concern and I needed an excuse to observe her more
closely.
This time I decided to try beef stroganoff—should be simple, right?
“So, Charity, what’s this—lasagna?” Toby asked.
“No! Why does it look like lasagna?”
“The way my mom makes it.”
“No,” Stacy interjected, “it’s Hamburger Helper.”
“No, it’s Chinese,” Delaney added.
“Chinese!” I snapped. “Don’t you psychos know food? It’s beef stroganoff.”
“Ohhh,” they al said in unison.
“It smel s weird,” Toby said. “Are you sure it’s beef stroganoff? Maybe it’s Chili Mac.”
“Oh for Dummy’s sake! It’s beef stroganoff! Now shut up and eat!”
“Gee, you’re so touchy about your cooking.”
“Yeah wel , you weren’t here last night.”
“What happened last night?”
Ashley laughed. “A disaster, that’s what.”
“Wel , not tonight. I fol owed the recipe very closely.”
But I guess not closely enough, since each face turned distorted as they took their first bite. Yikes! It was definitely too salty.
“Crikey! I real y rot at this!”
“Don’t beat yourself up too badly, Charity,” Toby began, “not everybody can cook. Take my mom for instance. I’ve grown up on Chef
Boyardee, frozen pizza, and spaghetti in a box. But my mom can sew, sing, and she makes the best ham and cheese sandwiches on this side of
the Carolinas. I’d stake my life on it.”
“Thanks, Tobe. I guess you’re right. I mean, I do other things good, right?”
The room was silent.
“Right?”
Stil silence.
I rol ed my eyes. “Thanks guys. What would I do without encouraging friends such as yourselves?”
“Wel ,” Missy final y said, “you’re a total y loyal friend.” Al their heads nodded in agreement. “You’re gorgeous. Not everyone can be
gorgeous like you and it not go to their head. You’re funny, artistic, and you’d do anything for the ones you love—even put yourself in danger. I
should know—and thank you.”
“Wow, Missy, thanks.”
She smiled, her face turning a cute shade of pink.
“See—why can’t you guys be more like Missy?”
Toby laughed. “And you’re so good with the compliments too.”
“Yeah, wel back atcha homeboy.”
Needless to say we ordered in pizza again. This cooking thing was much harder than I expected. Maybe I needed a new cookbook, or a new
brain.
Again Ashley took only a few bites of her pizza. I know for a fact that pizza is one of her favorite foods. Only God could help me with this one,
so I said a silent prayer for wisdom.
That night I was deep into a sweet dream about Levi. He and I were wrapped in each other’s arms sharing our dreams about our long future
together, when screaming woke me with a start. I bolted straight up, annoyed that my dream was interrupted. Then I heard it again—a scream. It
was coming from my mom’s room. I jumped out of bed and bounded into the room, quickly spotting Mom screaming and thrashing in her bed. I
rushed to her. “Mom! Mom! It’s me, Charity! I tried to stop her, but when I reached for her she struck me. She wasn’t aware, of course, but it hurt al the same. I ran into my room to retrieve my phone. I cal ed Levi.
He answered on the first ring. “Charity?”
“Levi! Mom is freaking out! I think she’s remembering the night we were attacked! What do I do?! Help me!”
“I’l be right there.”
I went back into her room. She was kicking and screaming. “Charity, run! They’re werewolves! Run! They’re kil ing Frank! Oh, Frank!”
I panicked. I ran back into my room, opened my window, and yel ed, “Raven!” I didn’t know what else to do. I hated seeing her in distress,
and I was desperate.
I darted back into her room. She was stil screaming and there was nothing I could do. I felt total y helpless. Suddenly, there was a hand on
my shoulder. I turned. “Oh, Raven, thank God! Please help her! She’s remembering the night of the attack! Please make her forget al of it,
closely.
This time I decided to try beef stroganoff—should be simple, right?
“So, Charity, what’s this—lasagna?” Toby asked.
“No! Why does it look like lasagna?”
“The way my mom makes it.”
“No,” Stacy interjected, “it’s Hamburger Helper.”
“No, it’s Chinese,” Delaney added.
“Chinese!” I snapped. “Don’t you psychos know food? It’s beef stroganoff.”
“Ohhh,” they al said in unison.
“It smel s weird,” Toby said. “Are you sure it’s beef stroganoff? Maybe it’s Chili Mac.”
“Oh for Dummy’s sake! It’s beef stroganoff! Now shut up and eat!”
“Gee, you’re so touchy about your cooking.”
“Yeah wel , you weren’t here last night.”
“What happened last night?”
Ashley laughed. “A disaster, that’s what.”
“Wel , not tonight. I fol owed the recipe very closely.”
But I guess not closely enough, since each face turned distorted as they took their first bite. Yikes! It was definitely too salty.
“Crikey! I real y rot at this!”
“Don’t beat yourself up too badly, Charity,” Toby began, “not everybody can cook. Take my mom for instance. I’ve grown up on Chef
Boyardee, frozen pizza, and spaghetti in a box. But my mom can sew, sing, and she makes the best ham and cheese sandwiches on this side of
the Carolinas. I’d stake my life on it.”
“Thanks, Tobe. I guess you’re right. I mean, I do other things good, right?”
The room was silent.
“Right?”
Stil silence.
I rol ed my eyes. “Thanks guys. What would I do without encouraging friends such as yourselves?”
“Wel ,” Missy final y said, “you’re a total y loyal friend.” Al their heads nodded in agreement. “You’re gorgeous. Not everyone can be
gorgeous like you and it not go to their head. You’re funny, artistic, and you’d do anything for the ones you love—even put yourself in danger. I
should know—and thank you.”
“Wow, Missy, thanks.”
She smiled, her face turning a cute shade of pink.
“See—why can’t you guys be more like Missy?”
Toby laughed. “And you’re so good with the compliments too.”
“Yeah, wel back atcha homeboy.”
Needless to say we ordered in pizza again. This cooking thing was much harder than I expected. Maybe I needed a new cookbook, or a new
brain.
Again Ashley took only a few bites of her pizza. I know for a fact that pizza is one of her favorite foods. Only God could help me with this one,
so I said a silent prayer for wisdom.
That night I was deep into a sweet dream about Levi. He and I were wrapped in each other’s arms sharing our dreams about our long future
together, when screaming woke me with a start. I bolted straight up, annoyed that my dream was interrupted. Then I heard it again—a scream. It
was coming from my mom’s room. I jumped out of bed and bounded into the room, quickly spotting Mom screaming and thrashing in her bed. I
rushed to her. “Mom! Mom! It’s me, Charity! I tried to stop her, but when I reached for her she struck me. She wasn’t aware, of course, but it hurt al the same. I ran into my room to retrieve my phone. I cal ed Levi.
He answered on the first ring. “Charity?”
“Levi! Mom is freaking out! I think she’s remembering the night we were attacked! What do I do?! Help me!”
“I’l be right there.”
I went back into her room. She was kicking and screaming. “Charity, run! They’re werewolves! Run! They’re kil ing Frank! Oh, Frank!”
I panicked. I ran back into my room, opened my window, and yel ed, “Raven!” I didn’t know what else to do. I hated seeing her in distress,
and I was desperate.
I darted back into her room. She was stil screaming and there was nothing I could do. I felt total y helpless. Suddenly, there was a hand on
my shoulder. I turned. “Oh, Raven, thank God! Please help her! She’s remembering the night of the attack! Please make her forget al of it,
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