Anata studied Blaze’s hand. “She let you borrow that ring, too?”
Blaze paled and shoved her hand in her pocket.
Rena didn’t wait for her friend to think of a lie. “I got grounded for a week last night,” she blurted out.
Color returned to Blaze’s face.
Anata shook her head. It was a small movement, one dripping with disapproval. Let her think Blaze “borrowed” the ring. It was safer than the truth.
In the sweetest voice she could muster, Rena said, “Aunt Anata, mind if I talk with Blaze for a minute? I was supposed to meet her at Market before the Burning. I couldn’t call her to cancel, and now she’s walked all the way there and back.”
Anata folded her arms.
Blaze squirmed.
The lines at the corners of Anata’s eyes soften. “You have half an hour. Why don’t you two go upstairs?”
The response surprised Rena. She expected to be banished to the front porch for two minutes. Upstairs offered the privacy they needed.
“Thank you!” She pulled Blaze into the house. She couldn’t wait to hear all about the trip to Market, especially the part where she’d find out what they’d earned.
When Rena opened the bedroom door, the twins were playing a board game on their side. Neither bothered to look up when the girls crossed the duct tape boundary. Blaze tossed her hat on the futon couch. Rena plopped down on it as she sighed loudly and repeatedly.
It didn’t work. The twins compensated by making more noise.
“Ugh! Why don’t you bodinks go downstairs? Me and Blaze need to talk.”
“It’s our room, too,” Tomaso said.
“We were here first,” Zesiro added.
Then, in unison they said, “Why don’t you leave?”
The tied-back bed sheet curtain, which doubled as a wall offered visual privacy, not sound proofing.
The boys had to go.
“We got girl stuff to talk about.”
“So?”
“Fine,” she said through tightened lips. They just secured their Number Three spot on The List. She glared from one twin to the other. “Blaze, what was it that you wanted to tell me about you and Tree.”
“Huh?”
Rena gazed at her pointedly, head tilting in the twins’ direction.
“Oh yeah,” Blaze said, her tone in juicy gossip mode. “There we were all alone. Only the two of us, sitting really close.”
“Uh-huh. And what were those nice things he said about you?”
“He was telling me how pretty my eyes are.” Blaze twirled her hair, her gaze set on the wall, lost in her lie. “He told me how much he likes my red hair and how smart I am.”
“Cut it out. We’re not leaving.” Tomaso turned back to the game board, hunching over it as if to protect it.
She scooted closer to Blaze, but fixed her evil eye on the twins watching for the slightest hint that they would cave. There was no other safe place for the girls to talk. They had to win this battle. “What happened next?”
“Well, he...uh…he reached over and put his arm around me.” Blaze stifled a giggle.
“We’re not listening,” the boys chimed.
“And then…?” She silently encouraged Blaze to come up with something really good.
Blaze nodded. She spoke, drawing out the delicious words. “He leaned close enough for me to smell his minty breath. He looked deep into my eyes, and I thought I was going to melt.”
“Gross!” Zesiro shouted. He shifted slightly closer to the door.
“Then he told me he loved me and kissed me. His lips were like velvet and…”
“Yuck!” The twins screamed in unison. They jumped to their feet and scooped up their Galaxy Huntress game. “We’re going somewhere with less girl germs!”
When Rena no longer felt vibrations from their retreating footfalls, she turned to Blaze. “I want every detail.”
“Oh, we didn’t really kiss. I was only saying that to—”
“I know that.” Rena rolled her eyes. “I’m talking about the Market.” She thought of the underground market with its hundreds of booths. Strings of light connected one to the next, lighting a path deep into the bowels of the massive cavern. People pushed carts filled with things to swap, bargaining with vendors for everything from re-purposed household merchandise to recycled products to food items. Ah, the hot food vendors. Rena’s mouth watered at the thought of Siz Ling’s stir-fried vegetable and rice wraps.
Then she thought of the vendor’s son. “Did you see Tomi?”
