue eyes outlined in black. The little white that I could see in his coat was stained from being outside in dirt and leaves. He had unique patterns in his fur on his left shoulder and down the leg to the paw. I realized he had stopped and was just staring at me. I closed my eyes, waiting to be attacked. Then I opened them to nothing.

I looked around, trying to find him, and then I let out a relieved breath. I stood and touched my head where I was still bleeding. I shut my eyes one last time to get my bearings and took off as fast as I could through the trees.

I was so cold I couldn’t feel anything. I found the edge of the woods, and there was a road with no one driving. I looked back and forth, trying to decide which way to go. I couldn’t figure out which direction home was in.

I started to walk toward the moonlight, but I still felt like someone was following me. I turned around and saw a menacing black crow standing in the middle of the road. I turned back around, closing my eyes. I was getting ready to run.

I opened my eyes and saw that I was in my living room and the movie had just ended.

Hey, Shay, wake up, said Matt.

Feeling groggy, I opened my eyes. Hey, how long was I out? I looked at Matt.

Well, your movie is definitely over.

I was confused. Really? I’ve never fallen asleep to it before. I sat all the way up. I was sure I looked confused.

Well, you said you didn’t sleep well. Maybe you just needed some extra rest. How’d you sleep? said Tommy. They were both looking at me waiting for me to answer.

Crappy.

Tommy looked at Matt.

I looked back and forth at both of them. Why are you both so sweaty? I gave them a weird look.

Matt shrugged his shoulders. Let’s get you upstairs and into bed. He stood and held out his hand to pull me up.

Sounds good, I said, smiling at him.

What? He asked confused.

I looked away. Nothing.

He looked away from me, almost blushing. Come on. Let’s go.

My mother came out of my parents’ room and looked at Matt with a motherly glare. Everything okay?

Tommy answered as he ran up the last few steps, Yeah, just going to bed. We’ll talk in the morning?

She shook her head. Night, sweetie. Get some sleep.

She walked up to me and kissed my forehead and looked into my eyes. No nightmares, okay?

I shook my head. Night. Then I walked into my room, leaving my mom, Tommy, and Matt talking in the hall.

Watch after her, all right? My mom said to Matt. Those are my orders.

I turned back to them before I walked through my doorway. Matt was acting differently toward my mother.

I stood on the other side of the door, continuing to listen.

You know what this means? Mom said. She isn’t ready for this.

We knew it was possible, said Tommy. There haven’t been twins in centuries, and now all the bloodlines have twins. I’ll have to tell Mr. Callamore about the development.

My mom sounded weird, almost regretful, when she said, I know.

They all walked away from each other.

I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, looked in the mirror, and walked back into my room. There was a knock at my door.

Yeah?

The door cracked open a bit. It was my dad. Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite.

I smiled. He said that every night. Night.

I started to get comfortable in the covers. I lay my head on my pillow and closed my eyes. I felt a sensation come over my legs and back as I relaxed more.

It must have started to rain. I could hear the rain on the window. The trees whipped the house in a rage. I surrendered my exhausted body to the warmth of my covers.

Before I knew it, morning had come, and my alarm was going off. I opened my eyes and reached for the off button. Then I sat up and looked all around my room. It felt like someone had been in there.

Shay, it’s time to get up, said Tommy from down the hall.

I got up and opened the door. I’m up, I yelled. Where’s Matt?

Tommy answered me from his room, Everyone’s downstairs, eating. Where else?

I smirked. I didn’t know where Tommy and I got our sense of humor, and my parents are so boring. It definitely wasn’t them. Okay, I’ll be down in a minute.

I got dressed quickly, throwing on a faded dark red shirt and some jeans that had a new rip just above the right knee.

Hurry up. We’ve got to go in twenty minutes.

I put on my shoes. Yeah, okay. I rolled my eyes.

The drive to school was like normal. Tommy talked about a girl he was thinking about asking out, and Matt encouraged him to step out of his box and actually do it.

I watched out the window for a minute. Yeah, you should ask her out.

They laughed. What? I said, confused.

I already decided I had too much going on right now. Weren’t you paying attention? said Tommy.

I shook my head and smiled. You should still ask her out.

Tommy pulled into the parking lot at school. Matt walked me in as usual. But the one difference I noticed was Duncan. I didn’t think I would ever see him miss a day. The Callamores were one hundred percent about their academics. They were always head of their class, and this year there were two of them.

God blessed us with Duncan and Angelica Callamore. He was a year older, but Angelica excelled so much that they moved her up a grade when she was like eight or so. Now she was queen bee, and she was staring at me like I neutered her dog. I scowled at her then looked away.

I hurried up a few steps to catch up with Matt. He was still talking to me, but of course I missed the entire conversation. I’m such a good listener, I thought, laughing silently at myself.

He turned to me. What?

I’m sorry. Angelica was staring at me, and I totally missed everything you said.

He glanced up at Angelica and gave her a deep scowl. She turned away in a huff. Matt put his arm around my shoulder, and we walked to class together. I figured everyone thought we were a couple, even though we weren’t.

The rest of the day was as normal as could be expected, with some societal high school drama. The hierarchies of the school’s elite were passing me some major dirty looks over the last two days, but by the time the end of that day came around, I thought that everyone felt sorry for me, but I didn’t know why, and all I could do was get out as quickly as possible. I just needed to get to my locker and get out of there.

I rushed to my locker as people stared. I tried to get it open, but it wouldn’t budge. Open, you stupid thing. I was pulling it back and forth as hard as I could and then smacking it with the palm of my hand. I knew I had to be making a scene.

"Woah there, Hulk. What’s