Zander Hughes - 10 Months AgoTHERE SHE WAS AGAIN. The crying girl. I could see her in the distance, curled up among the ferns of a redwood forest whose giant trunks surrounded me like old friends. I breathed in the odd spicy scent that reminded me of ...something. I couldn't remember, but déjà vu clung to me like cobwebs. The girl's sobs grew louder, her anguish digging deeper into my heart, demanding my attention. I followed the sounds, but she remained out of my grasp, like an elusive phantom. The thought pulled me up short. Was she a ghost?A jagged bolt of pain cut through me and I bent over, pressing a hand to my chest and sucking in air. Despite the agony, my eyes remained fixed on my prey. Unable to look away, I watched as the girl clutched her t-shirt with both hands, hunching over in the same manner as I did. Was it possible that we shared the same pain? Something inside me screamed, "Hell, yes," and I believed that if I could reach her, touch her, wrap myself around her,

GRABBING MY LUNCH SACK, I debated how to spend the next forty-five minutes. Zander was probably already waiting for me on the quad, and I should reassure him that my Isaac problem had been resolved. But he would ask questions, and I didn't want to rehash what had just happened. Whatever I'd seen in Isaac's face had taken up residence in my stomach like some alien parasite. I rubbed it absently, wondering what was wrong with me. Probably karma, I thought with a guilty twist of my lips. Because I'd hurt a nice guy. Why did Isaac have to take it so hard? It wasn't like there had ever been anything between us. The strange nausea disappeared and my stomach growled. My rumbling, bipolar body reminded me that I hadn't eaten much breakfast this morning because Dad had served it with a lecture on better communication. He'd nailed me for lying about going home with Ruthie on Monday. Apparently, her mom had called Dad this morning to check on me. I'd stayed home yesterday, too traumatized to

SOMEONE CALLED MY NAME. "Tru!" I looked up at the boy running down the corridor. It was Bobby. He kicked away an empty chip bag and slid to the ground next to me. He had suffered from years of depression after his parents were killed. And according to Dante I had unintentionally "healed" him. Bobby hugged me, which was awkward since I didn't think we were the hugging type of friends. "You're okay! I tried to call you, but you didn't answer. Ruthie said you were sick.""I'm fine now, Bobby." I pulled free from him as kindly as possible."Sorry." He moved away, clearing his throat. "I was just worried. Shrina thinks I'm nuts, but I swear I woke up in the skate park Monday night and I can't remember what happened. The last thing I remember was driving home with you and Dante. When you both didn't show up yesterday, I got really worried."Shrina was his crush, and soon to be girlfriend. Or so I hoped. She'd been in the car with us last Monday, but Dante had dropped her off before

RUTHIE TURNED AWAY FROM Val. "Tru!" She clapped her hands together before hugging me. Three hugs in less than thirty minutes. Ruthie would say it was a sign, that three was a magical number, that there was a message in it for me, like the world was sending me love, blah, blah, blah. Instead, I felt like someone had stuck an ice pick through my back."How are you feeling?" she said sarcastically. I grimaced. Yep. She hadn't believed my sick lie.But on closer inspection, she changed her mind. "Wow," she gasped. "You really are pale!" With a look of chagrin, she made "tsk tsk" sounds as she buzzed around me with fresh concern. "I'm fine," I whined, brushing her hands away. "Just one of those overnight bugs, I guess." The lie sent an arrow through my chest, but when it seemed to appease her, I eased out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding."I was worried about you," she added, settling down with a hurtful frown. "Were you avoiding me in Algebra class? Because I saved a s

"UH, I DON'T KNOW," I said, raising my hands to balance myself. Seconds later the topsy-turvy feeling was completely gone. "I mean ... nothing," I clarified. "Nothing is going on between Isaac and me." Zander scowled with disbelief.I thought through my reaction to Isaac. It had not been real, but it had felt powerful. Something was not normal about Isaac. Suspicion began to worm its way into my mind. Could a guy be a siren? Impossible. I almost laughed out loud. Sirens were gorgeous and dangerous women of the sea, luring sailors to their death with their beautiful voices. Isaac was a hot Tongan with a temper, but dangerous? Murderous? I shook my head. I was starting to suspect everyone around me. What were the odds that there was another non-human long-term resident here in Scotts Valley? No, he was just being ... Isaac. He even drove his twin sister nuts. Plus, if he didn't realize I'd broken up with him, then he was too stupid to be a siren. "I think maybe he didn't understan