“Looking as quality as ever. But, he wasn’t the only one. You remember that Buyer we couldn’t take our eyes off of three months ago?”
“The dark haired man?”
“That one. He was there.”
“Sweet Mother Earth.” She nearly fell off the couch in her excitement as she recalled the Buyer’s incredible topaz eyes crowned by thick eyebrows and his brilliant white teeth framed by flawless lips. He was probably in his late twenties, too old for her, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t appreciate his good looks. “You talked to Topaz?”
Blaze nodded, but then said, “Almost.”
“What do you mean ‘almost’? I thought the deal was you’d talk to the Buyers because they pay. Cash only.”
“I did get cash.” Blaze reached in her pocket, pulled out a wad of cash, and tossed it onto the bed. “Only not from them.”
Rena shrieked, picked up the money, and hugged it to her chest. “Wow, Blaze! I can’t believe it. Look at all this. Wait a minute.” She grabbed hold of Blaze’s hand. “If you didn’t sell the ring, how did you get all this? What did you sell?”
“The bracelet. I couldn’t let go of the ring.” She stretched out her hand; the clear gems sparkled.
“Nine hundred for the bracelet alone?” With careful planning, Rena’s dreams of Eden were within reach. “Who’d you sell it to?”
Blaze sat quiet for a few seconds. “The Grunge.”
“He’s right next to the Buyers. Why didn’t you go over there?”
Blaze lowered her gaze to her fidgeting hands. “Topaz kept looking in my direction and smiling like we were friends or something. It made me a little uncomfortable.”
“He must’ve thought you were someone else.” Rena propped up a pillow, then leaned against the metal rail of her bed. “Did you walk right up to Grunge first thing?”
“No. I studied all the vendors. Listened in on other people making bargains. Weeded out the cheap-trade vendors and started searching for the cash-paying ones.”
“I can’t believe the Grunge has money. He’s dirty and mean-looking.” She hunched over with a snarl on her lip to imitate the vendor.
Blaze laughed. “I couldn’t believe it either. But, other than the Buyers, he pays the best. He took forever to examine the bracelet. I thought I was going to have to find someone else to bargain with. He kept giving me a hard time about where you were.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. Apparently, he thinks me and you are inseparable. Don’t ask me why he remembers us.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” She tilted her head to the side, batted her eyelashes, and flipped her braids over her shoulder.
“Anyway, the whole time, Topaz was checking me out. He even winked at me.”
“I’m so jealous. Oh, I wish I could’ve been there to see it.”
“I know! All the attention felt kinda weird but…” Blaze stood in front of the mirror propped against the wall. “Dad says vendors make offers based on appearances. I wanted to look nice. Respectable.”
She had to admit the outfit appeared new. It made her wonder what Blaze had told her mom. “Tell me you didn’t tell your mom about the cave.”
“Of course not. I told her that…well, that I was thinking about maybe inviting someone to the Solstice.”
“Think she believed you?”
“She will when she sees me with Torley next Friday.”
“What!”
“Yep,” Blaze sai
d, standing a little taller. “Apparently, he lives on the Market side of Quad 4. He was on his way home when we ran into each other. Took him a minute to figure out where he knew me from.” She moved away from the mirror and stood near Rena. “Then we started talking about Solstice. Getting such a great bargain made me feel confident. I suggested we go together. And he said yes!”
“Blaze, this is exciting. We can use this money to buy you a really nice dress to wear.”
“But what about you? I mean, I know you say you’re not going, but that’s only to make Anata mad. Right?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s progress,” Blaze nodded. “Better than the usual response. We need to find you a date.”
She hugged a pillow to her chest and studied a worn spot on the russet carpet. There was only one guy she wanted to go with, and she already lied to his face. “I’ll go alone.”
Blaze picked up her sunhat. “You’ll have to come with me and Torley. It’s settled.”
Third wheel again. She forced lightness into her voice as she stood and walked Blaze downstairs. “We’ll need to sell some more stuff.”
