by Holly Hook
But they're talking amongst themselves with ease. There's no shoulder hunching or fiddling with phones at that table. The three of them ignore the looks that everyone gives them as they walk past with their empty trays. Cayden exchanges words with his sister and the blond guy.
"You know, if you take a picture, it'll last forever," Noah says in my ear.
"Hey!" I slap him on the arm. "I'm not staring."
Sarah and Tiana burst out laughing.
Round Two of the face heat starts. "I'm just trying to figure out the new people. It's not an everyday occurrence, you know? People just don't move here unless they have relative ready to give them jobs."
"Oh, them," Ellie says. She glances at the New Person Table. "I heard from someone they're all from the same family."
"Then what happened to the big guy?" Noah asks.
Right then, Thomas sits down with his tray. He's hung out with the theater crowd forever, though he just handles the props. "The mailman and their mother?"
"Come on, Thomas," I say.
"Well, it happens more than you think. Or maybe it was the UPS guy."
"Or Fedex," Noah says. "Special delivery!"
The table bursts out into laughter.
And the big blond guy looks right at our table. He narrows his eyes at us from across the cafeteria.
Could he have heard our conversation? That's impossible from that distance and on top of all the chatter that's already here.
I slap Noah for the big guy's sake. "Hey. That wasn't very nice. Maybe he was just adopted. That's also more common than you think."
Right then, the blond guy looks back to his siblings.
"It's not like he heard us," Noah says. "We were just making a joke that didn't even have to be about him specifically."
I can't shake the feeling that perhaps he had. Cayden seemed to hear me and Leonora in the store when he shouldn't have.
I push my chair back from the table. My food waits, untouched, but the thought of eating right now turns my stomach. Something's not adding up about everything and I need fresh air. "Look, I want to get ready for the audition. I'll run to Mr. Saffron and see if he has any practice books." An urge to break Olivia's lead streak fills me.
Noah grabs my arm. "Hey, we didn't bother you that bad?"
"No," I say. "I want a leg up on this audition. I'm tired of Olivia always getting the spotlight when all she does is flutter her eyebrows at Mr. Saffron to get the part."
"Maybe it's more than that," Sarah says in a suggestive tone.
"Ewwww!" Tiana and Ellie say together.
"She auditions just like the rest of us," Noah says. "She is one of the Madrigals."
"Now you're upset about us joking?" I ask, forcing a smile at Noah.
He blushes. One point for me.
And then he changes the subject. "Brie, you already have the Beauty and the Beast practice book in your collection. You have all the practice books."
Oops.
"Oh," I say, sitting back down with my mind cranking. "I have so many that maybe I forgot." It's a hobby of mine, collecting practice books. The paper smell does it. Sure, I could get them online, many for free, but there's nothing like holding a book in my hands. "Well, I have a question to ask Mr. Saffron. Thanks for reminding me. And maybe we shouldn't joke about the new kids. None of them have done anything to deserve it." I grin. "Olivia is fair game."
"Okay. I agree with everything except that last bit," Noah says. "But those new people are stuck up."
"I'm sure if we were new here, we'd take a while to make friends," I say. "Let's give them the benefit of the doubt." Getting thrown into a new world is something I understand.
The lost feeling I had as a small child without Mom and Dad...
Waking up every night from bad dreams, not knowing where I was...
Me pulling away from the other kids for the first couple years of school, kids who didn't understand...
My parents might have faded, but they haven't left. The hole stays with me.
And if Aunt May loses our house due to not paying property taxes, we might have to move.
I could be in the new kids' position before I graduate.
Deciding to toss my tray, I rise from the table and leave my friends behind. On the way, I walk past the New People Table.
And as I do, Cayden glances at me with a smile teasing his lips.
Chapter Four
"So, how was school?" Aunt May asks.
