Evan Elemental (The Evan Elemental Series) by Crystal Groszek Page A

turns to stare at me
expectantly. I give what I hoped is a big, beaming smile, but I can't keep the
look of wild confusion out of my eyes.
    "Oh!"
Mary exclaims, jumping up, "I need to introduce you!"
    She
starts clockwise around the table, placing her hands on each woman's shoulders.
First up is a brassy redhead with teeth that seem too big for her mouth when
she smiles.
    "Evangeline,
this is Hyacinth Rupert." Hyacinth continues to smile, although her near
colorless blue eyes lack kindness.
    Next is Gena , pronounced "Jenna", Macintyre. Gena appears to be one of the younger members. She has a
pretty smooth complexion, dark eyes, and shining waist-length black hair that
is neatly pushed back with a thin, pearly-white headband.
    Following Gena is a pair of identical faces, both with short
mousy-brown hair, lusterless brown eyes, and impossibly tiny ears. The twins
are named Susan Thomas and Selma Rose. Susan was the one with the perpetually
sour expression on her face that shared a knowing look with the creepy woman.
Selma's face is smooth and difficult to read.
    Sitting
next to Selma, trying to make herself seem smaller
than she actually is by placing her hands in her lap and hunching her shoulders
forward, is Grace James. Grace can't be much older than I am but there is
something in her eyes that leaves me with a hollow haunted feeling. Her gaze
meets mine briefly before it returns to her lap, her long auburn hair shielding
her face.
    Last to
be introduced is Miranda Holloway, the woman who hugged me when I came in, if
you can call that a hug. When Mary introduces her, Miranda has a smug,
satisfied look on her face, as if she is so important I must know all about her
and admire her already. I give her a blank look before managing a half smile;
she sneers in return.
    After
the awkward introductions are through, Mary Morris begins to serve tea. It's
Earl Grey and boring. The others make polite chatter for a while, occasionally
asking me questions. I try to be cheerful and friendly but it's taking a lot of
energy; since the accident, I've been mostly on my own and my conversational
skills are seriously lacking. Though, I doubt I would be up to making
conversation with these women under the best of circumstances.
    For the
most part, Miranda ignores me, which is lucky. Once or twice I catch her
staring at me with a malevolent look in her eye. I try to convince myself that
I'm imagining it, but there is no mistaking: Miranda Holloway does not like me.
I have no idea why and I have no desire to figure it out. Whatever her problem
is, it doesn't matter. I've known women like this before, and I've found it's
best to just stay clear and not engage.
    "Evan,
dear?"
    I must
have spaced out because I can't remember what Gena asked me. "I'm sorry I..."
    "Oh
it's quite alright," Gena replies cutting off my
useless stammering. She and Mary Morris exchange a dark look. "After what
you've been through," Gena continues, "it's
a surprise you could make it here at all. But we are so glad that you
did." She gives me an indulgent smile that I immediately resent.
"What I was asking, dear, is if you are looking forward to starting school
at Price High in the fall." It's irritating how she keeps calling me
"dear" and "sweetheart" when she can't be older that
twenty-five herself.
    "Oh, uhm , yes, actually. I've been kind of on my own up at
the estate, and it'll be nice to make some friends." It's a downright lie,
but I know it's what they want to hear.
    "My
goodness," Mary interjects, "we had no idea! Magda told us not to
bother you until you were ready. You have no idea how long we've wanted to meet
you! After your mother left..."
    "Mary."
Selma's cool voice interrupts Mary's incessant stream of words. "Mary,
dear, weren't you going to write down the recipe for this lemon cake for
me?" she asks, gesturing to the dwindling sunny yellow cake dripping in a
creamy glaze at the center of the table. Mary nods, her cheeks tinged pink with
embarrassment. Both