Blaze led the way to the front door. “Tomorrow after school?”
“Try Wednesday. Grounded, remember?” She craned her neck to check for Anata, then whispered, “Who grounds people ‘til the middle of the week, anyway?”
“I know, right.” Blaze pulled on her hat and shaped the brim. “I’m glad it’s a short week, though. I’m ready for a break.”
“How could I forget about Solstice break? That means we can go first thing in the morning.”
Blaze stepped onto the porch. “Eight o’clock. Don’t be late.”
“Are you kidding? After being trapped in here with the twins for a week? I’ll see you at seven.”
“I better get going. Curfew.”
“Yeah, we don’t want another incident.”
Rena locked the bedroom door and pulled out her backpack. Making herself comfortable on the floor, she laid out the cave items. The brownish-gold gem reminded her of cat eyes. She tried it on each finger and found it too big, but wore it on her left thumb anyway. Then she picked up the small metallic bird.
“What purpose could this thing possibly have?” She set it aside and picked up the smaller book titled Fahrenheit 451. She flipped through a few pages before she turned her attention to the brown leather journal. She needed a tool to unlock it. She sensed for any floor vibrations before she crossed to the twins’ side of the room. A tiny sword from their miniature Kana action figure set poked the bottom of her foot. She cringed, then picked it up.
“This should work.”
After a few minutes fidgeting with the lock, she heard a soft click. She opened the front cover and peered at the images inside.
“Ah, a video album.” Yet, something was different about it. The screens were raised a little above the pages, which didn’t seem thick enough to hold a computer chip. Then again, she wasn’t an expert on that kind of technology.
The first page held a portrait of a light-skinned woman with short black hair, wearing the birch leaf necklace. Rena waved her hand over the image, but it didn’t activate. The eyes stared at her, full of emotion, yet motionless. She searched the page for another activation mechanism, but couldn’t find one. She turned the page.
The same woman stood with her back to the screen. The gorgeous wedding gown she wore hung to the ground. The tall man next to her wore a black tuxedo. He and the woman held hands. On the path in front of them stretched abundant greenery, the kind Rena always imagined existed only in Eden.
On the next page, the couple stood holding each other. The woman rested her head on the man’s chest as one hand draped around his neck. He held her by the waist, a smile in his eyes, his cheek placed just right to avoid crumpling the white flowers in her hair. Curious to listen and see more, she waved her hands over both images, but they remained still. Maybe the power source was dead.
She traced her finger over the woman’s smile. The couple appeared so happy. What she wouldn’t give to have that someday. She closed the book and thought about Nevan as she tucked the items back inside her backpack. Why did she tell him she’d invited someone else? Couldn’t she have said, “Yes, Chai, that sounds like a lovely idea.” But then, he probably already had a date. He hadn’t denied it. Probably one of the girls watching him at Transit Plaza. It’s not like he’d ever go out with her anyway, especially after she led Syns to his front door.
Rena leaned against the bed cushion. There’d be a report of his family accepting visitors after curfew. Her stomach rolled and she let her head plop onto the mattress. If they were audited, there could be financial implications. He had to know that, yet unlike his neighbor, Nevan opened the door. What exactly did that mean? Was he looking for an opportunity to blackmail her? Could that be how his family afforded such a nice house?
Chapter Eight
Monday, June 19
Late Morning
By the time Rena and Blaze boarded the CityRail, there was only standing room by the doors. As soon as they swooshed shut, the train glided down the rail. The ride from school to the factory ran south between Quads 3 and 4, then turned west and ran parallel to the Jordan Mountains. This was Rena’s favorite part of the day, the half-hour break between the required three hours of school and five hours of internship.
