looking off into the distance, then dug his phone from his pocket to read the text.
I glanced at Raef and realized he had been looking at me. “What?” I asked, sounding a tad demanding, the tension between my classmates apparently contagious.
“Nothing, you just remind me of someone,” he said, his face oddly serious.
“Who?”
Raef shook his head, “You wouldn’t know her, just someone I knew in passing.”
I wanted to ask him more. Was it a girlfriend? A relative? His seriousness seemed to speak volumes. I got the distinct impression that whomever I reminded him of, she had demanded a heavy emotional toll. I could tell his deep blue eyes were no longer in the present.
He was rerunning my twin in his mind, and I was dying to know who she was. Was this phantom girl from his past the reason he was sitting with me at lunch? And what the heck went on between Kian and Ana and possibly even MJ? I had so many questions and had a feeling no one wanted to cough up the answers.
MJ snapped his phone shut and I jumped, yanked out of my mental monologue.
“Well, seems that I have to go to CatBird Farm for fresh raspberries for the shop, and my dad wants me to head out after 6 th period, since 7 th I have free. I’m sorry Eila, I know I was supposed to give you a ride. Can you call Mae?” questioned MJ genuinely sorry. He looked at Ana, hopeful.
Ana glanced from MJ to me and sighed, “Oh fine. I can take you home. I just have to stop off somewhere. It isn’t far from your house.”
“That would be great. I would have walked rather than have Mae come get me,” I said, trying to bring a smile to her hardened face.
“I’ll see you at my car right after last bell,” replied Ana, no nonsense. “Don’t dawdle, this place gets backed up quickly between the buses and cars.”
Just then the bell rang and lunch was over. I turned to say bye to Raef, but he had already left. I didn’t even hear him get up.
I scanned the sea of students making their way out of the cavernous cafeteria, but the mysterious boy in the gray hoodie was nowhere to be seen.
4
Ana’s car seemed to lack shock s as every dip in the road rebounded through my spine. I tried to creep my butt over to a more cushioned part of the Trans Am’s seat.
“So, where are we going again?” I asked, another bump rattling my teeth.
“We’re stopping by Dalca Anescu’s place,” replied Ana. “She knew my Dad and has an old house like yours, but made the first floor into an herb and essence store called The Crimson Moon. Pretty cool stuff, though some people think she has a screw loose. I think she’s harmless though. Just earthy.”
“ Knew your Dad?” I asked, not missing the past tense in her vernacular.
“Yeah. My Dad was a scallop fisherman. Last year he had a heart attack while out at sea and ended up in a coma. He died a few days later. The doctors said he didn’t have a chance, even if he had been on land and closer to the hospital, but I’m still not sure about that,” she said, her eyes not leaving the road.
Whereas I had come to accept the loss of my parents, the buffer of many years helping greatly, Ana’s pain was still raw. I felt for her and understood her anger.
“After his death, I proved to the courts that I could act as an adult and was allowed to move into the apartment above RC Garage. The owner lets me work off some of the rent. I really like my freedom,” said Ana.
“What about your mom?” I asked, unable to stop myself from prying.
Ana shrugged, “She left when I was just a baby. Drug problems I’m told. I have no idea where she is.”
“I’m really sorry Ana,” I said, looking at her profile as she drove.
She was silent for a few moments then finally turned to me, “You too. MJ filled me in at school.” Ana and I were more alike than I could have imagined. Damaged, but defiant.
She swung the wheel to the right, turning her boat of a vehicle down my street.
“She
I glanced at Raef and realized he had been looking at me. “What?” I asked, sounding a tad demanding, the tension between my classmates apparently contagious.
“Nothing, you just remind me of someone,” he said, his face oddly serious.
“Who?”
Raef shook his head, “You wouldn’t know her, just someone I knew in passing.”
I wanted to ask him more. Was it a girlfriend? A relative? His seriousness seemed to speak volumes. I got the distinct impression that whomever I reminded him of, she had demanded a heavy emotional toll. I could tell his deep blue eyes were no longer in the present.
He was rerunning my twin in his mind, and I was dying to know who she was. Was this phantom girl from his past the reason he was sitting with me at lunch? And what the heck went on between Kian and Ana and possibly even MJ? I had so many questions and had a feeling no one wanted to cough up the answers.
MJ snapped his phone shut and I jumped, yanked out of my mental monologue.
“Well, seems that I have to go to CatBird Farm for fresh raspberries for the shop, and my dad wants me to head out after 6 th period, since 7 th I have free. I’m sorry Eila, I know I was supposed to give you a ride. Can you call Mae?” questioned MJ genuinely sorry. He looked at Ana, hopeful.
Ana glanced from MJ to me and sighed, “Oh fine. I can take you home. I just have to stop off somewhere. It isn’t far from your house.”
“That would be great. I would have walked rather than have Mae come get me,” I said, trying to bring a smile to her hardened face.
“I’ll see you at my car right after last bell,” replied Ana, no nonsense. “Don’t dawdle, this place gets backed up quickly between the buses and cars.”
Just then the bell rang and lunch was over. I turned to say bye to Raef, but he had already left. I didn’t even hear him get up.
I scanned the sea of students making their way out of the cavernous cafeteria, but the mysterious boy in the gray hoodie was nowhere to be seen.
4
Ana’s car seemed to lack shock s as every dip in the road rebounded through my spine. I tried to creep my butt over to a more cushioned part of the Trans Am’s seat.
“So, where are we going again?” I asked, another bump rattling my teeth.
“We’re stopping by Dalca Anescu’s place,” replied Ana. “She knew my Dad and has an old house like yours, but made the first floor into an herb and essence store called The Crimson Moon. Pretty cool stuff, though some people think she has a screw loose. I think she’s harmless though. Just earthy.”
“ Knew your Dad?” I asked, not missing the past tense in her vernacular.
“Yeah. My Dad was a scallop fisherman. Last year he had a heart attack while out at sea and ended up in a coma. He died a few days later. The doctors said he didn’t have a chance, even if he had been on land and closer to the hospital, but I’m still not sure about that,” she said, her eyes not leaving the road.
Whereas I had come to accept the loss of my parents, the buffer of many years helping greatly, Ana’s pain was still raw. I felt for her and understood her anger.
“After his death, I proved to the courts that I could act as an adult and was allowed to move into the apartment above RC Garage. The owner lets me work off some of the rent. I really like my freedom,” said Ana.
“What about your mom?” I asked, unable to stop myself from prying.
Ana shrugged, “She left when I was just a baby. Drug problems I’m told. I have no idea where she is.”
“I’m really sorry Ana,” I said, looking at her profile as she drove.
She was silent for a few moments then finally turned to me, “You too. MJ filled me in at school.” Ana and I were more alike than I could have imagined. Damaged, but defiant.
She swung the wheel to the right, turning her boat of a vehicle down my street.
“She
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