“That was graceful,” Cat chuckles, rushing up to me.
Colton follows closely behind her, his expression the epitome of shock.
“Wow, I guess I was lost in thought,” I mutter, picking up the two books that flew out of my arms and drawing them into to my chest as I stand up.
Cat’s dark eyes crinkle at their edges. “And people wonder why texting and walking is a bad idea.”
“Ha, ha. Very funny, smartass,” I say, making a face. “It’s good to see you guys. I didn’t catch you at all yesterday. Where were you?”
“Ugh, don’t get me started,” Cat says, rolling her eyes.
“Something triggered the school’s wards when we came in yesterday and they had to do some tests to make sure we weren’t packing or whatever,” Colt mutters, shaking his head.
“Weird,” I say, scrunching my face.
Colton shuffles to his other foot, watching the floor with great intensity.
“So, is everything okay now? I mean, it must be if you’re here,” I say.
Cat nods tersely. “Yeah, all good. How was the first day for you?”
“Okay,” I say, shrugging. “Weird.”
Quirking an eyebrow, Cat says, “Weirder than us getting stopped at the door before we even make it to my first class?”
“Yeah, actually.” I pull my phone out of my pocket to check the time. We still have five minutes before class starts. “Have you guys been hearing any…rumors? You might not if you were out of circulation yesterday.”
“Like your boyfriend gets his kicks out of desecrating graves,” Colton says, refusing to look up.
My shoulders drop. “Yeah, those kinds of rumors. They’re not true, by the way.”
Cat’s face scrunches to the side and she says, “Are you totally sure? I mean, how well do you really know him?”
My back immediately bristles at her words. I clench my jaw and breathe slowly through my nose, trying to disperse my irritation. It’s not their fault. They’re only repeating what others are saying.
“I know him pretty damn well. He wouldn’t do something like that,” I mutter.
“Well, it happened in Mistwood Point, which is where he’s coming from. And then it happened here, right after he moved. Seems like kind of a big coincidence, if you ask me,” Colton says, finally chancing a glance at me.
Another flash of anger coils through my insides. “You don’t know him at all. And besides, why desecrate his grandpa’s grave, then come here and dig up two others? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Maybe he was angry he didn’t get the inheritance he expected,” Cat says, shooting me an apologetic look.
“What?” I balk, shooting a glance between the two of them. “You’ve got to be kidding. First of all, where did you even hear this?”
“When we were being tested yesterday, I overheard Ms. Cain mentioning something to Professor Lambert,” Cat says, looking over her shoulder at Colton.
“Wow. His finances are no one else’s business. And just so you’re aware, Wade did everything he could for his grandpa. He became a PCA just to be able to take care of him while he was dying,” I say, channeling my anger through clenched teeth.
“Yeah, and where was he during all the time before he was on his deathbed? Ever ask yourself that? Seems pretty convenient that he swooped in at the end, if you ask me,” Colton says, shrugging nonchalantly. “Cat, we should really get to class. I don’t want to miss Organic Transmutation. We’ll get to combine our elements in there and see what happens.”
Cat nods, but turns to me with pity in her eyes. “We’re just looking out for you, Autumn. I know you want to think the best of Wade, but maybe you need to ask yourself some difficult questions. And who knows? Maybe you’re right. Maybe this is all just a misunderstanding. But if it’s not…”
“I get it,” I say, waving a hand and cutting her off.
“We really are just trying to help,” Cat says, taking a few steps away from me, with Colton doing the same.
I turn back to the way I was heading and mutter under my breath, “Yeah, sure.”
The rest of the day passes in a blur. Even though my last two classes are with Wade, neither of us is in much of a talkative mood. Plus, no matter how much I try to focus on my remaining classes, my mind keeps getting pulled back into the conversation with the twins.
What if they’re right? Am I being naive and only seeing what I want to see about him?
I lean back in my seat for Advanced Life Energies, glancing over at Wade in the desk beside me. He’s faced forward and looks like he’s listening intently, but I’m sure his mind is still whirling, too.
Wade’s been hiding details about his life from me and I’ve been letting him because of my own guilt. Maybe I should talk to him about some of the questions the twins brought up? If he has nothing to hide, surely he wouldn’t mind answering.
Then again, if I do…will it upset him to learn it’s partially coming from Colton? And could it lead to another discussion about his interest in me?
Closing my eyes, I turn to face forward in my seat.
I wish I had someone else I could talk to who could make sense out of this. Someone who doesn’t have a vested interested one way or the other.
My eyes pop open.
Abigail.
I’m surprised I didn’t think of her sooner. In a strange way, after all of the help she provided with Cat’s resurrection, she almost feels like another mother to me. Only, she’s a mother who understands the supernatural and doesn’t freak out at any mention of powers or abilities, the way my mom would.
With a little luck, my ghostly ancestor will have some insights I haven’t considered. If nothing else, it would be nice to get another female perspective—one that’s a little more
