The Voice

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  Caleb walked out of the back of the house. “Justin, are you out here? We’re gonna be late again, and I don’t want detention.”

  It was hard to see Caleb’s face, but from where I stood, he appeared to be good-looking. His hair was dark blond, shoulder length, slightly curly, and messy—definitely the California surfer look. He was tan and wore shorts, a T-shirt, and flip-flops. Caleb’s head suddenly turned toward an area where my view was blocked by a bush. He stared a moment before laughing.

  “I’ll be in the car,” he said, shaking his head as he left. I watched for a couple of minutes. All was still. Reluctantly, I slid the window closed and went downstairs for breakfast.

  It didn’t take long to find my way around the kitchen. I got a bowl of Cheerios and sat on a stool at the counter, reveling in the silence. Right when I finished, Kate walked in, already showered and dressed. Her cheeks were blotchy and her eyes were red, but I pretended not to notice.

  “Ready for your big makeover?” she asked.

  I had forgotten she wanted to make me anonymous, which shouldn’t be too hard. Although my picture had been all over the news, I was an average girl. My face was unremarkable, and once my hair was changed, no one would recognize me. No one would expect me to be in San Diego anyway.

  I thought she would run to the store and buy a box of hair dye, but Kate had other plans. After I got dressed, she put a pink scarf over my hair and took me to a salon. It wasn’t open yet, but she knocked and a woman let us in.

  “This must be her!” the woman gushed.

  “It is,” Kate responded. “I want to change her look. And I want her to be stunning.”

  “Won’t be hard with a face like that.”

  Right, I thought sarcastically.

  She led us inside the swanky, upscale salon. I was put in a chair and fussed over. Someone brought me a glass of iced tea and slid some slippers onto my feet, although I had no idea why. The hairdresser decided to lighten my hair. Then she proceeded to chop off at least a foot of it. Why was I doing this? I loved my long hair. And this had to be costing a fortune.

  While I was being remade, Kate was on her phone. She never strayed too far away, but was careful whenever she spoke, keeping her back to me so I wouldn’t overhear her conversation. I still managed to catch little tidbits here and there—words like “cancel,” “florist,” “photographer,” and “reception hall.” I noticed she wasn’t wearing her engagement ring. There was a sad look in her eyes, which I recognized well.

  After two hours, the hairdresser turned me to face the mirror. I was surprised at the difference. Somehow the lighter hair made me appear less sickly—not so pale anymore. My hair was now shoulder length, with layers.

  “Well, Makayla,” Kate asked. “What do you think?”

  “It’s amazing. I look like someone else. Like I belong here.” And the name Makayla seemed to fit.

  For the first time in a long time, I felt beautiful. The shorter hair made my face seem fuller, and my eyes came alive.

  “Well, that was the idea.”

  New name. New look. I could pretend to be someone else. Play the part. Much easier than being Audrey Marshall.

  “Okay,” Kate smiled. “Now we shop!”

  We headed to a fabulous outside mall—one of the many benefits of nice weather year-round. Kate dragged me into almost every store. She insisted I have a new wardrobe for my new look. She bought outfits whether I liked them or not. And every time she used her credit card, her face lit up. When I asked her if she could afford it, she smiled and said it was her and Mike’s joint credit card.

  The best part of the day, though, was the fact that Kate never talked about Bill or what had happened to me. She didn’t even talk about Mike. For a couple of hours, it was like none of that existed.

  When we arrived home, we lounged on the couch, exhausted from our long day. I could get used to living in California.

  “Are you ready for school tomorrow?” Kate asked.

  “I can’t believe you’re serious. I thought you wanted to help me recover, not torture me,” I answered, kicking my shoes off.

  “I know you’re not happy about this, but it’s for the best. Besides, I’ll be close by in case you need anything. I had the school enroll you in the same classes that you’re in back home. And no one knows who you are. We’ll stick with the story that you’re Mike’s sister, and that you’ve come to live with us so you can attend college here next year. So you’re Makayla, my soon-to-be sister-in-law.” Wasn’t she telling people about their breakup?

