"This is going to be bad."
"Probably," my father replied.
I chewed on my lip. "She's not going to take it well."
My father laughed. "Whoever does?"
With a content sigh, my mother entered the garage. "Well, let's be off."
My shoulders dropped as I stepped to the side so my father could put the last luggage in the trunk.
"Are you sure we shouldn't be taking the truck?" my mother asked as she opened the passenger-side door.
"Xavier said the roads have been plowed, and we'll be fine in the car."
"Aden."
"Yeah," I replied, grabbing the door handle.
"Did you remember everything? All your snow clothes?" She scanned my outfit. "Hopefully, you packed something a bit heavier than what you have on."
"My coat is in the car." I climbed inside and held it up.
"I'm just checking, sweetheart. I don't want you to get sick the week before you return to school."
We put on our seatbelts, and my dad backed the car onto the street. This was going to be horrible. I just knew it. My mom was going to have a mental breakdown, and Titus and I would be over. It wasn't like Xavier was going to stand up to my mother.
"Aden?" my mother asked.
"Yeah?" I kept my head down, wringing my hands in my lap.
"Is something the matter?" She turned around in her seat. "You're looking a little pale." She pressed the back of her hand to my face.
"I'm fine." I gave her a forced smile.
"Hmm.... you don't feel warm. Are your nerves getting to you?"
I nodded.
She shook her head. "I've already met them, Aden. There's nothing to worry about. Besides, this week should be fun. It's like going to a cabin in the woods. So festive."
"Yeah," I breathed. Any optimism I had that this would go well dropped into the pit of my stomach.
"Did you remember Titus's Christmas present?"
"It's in the back."
"I think he'll like them a lot." She flipped down her visor to put on some chapstick.
"I hope so." Taking a deep breath, I sank into my seat. I was hoping for a lot of things during this trip.
***
My dad stopped at a gate guarded by two men.
"Where on earth do these people live?" said my mother as one of the guards went to my father's window.
My dad rolled it down.
"Perris?" asked the man. He did a quick scan of the car.
"Yes," said my father.
"ID."
My father reached into his back pocket and took out his wallet. He showed the man his driver's license.
The guard nodded. "Have a safe trip." He waved to his companion, and the gates parted.
"Thank you." My dad put his window up and pulled forward.
My mother's head was spinning as we continued along the road. "They have their own security team? Who on earth are you dating?" She turned around in her seat and gave me a confused look. "Does Titus's father have a gold mine hidden up here?"
YOU ARE READING
Demon: Book 1
General Fiction-Demon Series: Book 1- Aden Perri has problems. The last day of school his girlfriend calls it quits. And proceeds to move on a little too quickly. His friends disappear, leaving him to spend the summer alone. His mother buys...