"Well, I have six rule sheets you have to sign. It was the usual first-day stuff. Not that memorable." I open a cabinet, searching for an after-school snack before I go upstairs and crack open the Beauty and the Beast practice book that Noah says I have. My mind is still swirling muck. It's pretty bad when he remembers things for me. It's usually the other way around.
"That won't be a problem." Aunt May fires up the stove to make tea. Her silver sword pendant swings from her neck and taps the kettle. "So, which classes were your favorite?"
My day has been a sandwich. Cayden is in my first class, Economics, and also in the final one, Algebra II. The bread slices. And the sandwich filling is a glob of bland peanut butter with some gross oil in the middle, because my middle class, Lit, has Olivia and none of my friends.
And what's wrong with me? I haven't talked to Cayden in either of those classes. In last period, he continued to ignore everyone.
The smile won't stop replaying in my mind.
"I don't know." My mind goes back to the smile in the cafeteria.
"Come on. You haven't said much since you got home," Aunt May says. The kettle hisses as the heat builds.
"It's been a long day. I've been thinking about the play and how that one girl is always getting the lead role." Call it jealousy, but it's time to put Olivia in her place. She's done nothing but snub her fellow actors and actresses.
"I also have a question," Aunt May says, facing me. "Can you help at the store tomorrow after school? That would be helpful more than you know."
My heart sinks. I had been hoping to use that time to practice Belle's lines and getting into her character along with warming up my singing voice. But after eavesdropping a couple weeks ago, I know how much Aunt May needs my help. Calling in Lily to help will mean more money going out the window and we can't have that. "Sure," I say. "I'll help out anytime."
A genuine smile spreads across her face. "Brie, you're the most amazing niece I've ever had."
"I'm your only one." As I speak, an air of sadness spreads through the kitchen. Aunt May told me once that my parents had planned to have one or two more children after me.
Now they won't.
"Well, I'm happy you're here," she says. "Maybe you can practice while the store is quiet. It usually is after school."
She has a point. The acoustics work well the back of the store and if Leonora is there, she can get subjected to my singing voice. I listen to her holistic talk. It's only fair.
* * * * *
It's misty and rainy the following afternoon. Chunks of time vanish every time I look at the clock, and once again Cayden and crew sit isolated in the cafeteria. But at least the mailman jokes have stopped.
And, I notice, the blond guy doesn't stare at us anymore.
The final bell rings and I leave my final class. Cayden sits in his now-usual spot in the back row. As I exit the room, he doesn't get up.
Noah meets me at my locker and we walk outside as he does a hilarious and accurate impression of Mr. Snipes, the Chemistry teacher. "And now," Noah says, waving an invisible stick at the brick wall, "is your homework, ladies and gentlemen. You are to count every blade of grass in your yard."
"And calculate its rate of growth," I finish, plugging my nose to imitate his voice.
We laugh together.
"So, how's practice?" Noah asks.
"It makes perfect?"
He slaps me on the arm. "Say, do you want to go to Teeya's Coffee Shop? Sarah and Ellie are going. We will talk about the auditions and maybe afterward
s, we can practice together."
I stand in the gentle rain. It's an opportunity I hate to miss. Teeya's has a back room they sometimes let us use to practice, since the owner, Maria, used to be heavy into theater. "Can't. Aunt May wants my body in the store. Leonora gets in an hour after me though. My audience will have to be organic carrots and tomatoes. The only place I can sing today is the vegetable aisle."
"Which one?"
"All of them? I'll catch you guys next time you go to Teeya's." I eye the Beater, my car. It waits in the lot complete with its duct-taped bumper.
“I wish you could go, Brie.”
“My aunt needs my help.” What do I say? “She's having a lot of trouble.”
“But what if, on the off chance, you get to play Belle?”
“I wish.” My mind drifts to Olivia. I hate giving up this opportunity.
I split from Noah, hating that I'm leaving him and my goofy friends behind. The parking lot is large, and I pass the guard driving her golf cart around the perimeter to make sure no one's making out or doing drug deals in the lot.
