The Gathering Darkness Read Free Page A

with gray, creating the effect of a still photograph taken of a tropical storm.
    As quickly as the clouds parted, they closed, casting him in shadow once again. A look of amusement spread across his face. I blinked and looked away. How long had he held me spellbound? Half a second? Two seconds? However long was too long. My cheeks warmed.
    “Did Sammy tell you about the party this weekend?”
    “Yeah.” I nodded, looking past him to his brother.
    “You’re coming, right?”
    Quick, think of an excuse, so you don’t have to spend the night on the dark island
. “Yeah, I’ll be there.” I couldn’t think of one that quickly.
    “Great!”
    I found myself checking Marcus out periodically as Evan prattled on. Sometimes when I peeked over at him, I caught his eyes flick away from me.
    As the conversation grew awkward, the bell rang.
    Morning ended none too quickly, giving way to lunch hour. I walked to the cafeteria with Sammy, Robyn and their entourage of friends, picked up a sandwich and some juice, and followed Sammy to a table, all the while scanning the room for the brothers, specifically one. They weren’t there—at first.
    I was engaged in a conversation about the girls’ basketball team, which Sammy and her friends wanted me to join, when Evan’s boisterous laughter stole my attention. Forgetting about the girls, I snapped my head in the direction it came from, hoping my sudden interest wasn’t too obvious.
    “Well? Will you? Brooke?”
    “Huh?” I looked at Robyn dumbfounded.
    “Will you join our girls’ basketball team? Sammy said you played at your school last year. I’m the captain.”
    “Basketball, oh, yeah sure.”
    I lifted my eyes away slightly to look at the brothers who sat at the table across from us. Sammy elbowed me. I didn’t miss the smirk on her face. I also noticed the other girls at our table staring at me.
    “I guess we know who Evan’s next fling will be.” Sarcasm dripped from Megan’s words. “You might as well try him on. We all did.” She spoke loud enough that I was sure most of the students in the cafeteria had heard. “Looks like you’re at the top of his food chain this year.” She gave a sharp laugh.
    “What? Not me!” I felt the blood surface in my cheeks. Did they know something I didn’t? And then something else she’d said sunk in. “All of you?” I was astounded as to how they could so easily let themselves be a part of his girlfriend list.
    “Don’t listen to Megan,” Sammy said. “She’s just pissed that Evan broke up with her before she could break up with him.”
    The girls giggled.
    I risked one more glance at the table across from mine. Clearly Evan was the center of attention with the guys too, dominating the conversation. Marcus barely cracked a smile.
    There was something I had to know, so I asked the question that had been burning on my tongue all morning. I tried to look and sound as casual as possible. “So, what about Marcus, does he have a girlfriend?” I stuffed my mouth with the last bite of sandwich and chewed nonchalantly.
    “Not right now—” Robyn said.
    Megan interrupted, “Why, are you interested in him too?”
    “No. I—”
    “Don’t be such a bitch,” Robyn chastised Megan. She looked at me, and in a low voice said, “He doesn’t date much.”
    “But he’s sizzling hot,” Sammy added dreamily.
    “I wonder why he doesn’t date?”
Oops
. I hadn’t meant to say that out loud.
    “What Robyn meant to say is, he’s had a few girlfriends his own age, but he doesn’t date younger. Oh, except for last year when Megan convinced him to take her to a school dance.”
    “I didn’t have to convince him,” Megan spat.
    “Whatever.” Sammy rolled her eyes then looked back to me grinning. “He didn’t pay much attention to her. She’s never gotten over it.”
    The other girls at the table laughed, all except Megan, whose face flushed. Now her jealousy made sense. She’d been rejected by both brothers.
    “We