Fablehaven: Journey to the Eternals' Pass (fanfiction) (HIATUS)

5: Trio

Kendra found the new students strangely familiar. She also found them plain strange.

Both were tall, thin and good-looking. Kendra didn’t care, however, what they looked like-she was slightly more unnerved by the fact that they always seemed to be around. Although they were too old to be in any of her classes, she always saw one or both of them milling around just outside her classroom whenever she stepped out. She couldn’t sit down at a table during break without seeing either of them a table or two away.

“He’s cute, though, isn’t he?” Kendra’s friend Alyssa mused when Kendra voiced her opinion.

“Evan’s a senior,” Kendra reminded her flatly, unappreciative of the reminder that they were there, “besides, cute guys aren’t always what they seem. Remember Chase?”

Alyssa wrinkled her nose at the memory of the kobold. “Yeah. Well. He’s still cute.”

Kendra didn’t reply. What with the Longs and all, she’d had enough of odd siblings to last a lifetime. The rest of her friends, however, took up the topic excitedly, giggling behind their hands and sneaking glances across, divulging all they knew about Evan and Jania Warner. For Kendra’s part, it wasn’t as though she wasn’t thinking about them. On the contrary, she was trying to figure out why they looked so familiar. Was it something about their eyes? Their mouth? The way they moved? 

“Psst. Kendra.”

Kendra swiveled her head. 

“Kendra.” A piece of paper dropped into her lap, but there was no one around. Was the person invisible? Kendra’s first thought was that it was Seth, but then she remembered with a pang that Seth was a statue. Discreetly, she unfolded the note. Sprawling letters told her to go to the nearby Starbucks after school. It wasn’t signed. Kendra stared at it for a while. Who had sent it? Or rather, who had delivered it?

“What’s that?” Before Kendra could hide the note, Alyssa had leaned over to read it. “Ooh, a secret meeting?” She teased. “Guys, look!”

“Hey!” Kendra stuffed it into her pocket, cheeks flushed. “It’s nothing. I don’t even know who sent it.”

“A secret admirer! That’s so sweet!”

Kendra sighed. It was going to be a long lunch.

*

Kendra felt strange leaving school without Seth trailing after her. She felt even stranger walking into Starbucks to meet a complete-well-stranger. She didn’t know if it was a girl, or a guy, how they looked like, what they were wearing. She hovered uncertainly at the doorway, wondering whether she should buy a coffee.

“Kendra?”

Kendra spun around. She felt, at the same time, apprehension and relief. She actually wasn’t surprised to find that it was Evan, with Jania behind him. “Have you been following me?” She demanded.

“No, no. Of course not.” Jania said quickly, looking almost scandalised at the thought. She steered both of them to a table. Kendra hesitantly sat. Evan lingered on his feet, pulling out his wallet. 

“Drink?”

That’s when Kendra realised. Or rather-she knew. She knew what had been bugging her from the start, just watching how he held out the wallet in his hands. She should have seen it from the start. Now that she did see it, she could visualise a different place, a different drink, and a different person. It was all too clear, although nearly impossible. Even the way their eyes slanted slightly- “the Sphinx.” She said softly. “You’re related to the Sphinx.”

Evan’s face fell flat. “Jania, tell her.” He said tonelessly, turning away to the barista, some high school girl who looked interestedly at him. Kendra looked questioningly at Jania, who looked as though she was trying very hard to keep her emotions in check. When she didn’t say anything, Evan turned back a quarter twist. “Jania!”