  Kate’s eyes had tears in them. I stared at her, not sure what to say. “Okay. If that’s what it takes to stay here, I’ll go along with it.”

  She blinked away the tears. “Oh, and I made sure that either Caleb or Justin is in each of your classes.” She gave me a look that said not to try anything funny. “If you need something, they’ll help you. Like I said, their mom works at the school and they’re good kids.”

  Wonderful. I escaped from my overprotective parents only to wind up with babysitters.

  Chapter 6

  The airplane climbed higher and higher. Finally, the sign blinked, indicating that it was safe to unbuckle my seatbelt. When Kate got up to go to the bathroom, I turned on my phone. After scrolling through my emails, I realized Kate had been gone awhile. Standing, I stretched and looked to the back of the plane. Kate was there, waving for me to join her, her eyes darting around as if she was afraid.

  I moved toward her. The plane hit a pocket of turbulence, and I grabbed the nearest seat to steady myself. Kate was no longer watching me—she was focused on someone coming out of the bathroom. When the person emerged, Kate screamed.

  The plane violently jerked and spiraled into a nosedive. The windows burst open, sucking air out. People in the plane yelled, and several bodies flew out the windows. I held onto the seat, but the force was too strong. My bloodied fingers were ripped from the seat as my body was sucked out of the plane.

  The airplane got smaller and smaller the farther I got from it. I was suspended in air. The clouds caressed my face, holding me close. Then I heard a familiar laugh—a deep, echoing sound booming through the sky. Everything became dark. Then the clouds parted, dropping me.

  Audrey, it’s only a dream.

  The thrashing wind whipped my hair around, and I couldn’t breathe.

  Wake up!

  Falling through the air, I screamed and jerked up. My PJs were soaked with sweat, my entire body shaking. I pinched my arm. Stay focused in the present. Don’t think about the nightmare. I forced myself to get out of bed.

  “Oh, crap,” I moaned. The first day of school. I went to the bathroom and jumped in the shower. Afterward, I attempted to duplicate my hairdo from the day before. It sorta worked. Then I threw on a pair of jeans, a tank top, and flip-flops—an outfit I’d never wear back home, but one Kate had assured me would blend in here. However, the bruises on my arms were visible. I grabbed a long-sleeved shirt and put it on. Much better. The bed still needed to be made, so I quickly flattened the sheets, tucked them in, and fixed the comforter. Perfect. The room was neat and in order. Time to go downstairs.

  Kate was already hard at work in the kitchen.

  “Smells good,” I commented.

  “Pancakes. We need to fatten you up.” She lifted the spatula and smiled.

  I looked down at myself, still too skinny. I barely had any food during my two months of captivity, and afterward, with my stomach always in knots, I never felt like eating. At only five-foot-two, weighing in at just under a hundred pounds, it wasn’t a pretty sight. I needed to gain back about fifteen pounds.

  Kate handed me a plate piled with pancakes, and I inhaled the rich aroma. Now these looked good. My mom would’ve made them with whole wheat and ground flaxseed meal, giving them a heavy cardboard taste.

  Kate grabbed her keys and purse.

  “Do we need to leave already?” I asked, wanting to eat my pancakes. They looked delicious, and gaining weight
was starting to sound fun. There was syrup, whipped cream, and butter sitting on the counter, calling my name.

  “Not you, just me. I have a staff meeting, and there are a few things I need to take care of before school starts.”

  “Did you change your mind?” I asked hopefully. Maybe I didn’t have to go to school after all.

  “Of course not. The boys next door will take you. I talked to them last night.” Kate moved to kiss me, and I tensed. Sensing my hesitation, she backed off and left with a simple, “See you at school.”

  Lovely. Two random boys were taking me to school. How in the world was this any better than being back home? At least there I wasn’t forced to leave the house. But then again, that had driven me crazy—staying cooped up in my room with my mom hovering over me.

