Silverlake

Chapter 5

Getting to school the next morning was easier than I thought it would be. I didn't have any weird visions or nightmares that kept me up, the only thing that was different was the black triangle on my skin, and even that I was getting used to.

Carrie and Sky pulled up next to my car as soon as I was parked.

"Hey, hey, hey, feeling better?" Carrie, despite the overcast skies and promises of rain today, was wearing a dark pink crop top and black skater skirt.

"Loads." I smiled, taking the coffee that Sky handed to me. She was dressed in an oversized beige sweater and leggings, even her casual look made girls jealous and boys stare.

We walked to class together, talking about assignments and the game this Friday. Not once did Sky bring up Tanner, and for that I was grateful.

Lucky for me when I walked into math, his seat was empty. I wanted to talk to him so badly that I knew if he was here I would've brought it up, no matter who was around.

I placed my new notebook on my desk. There was still a minute left before the first bell, but no sign of Tanner. I rearranged the pens on my desk first by color and then by favorites. I took another sip of coffee and then set it perfectly on the corner of my desk.

"Alright, let's get started." Mr.Mayer pushed back from his desk and lumbered to the board. He was young but stern, and he didn't take crap from any of his students. He was on the fast track to being one of my favorite teachers.

The class passed fast. I managed to keep my attention on the lecture and take notes, partly because Tanner never showed up, well mostly because Tanner didn't show up.

When I walked into English, Sterling was already sitting at the desk next to mine. His eyes looked up from his withered book when I passed, but I avoided eye contact and headed directly to where Sky was sitting.

"I see you're playing hard to get." She was sitting on top of her desk and she gestured for me to sit on the one closest to her.

"I must've been distracted yesterday because that boy is something else."

"I'm telling you, he's bad news."

"Let me have this. It's the only thing I've got going for me so far."

"You've got me!" I rolled my eyes and we both giggled. "But, he has taken quite a fancy to you."

"A fancy to me? What is this the 1800s?"

"Whatever. Want to come over for another study sesh? One where you don't leave five minutes after you get to my house."

"Deal," I told her. I just hoped I could talk to Tanner before then.

I walked back to my desk, careful to toss my hair over my shoulder right as I passed Sterling's desk. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smile.

"Get out your books. We're going to read Chapter One and then have a discussion on the concepts presented."

Before he had gotten back to his desk he turned towards me.

"Pack your stuff up, you're needed at the office. You will be back before the end of the day." Sky eyed me curiously. I gave her a who-knows shrug. I packed up my things and quietly pushed away from my desk. There was something about leaving class in the middle of school when everyone else was still quiet that still seemed eerie.

I assumed my mom had planned an appointment for me with a new doctor, she kept going off about making sure I had all of my shots before I went off to college. The hallways were completely empty. My old school was large enough to have at least someone going to the bathroom or ditching class every period.

I was almost to the office when my tattoo burned. Burn wasn't the right word. My entire shoulder felt like it was on fire. I dropped my books, but before I could scream a hand clamped over my mouth.

~~~~~~~~~

Tanner took me outside, opening up his car, and gesturing for me to get into the passenger seat.

"So, what? This is how you want to talk? By dragging me out of school?" He looked amused.

"I needed to get you alone without anyone becoming suspicious."

"And dragging me out of school was the best option for that?"

"You were going to draw too much attention to yourself. Plus, it was kind of fun."

"Fun for you," I muttered. He laughed.

We kept driving until we were out of the city limits.

"Now, you're scaring me."

"We're almost there."

He wasn't lying. He pulled onto the side of the road two minutes later and put the car into park.

"We're going on top of that hill."He pointed out of his window to a small hill. The road was lined with trees, but the climb itself seemed pretty simple.

"And that's where you kill me?" I couldn't help it, sarcasm was one of my fear mechanisms.

"I told you I would tell you what I know. " He got out of the car, and I scrambled to un lock my seatbelt and follow him. He was already almost across the street. I caught up with him before either of us started up the hill, I could tell that he'd been waiting for me.

The climb up was easy. Tanner lead and I followed in his footsteps careful to step where he stepped and to avoid the large branches and holes. The view from the top was amazing. It was as if the top of the hill was purposefully clear. The outside was surrounded by trees, but the middle was a small meadow. It was peaceful and protected.

Tanner stood off to the side, but I sat on a tree stump. I decided that I should probably sit down for whatever it is he was going to say.

"Our families aren't like the other families. We're different."

"But I just got here. I don't... I mean. That's crazy. If we were so different then why is my sister living a normal life?"

"Reese. You've got to shut up. You've got to let me finish, or damn, let me at least get into the story." I clamped my mouth shut. He always made me feel like a two-year-old when I asked questions.

"Thank you. Yeah, your family too. It wasn't the first time that you've been here. Given, you were an infant and Katherine was four when you moved away. Your parents wanted to protect you, but this place, it's like a magnet. It draws you back in and keeps you here. People like us. Families whose lines go back in this town for years. There are legends about everything and anything, but what's real is this. There's magic here. A magic that we protect. Your family moved back here because they had no choice. Katherine, my older brother, the magic skipped them, but you, me, Sky, it's in us. Our parents' powers are subdued, but ours are full, at least that's what my grandfather tells me. There's something bad coming, and we have to stop it."