The tranquil, steady rhythm of the automated train soothed her soles. Sunshine sprawled between the trees, casting long shadows across the flat, hybrid grass field. Near South Lake, workers in neon green prepared for the Solstice Celebration. Picnic tables, which looked small from the distance, dotted the uneven field around the water. The Dugout, where people would leave the dishes they prepared, had three walls up. Across the lake, a crew built a stage on the open side of boulders arranged in an U-shaped formation. Seeing the stage made Rena think of Nevan.
She constantly feared someone would find out about her ability and turn her in for profit. The night she sought refuge at Nevan’s house gave her another thing to worry about: blackmail. Would his family make her pay to keep her curfew breaking secret? They were just as guilty for allowing her inside, but if they had the right connections, their involvement wouldn’t matter. It made it hard to trust.
Rena wrapped her arm around the stanchion. Blaze gripped the pole, too, her hand a few inches above her head.
“He doesn’t get it,” Blaze said, drawing Rena back into their conversation.
“Did you tell him you have a date?”
Blaze shifted, accidentally bumping a dozing gray-haired man with her backpack. He mumbled something rude with one eye half-opened. Blaze apologized, then sidled closer to Rena. “He said to dump Torley and take him instead.”
“What kind of girl does he think you are?”
“I know, right?”
The gray-haired man grumbled. He tried for a stern look; it didn’t phase anyone.
“He’s not even good-looking.” Rena flexed her fingers and shifted her weight to the other leg. “Now, if he was as quality as Topaz, then—”
“No doubt.” Blaze fanned herself. “I still can’t believe he winked at me.”
“Was that lady there?”
“Yeah, but she was busy appraising stuff. Topaz was cataloging, or at least that’s what he was doing when I walked by the first time.”
“If we didn’t need new Solstice costumes, I’d be tempted to wait until the weekend to go to the Market just to see him.”
“You just want him to wink at you, too.”
“Maybe,” she sighed.
“Rena?” called a voice from behind.
She shifted and found Trace standing with a backpack slung over one shoulder and holding his GreenPad. “Hey, Trace. What are you doing here?”
He motioned toward the front of the CityRail. “Heading to work, same as most everyone else.”
“I don’t remember seeing you on this train before. Not that I’m not glad to see you.”
�
�I’ve been here.” He tilted his head back a little, causing a few strands of hair to fall away from his face while he scratched his square chin. “Guess you never noticed me.”
Blaze poked her shoulder, and she turned to see her friend leaning to the side, as if to get a better look at Trace.
“Wanna introduce me to your friend?” Blaze asked.
She moved to make room for him. “This is my newest neighbor, Trace. And this is by best friend, Blaze.”
“Nice to meet you. You Year 3, too?” Blaze asked.
“Yeah. Coding.” He paused as if waiting for more questions. When Blaze nodded and turned her attention toward the horizon, Trace inched closer to Rena. “I wanted to talk to you about this.” He tapped his GreenPad. “I have drawings I’d like to show you. Maybe after work.”
“What’s wrong with right now?” she asked.
“Some of them require explanations. Do you have time today?”
Heat crept up her neck. “Not really. I’m sort of grounded for four more days.”
“For the thing that happened right before we met?”
She nodded, embarrassment tinting her cheeks.
“Does your dad know?” He peered at her as if willing her to understand his meaning.
Had he ‘seen’ her cave? She feigned innocence. “Know what?” Curiosity about his new drawings inspired all sorts of ways she could sneak out of the house for a few minutes.
“Never mind.” He tilted his head. His hair spilled over his shoulders, curtaining his eyes, but not before Rena caught the far-away look, the same one she saw when she stumbled upon him drawing her necklace.
“Trace?” She touched his arm.
When he lifted his head, his hair fell away from his gray eyes. Unlike the other time, clarity slammed into his gaze. His pupils dilated, and he opened his mouth to speak, but a loud crack silenced his words.
The train abruptly halted. Rena grabbed the pole with both hands and pressed her cheek to the cool metal. The sleeping man pitched forward from his seat. The screech of train wheels blended with the next crack of thunder. Dead-stopped, the train lights flickered out. Everyone froze in place, including the napping man.
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