Cayden stands on the other side of the lot, watching me as I reach my car. He's on the green, underneath a tree as people walk past. While everyone else walks past, hiking up backpacks and looking down at phones, he remains still.
And this time, Cayden doesn't hold one.
My breath catches. It's almost as if he wants to talk.
But then the female version of him walks up and takes his arm with force. Cayden turns away, speaking to her for a moment before the two of them bound away, vanishing behind the sports storage shed.
* * * * *
The car makes it to the back parking lot of Sterling Grocery. When I enter, I find Lily wrapping up and gathering her cane and purse. I've reached the store just in time to start my shift.
“Hey,” I say. “You're relieved.”
“No offense, but I wish Leonora would relieve me,” Lily says. “I was hoping her family could make me some of that lavender oil for my joints. They need lubrication. This rain is killing my arthritis.”
“I can ask her about it.” Glancing around the store, I see it's empty. The quiet time of day has hit though it's not even three yet. I'll have the place to myself.
Having Noah and the others to help me practice would be best. But my friends are in Teeyah's now, under glowing lanterns and flower garlands.
Two customers come in as I deposit my backpack behind the counter and fish out my Beauty and the Beast practice book. I flip to one of Belle's random songs, pour myself a glass of water from the bathroom sink, and fiddle with my pendant as I pack and check out two big bags of groceries. At last, I have quiet and about an hour before Leonora is due to come in.
Retreating to the back of the store, I prop my practice book up on the display of gluten-free snacks and suck in a breath. I sing a few warm up notes and focus on the first stanza. At least Leonora won't hear how rusty I've gotten from not practicing for most of the summer.
And I sing.
It's not as bad as I feared, but I stumble on some lines a few times. Frustration building, I take a breath and think of beating Olivia, who might not even practice, and crack out the song without even stumbling once. Maybe I have a chance this year—
A hand clamps onto my shoulder.
My note turns to a scream and I jump, whirling.
Cayden stands there, dropping his hand. His expression is almost a smile. The hazel in his eyes comes out in the late afternoon light, leaving a hint of gold.
"Cayden!"
I've never seen him this close before. Catching a breath, I drop my shoulders. He has a wild smell around him, as if there's the essence of some vast, open wilderness coming off his form. Of course, he takes walks through the woods.
“Hey,” Cayden says.
"Hey?" I ask.
And there's a kid with him. A younger version of Cayden stands right behind him and shifts foot to foot as if he's impatient. The kid must be about twelve and it's clear he's trying to imitate his brother. He's got his dark hair in the same style—messy and hanging over the sides of his face—though he wears glasses and a video game T-shirt that marks him as a part of the nerd crowd.
“I didn't hear you come in,” I say, heat rising to my cheeks. "Don't sneak up on me!" Maybe if I yell, Cayden will blame anger. That explanation beats embarrassment.
"Well, you were singing, so you must not have heard the bell," he says. Yes, a smile teases his lips. Then he looks at his younger brother. "Hey, why don't you check out the candy aisle?"
"Sure," he says, wandering off.
The mini Cayden has the same quiet, graceful walk as his brother, though one board creaks when he rounds the corner.
"The junk food section is very small," I warn the kid. "You might need a microscope. Sorry."_
But the kid is already gone, leaving just me and Cayden standing by the Veggie Corner. What's with the change of heart? There's no cell phone in sight. Maybe he heard me across the cafeteria after all—
Crazy idea. No one has hearing that good.
"You've got a nice voice," he says. "You should be in a musical."
The heat in my cheeks turns into an inferno. He's seeing this. Great. "You're right on the dot. Beauty and the Beast is taking auditions this week. I had to work today for my aunt, so I'm practicing here. But don't get any ideas. The same girl who gets the lead every year will get to be Belle. Isn't that always the case?" A compliment. From Cayden. Is he interested? What gives? "And did I mention not to sneak up on me?"
"Sorry," Cayden says. "My walk is just quiet. I didn't mean to stalk you, but I heard your voice from outside. So I had to check it out."
