The Prophecy Read Free Page A

wasn’t
the only one wondering what the heck? Adrian and Caleb might be best
friends, but apparently Shyla and Caleb had something going on, too. Still, it
had been six years since they’d last seen each other. What had their relationship
been like all those years ago, and why hadn’t she ever said anything about it
to me?
    “The
last time I saw you,” Imogene said as she swayed from side to side up the walk,
“you were still sucking your thumb and wetting your pants.”
    Shyla
put a hand to her face. “Oh, God. Seriously, Gran?”
    But Caleb
was laughing, too. “I’m happy to report I’m fully toilet trained and finally
gave up on the thumb.”
    I
rolled my eyes, but Imogene returned the laughter. “Well, it’s nice to see you
again. And you’re just so handsome.” She pinched his cheek, giving him an odd
look. “It’s funny, but you remind me of someone.”
    Shyla
grabbed her grandmother’s arm and hissed at her, “You’re embarrassing him.”
    Imogene
glared at Shyla. “No, I’m not. I’m—”
    “This
is Meg and David Redbird,” Adrian said, quickly diverting attention away from Imogene
lest she say something to further embarrass any of them.
    “Nice
to meet you.” Caleb’s manner became more subdued, as though he had just
remembered the reason why we were there in the first place. He then looked in the
direction of the car, where I was still hiding out. Our eyes met. He didn’t
smile or wave or acknowledge my presence in any way—he just stared.
    I knew
I’d have to get out of the car sooner or later, but I couldn’t find the motivation
to move. Instead, I pulled the door shut and locked it. Only with it being so
hot, sweat began rolling down my temples within seconds. I wouldn’t be able to hide
in there forever.
    David walked
over to the car and pointed to the lock. Don’t make a scene , he mouthed.
    Gritting
my teeth, I unlocked the door and kicked it open, forcing David to jump out of
the way. He raised his brows in a silent warning and thumbed for me to get out.
    “I
guess you’re the one everyone’s been talking about,” Caleb said to me as I
approached.
    Adrian put
his arm around my shoulders and squeezed. “This is Sarah. My girlfriend.”
    “Your girlfriend .”
Caleb’s answering laugh rumbled deep in his chest, and the corner of his mouth
pulled up as he stared at me. His eyes darted back to Adrian. “I think someone
else might have an opinion about that.”
    Adrian
opened his mouth to say something but Imogene cut in. “Is your mother home?
She’s expecting us.” She pulled at the front of her shirt and waved a hand in
front of her face. “I’d love to get out of this heat. I’m cooked!”
    Caleb,
still smiling, tore his eyes away from Adrian and me. “She’ll be back in a few
minutes. She’s just running an errand with my sister Jasmine.”
    He
motioned for us to follow him inside the house and then led us through a tiny
kitchen and out to the back deck, thankfully shaded under the massive branches
of an old maple tree. I sat quietly on the edge of my chair, in no way relaxed
enough to manage even one sip of the lemonade he’d offered.
    A slightly
younger girl bounded around the corner of the house a few minutes later, appearing
as though out of thin air and taking me completely by surprise. She was slender
in the face and very pretty, with glossy black hair and heavily lashed brown
eyes.
    I knew
who she was as soon as I saw her, and I realized then that I’d been waiting for
her—just one more reason for the prickly anxiety I was feeling.
    Jasmine.

 
    THREE
    Charley
Moon appeared mere seconds after her daughter, looming in the open doorway larger
than life. She regarded us with a sort of cool contempt, her mouth drawn tight as
one thin black brow arched higher than the other. Jasmine sprang up the deck steps
like a gazelle and edged her way over to Charley, linking her arm in the crook
of her mother’s elbow.
    Charley’s
eyes found David and Meg, her