My friends’ gaping mouths told me I’d just unleashed a whole new line of questioning with my revelation that Elliott wasn’t a Vampire Hunter. “A what?” Emma asked.
“Are you serious?” Lucy was shaking her head. “Just when we think we have everything figured out.”
“I know. Listen, I will actually be at her headquarters tomorrow, which would be great if it was for any other reason in the world than a funeral, but it will give me a little bit of a chance to see what I can figure out. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to talk to Cadence, too. Maybe by the next time I talk to you guys I’ll have more information.”
“Okay,” Lucy nodded, “but we’ll understand if you don’t.” She had tears in her eyes again, and I assumed she’d probably be mourning the loss of Dr. Sanderson as soon as we disconnected, too. In fact, if the student body of Shenandoah High School
Having never been in a plane smaller than an airliner before, I had no idea what to expect, but the plane we took from Shenandoah to Kansas City was actually a lot bigger and nicer than I was expecting. My mom and dad and I sat in the back, and Cadence sat up front with Aaron—who was flying. I had no idea he knew how to fly a plane, and when I told Cadence that was cool, she said she hadn’t known either until a few days before. I took some pictures for Emma of the plane on the inside and outside, as well as a few aerial shots. If nothing else, it gave me a chance to keep my mind off of what was happening and where we were going.Cadence recommended we wear something comfortable on the plane and said we’d get to her headquarters in time to change, so I had packed the pink dress I’d finally decided to wear to the memorial, as well as a couple other outfits, although I secretly wanted to pack everything I owned. I wondered if Cadence would notice if I hap
Jamie drives almost as crazy as Elliot did, though a few minutes in, after my mom made her “oh, my” comment for the third or fourth time, he must’ve remembered that there were some regular humans in the car because he stopped taking corners so quickly. I absently wondered how they could remember to walk slowly but not to drive like the other cars surrounding them on the road, but I kept my comments to myself.The drive to headquarters took about fifteen minutes, and we went out of town a little way, into the countryside. Eventually, we got to a gate that automatically opened, I imagined because of a device somewhere in the SUV, and headed back down a winding lane, past a few buildings that seemed to increase in height until we reached the two tallest buildings of all.It seemed like everyone else had been here before, including my mom. We got out of the car and some man who seemed to work there started grabbing our bags out of the back. I thought it m
My sister pointed my parents to the guest room, and my dad reminded her that he used to live here, so she shook her head and kept walking. I wasn’t sure if she thought that was as odd as I did or not.Her bedroom was equally nice, decorated in blues and silvers. “This place is super nice, Cadence,” I said as she disappeared into a walk-in closet. “Did you pick all this stuff out yourself?” It was a far cry from the bubble gum pink bedroom she’d lived in for the first nineteen years of her life.“Thanks,” she called. “No, Aaron had it remodeled and redecorated for me before I got here.” She came out with two dress choices, one in dark purple and one in a red color. “What do you think?” she asked, holding them both up in front of her.“Definitely the purple,” I replied. “Under the circumstances, I think red would be… not cool.”She raised an eyebrow at me
“Don’t you both look beautiful,” my mom said, standing and hugging Cadence and then me.“Thanks, Mom,” she said. “I’m heading out. See you guys there.” She smiled at us all sympathetically, and I hoped that she would make it through the service without messing up her makeup. I wondered if Hannah could or would help my sister. I wondered if she would use her emotional manipulation to make me feel better. I knew I needed to grieve, but right about now, I could use a shortcut.I took a seat on the sofa near my dad, and my mom asked if I wanted her to fix me a sandwich before she sat back down, but I just shook my head. I wondered how many times Elliott had sat here on this sofa and watched TV with my sister. Probably a lot. They had been good friends. My dad was telling a story about tripping and hitting his head on the raised brick around the fireplace when he was little, but I wasn’t really listening.Then a t
The chapel was a quaint little building set off to one end of the complex, a bit of a walk but not too far. There were flowers everywhere on the outside in shades of pink and purple, yellow and white. A weeping willow on either side of a winding path seemed inviting, and the building itself reminded me of a cottage out of a fairy tale. It was nice.“Your grandmother designed this building,” Dad whispered as we followed other people up the cobblestone sidewalk. “After Grandpa died, she decided it would be nice to have a little place to remember those who gave everything for the cause.”The way my dad said that reminded me of the type of phrases people say on Veteran’s Day, or maybe if they were fighting against the Empire. I thought, in a way, this was a sort of a war. I hadn’t really considered it that way before.Next to the door was a little placard that read, “Jordan L. Findley Memorial Chapel.” I thought that w
Aaron was next, and I felt like it took him a little longer than I expected to actually start speaking. He definitely looked like he was having a hard time, which I bet wasn’t easy for him. He seems like the kind of guy who wouldn’t really cry much in front of other people. He shared a couple of great stories about Elliott and lots of accolades. When he finished, the preacher took the stage again. He made a few closing remarks, and we all bowed our heads to say a prayer. I was thankful this was almost over, but I knew the long process of putting our lives back together with such a gaping hole in the middle was just beginning.When I opened my eyes, I noticed that Cadence was gone. I wondered if it had gotten to be too much, and she’d headed to the restroom to have a good cry. I looked at my mom who also seemed bewildered. “Where’s your sister?” she asked, alarm in her voice.“I don’t know,” I replied. “Maybe w
“Where did everyone go?” Cadence asked, looking around like she didn’t realize she’d been gone for so long.“We’re having a luncheon at the main building in a few minutes,” Hannah explained, stopping in front of them. I took a few steps closer so I was pretty near behind her and the rest of my family followed. “Is everything all right?” Hannah asked.“Yes. Fine. Why?” Cadence asked as Aaron stepped around her and headed over toward the guys.I had no idea why my sister was being so dense. Why did she not expect her friends and family to be worried when she rushed out of a funeral? I stepped up beside Hannah, ready to have her back when she told my sister she was being dumb. Hannah began, “You took off out of here so quickly I just wondered if...” but halfway through, she switched tracks as her eyes landed on the same thing I was just noticing. “Oh, my goodness, Cadence! What's th
“Come on, Cass,” Mom said, smiling. She pulled out a chair next to my dad, who was talking to Jamie, and sat down on the other side of me. There was a bit of a line at the buffet, and some people at our table were already eating. While my stomach was growling, I wanted to know who that other guy was. I wasn’t sure why, but there was something intriguing about him, besides the fact that he reminded me a lot of Chris Hemsworth.I sat down and weighed my options as I spotted my sister still talking to the mysterious hottie. I didn’t really know any of these people, which gave me little choice. “Mom, who is that guy Cadence is talking to?” I whispered. Aaron was only about three seats down from me, but I didn’t think he was listening since he was talking to Christian.My mom looked over at the door and then, shrugging, said, “I don’t know.”I made a face I try not to make. My mom calls it my “teenager