  I attempted to give myself a pep talk. No one here knew me. Including me.

  But somehow, I felt lost not knowing what to expect from life. I still wanted to go to college and become a teacher. It was all the other stuff—getting married and having kids—that I couldn’t imagine anymore. How could I possibly have a relationship with someone after what happened? Who would want me? I was afraid to let my own family kiss or touch me. How could I allow someone in or trust anyone else?

  Then I remembered the voice. I trusted him because he was there for me in the cabin and he really knew me. Hopefully he hadn’t abandoned me again, even though I didn’t know who, or what, he really was. All I knew for sure was that I wanted—no, needed—him in my life.

  The doorbell rang. I went to answer it, but hesitated.

  “It’s me, Caleb,” a guy called from the other side. I opened the door and Caleb was standing there. I recognized the look on his face. Kate said no one here knew who I was. Maybe I should just close the door and hang out here instead.

  “How are you?” he asked, waiting. “No offense, but you were a mess the other night. I’m hoping you don’t faint in my Jeep again.” Caleb laughed. His nose was dusted with freckles and he had a dimple on his right cheek.

  I relaxed. He didn’t know who I was. Having him think I was crazy was better than having him know I was a kidnap and rape victim. I could handle that.

  “I’m better. Thanks.”

  “You ready?” He tilted his head toward the Jeep parked in his driveway.

  I grabbed my backpack, locked the door, and followed Caleb to his car. I was about to walk around to the passenger side when someone else jumped in.

  “You probably don’t remember my brother Justin,” Caleb said. “Just in time, as always.”

  I didn’t even remember the red Jeep Wrangler. I wondered how to get in the back seat without looking like a complete idiot and falling on my face.

  Caleb chuckled as Justin climbed into the back. Relieved, I got in. I couldn’t get a good look at Justin since he was sitting behind me, but I noticed that he was wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood up, even though it was already seventy-five degrees outside. Odd.

  The ride to school was short, about ten minutes. Justin never said a word, and Caleb didn’t stop talking, but I was too nervous about starting a new school to pay attention. Why was Kate doing this to me?

  When we arrived at the parking lot, I was afraid people would stare. A new student, someone to gawk at. But that was far from the case. No one seemed to notice. Even as we walked toward the school, several people stopped to talk to Caleb, but they only gave me a quick glance.

  “How big is this school?” I asked. My high school back home was large with almost fourteen hundred kids, but this school felt overwhelming. It seemed like there were a ton of people, all herded together and moving like cattle.

  “There are about three thousand students.”

  At least I wouldn’t have to worry about standing out. Glancing behind us, I noticed Justin was nowhere to be found.

  “Your brother seems shy.”

  Caleb laughed. He did that a lot. “You have no idea.”

  “You’re twins?” I hadn’t been able to see if they looked alike.

  “Yeah, not identical though.”

  Caleb led me to the front office, where I retrieved my schedule. Before I even had a chance to look at my classes, Caleb snatched the paper out of my hands and read it.

  “I’m in civics, Spanish, and physics with you. Justin is in your English and calculus classes. We’ll look out for you.” I could tell he was trying to keep it light, but there was a serious undercurrent to what he said. Did I look that helpless?

  I nodded, glancing around. It was liberating to have hallways outside, full of light and air. The bell rang and Caleb led me into our first-period class. The walls and carpet were gray, the desks arranged in rows, and there was a white board on the front wall.

  Luckily there was an empty seat in the back. I slid into it, hoping to remain anonymous. I had to keep reminding myself that I was Makayla. Act the part. Once class started, the teacher quickly introduced me and moved on with the lesson. When the class ended, a couple of people sitting near me said “hi” before leaving. Everyone else was busy talking about what they’d done the night before or what homework they still had to do. Not many paid any attention to me. However, that changed slightly when Caleb came over to walk me to my next class. Then people seemed to take an interest. This could be a problem.

  Caleb led me to Spanish, where I was lucky to snag another seat in the back. Then he went over to a group of guys and sat down.