"I'm that loud?" I didn't think the walls of this store, made of cabin logs and mortar, would allow my voice to drift outside. If Cayden didn't already know where I work, then this situation would be creepy. Maybe he's just saying he heard me from outside. The little brother might believe it.
"You're fine," he says. "And I hate it when that one girl always gets the lead. I'd like to try out for the musical myself, but I'm not sure if I can." He paces in front of me and grabs a box of gluten-free cookies off the shelf. He frowns when he reads the ingredients. "I thought health food was supposed to be, you know, healthy? We need meat to survive."
"Not everyone does," I say. I can't imagine a guy like Cayden is a vegetarian. Not with his muscular build. It doesn't seem right. "Why don't you try out for the play? You'd never know. We'd all love to see some new talent." If I got to work beside Cayden...
Cayden turns away. "My parents don't like it when we try for extracurricular activities." He turns over the box and checks out the front. Maybe he left his phone at home and this is his backup version of being too good for everyone.
I'll take the challenge. The mystery of Cayden calls and if I have to play this way, I will.
"You should be able to audition," I say. "Don't all parents want their kids to be in after-school activities? That's odd. I mean, I saw your brother or whoever sitting with you at lunch today. Don't tell me he's not allowed to try out for football."
Cayden snaps his gaze up at me. There's something odd in his eyes, almost animal-like. Predatory. A shudder steals over me, but it only adds to the mystery. Cayden isn't like any boy I've ever seen. The way he smells...the way he carries himself...the power that seems to surround him...
"He's not allowed to try out for football. And he wouldn't want to, anyway. Not his thing."
"You're kidding. What are you, mutants who would end up decapitating your competition?"
"We're not mutants." Cayden speaks in a dry tone. "Our parents just don't like us to take part in activities. That's all."
I lift my eyebrow. "So they want you to be hermits? Isolated from society?"
"Maybe." He still won't face me. What's with him?
"Then why don't they home school you?"
"They run an online business. No time."
"You guys don't sound like people people," I sa
y.
This is a slight improvement over class. Cayden's exchanged several sentences with me. I'm about to ask him to try out for the play, maybe even meet us at Teeya's the next time I can escape work, but then his little brother returns with a package of cinnamon almonds. It's the closest thing to junk food we have, and the kid doesn't look happy.
"Hey," Cayden says, ruffling his hair.
"Knock it off," he says. "I've got what I wanted." The brother eyes his pack of almonds with obvious disappointment. "Can we go now?"
"We can go." Cayden waves him to the front counter.
I ring up their order, wondering why the heck Cayden didn't take his brother to the chain grocery store down the street for candy.
Is it possible Cayden came in here just to talk? But why act so aloof and read ingredient labels if he wanted to do that?
He's odd. Or he doesn't know how to interact with actual people. Homeschooling until now might do that. Heck, I took a long time to open after my family crumbled and Aunt May became my world.
I wait for Cayden to say goodbye maybe even to wave and smile, but the two of them turn their backs on me and exit the store. The little brother turns and waves with a smile. He's more friendly than his older version. Healthy junk food might have been the motivation after all. The Lowe parents could be like Leonora's family and the Lowes are forbidden from going to the regular grocery store.
Cayden pushes the door open to its max to let his brother out. The two walk off, but the door sticks like it sometimes does. I go to close it when I hear the younger brother speak from the parking lot.
"You're right, Cayden. She does have a pretty voice."
Chapter Five
I hate Olivia.
Shifting in my backstage chair, I watch as she bangs out a perfect chorus of Belle, singing about her experience in her small town. Mr. Saffron writes little on his clipboard as he adjusts himself in his own chair. As usual, he's entranced by Olivia's perfect voice and the way she sweeps across the stage as if she's already in a skirt and carrying a stack of library books. Olivia doesn't just sing a chorus or two. She completes the entire song, talking to nonexistent townspeople.