  “Caleb, unbelievable play Friday night.”

  Caleb nodded and turned toward a girl who put her hand on his shoulder. She had long, chestnut-brown hair that bounced when she tossed her head.

  “Hi,” she sang sweetly. Everyone seemed to be watching Caleb or was at least aware of him on some level. “We’re making a new cheer, just for you.” She smiled, tossing her hair again.

  “Hey,” one of the guys said to her. “If I were the quarterback, would you make me a cheer? I could help you with it.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  She laughed and said something, but I couldn’t hear what.

  So Caleb was the quarterback. I rolled my eyes. There must be some sort of blueprint for the social hierarchy of high schools.

  After a horrendous hour where not one word of English was spoken—I really was beginning to detest Spanish—the bell rang, indicating time for a short break.

  “Ready?” Caleb asked. I was surprised he remembered me.

  I stood and noticed several of the girls giving me dirty looks. The guys kept their distance. I wondered if Caleb had a girlfriend—not that I was in any way interested. I mean, he was definitely good-looking and seemed nice enough, but thinking about anyone in that way was the last thing on my mind.

  Putting his hand on the small of my back, Caleb led me out of the classroom. I tried not to shy away from his touch, but by the time we were outside, my entire body was trembling. Crap. And I had been doing so well.

  “Are you okay?” Caleb asked, leaning down toward my face. I flinched away, needing space. He searched my eyes. There was that look again, the same one my brothers kept giving me.

  Breathe, count, calm down. Wrapping my arms around my body, hugging myself, I tried to be smaller so no one would bump into me. We were outside on the packed sidewalk, and there was almost no room to maneuver. Several people were trying to get Caleb’s attention. I could feel my hands going numb. Caleb repositioned himself to block me from everyone, but then I felt cornered. My stomach twisted, and vomit rose in the back of my throat. What was I supposed to do? Counting wasn’t working. You’re not Audrey, I told myself. You’re Makayla. She’s normal.

  Someone grabbed my arm, pulling me into an empty classroom. Suddenly everything was quiet, and my body relaxed. Caleb still stood by me, but he wasn’t the one who had pulled me inside. Glancing behind me, I saw dark jeans and a black sweatshirt and realized it was Justin.

  “Are you okay?” Caleb asked, reclaiming my attention.

  “Yeah,” I whispered.

  “I need to get going
, but Justin has the next two classes with you. I’ll see you later.”

  I nodded again and Caleb left. When I glanced at Justin, he was standing there, staring intently outside. He still had his hood up, and he wouldn’t look at me, so I couldn’t see him that well. I had no idea what to say to him. Instead, I took the opportunity to clear my mind and get myself emotionally ready for my next class. Deep breaths in and out. I could do this.

  After a few minutes, Justin motioned with his hand for me to follow him. He left the classroom and headed down the nearly deserted hallway, never giving me the opportunity to walk next to him. I trailed behind, glad there weren’t many people around to bump into. Justin entered our English class, the door almost closing before I reached it. Inside, Justin was already sitting in the back, fidgeting with his iPod. He still had his hood up. I wondered what his face looked like and what color hair he had.

  The teacher assigned me a seat in the middle of the room. When the bell rang, the remaining students filed in. A few looked at me, and one or two said “hi.” No one seemed to pay attention to Justin, and he didn’t pay attention to anyone, including the teacher.

  The period passed in a blur. The class got into a heated discussion regarding A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. And all the teacher did was read the first line: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” At least this class would be interesting, and the book was something I hadn’t read before.

  When the bell rang, I turned to find Justin already at the door. I grabbed my backpack and took off after him, amazed by how different these two brothers were. Justin walked fast through the corridors, always a few feet in front of me. I was so concerned with not losing sight of him that all the people around me faded away. I made it to my fourth-period class without incident. After calculus came lunch, and I welcomed the break. Walking outside, I realized I had no idea where Kate’s classroom was. How was I going to find it?