Prophecy

The Bonfire

Chapter Two

Jenna holds up an orange dress, her grin wide and approving. "This will look great with your skin tone, Blaire. We're getting it too."

I smile and nod, admiring the dress. It's beautiful, with a flowing skirt and delicate stitching I've never seen up close. I've never been in a store this nice or expensive before. Jenna isn't sparing any expense, which makes me wonder just how much money the family really has. The extravagance brings a pang of nostalgia for my mom, and my mood dips.

Jenna notices and frowns. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

I blink a few times, fighting off the sadness. "I just... miss my mom," I say, reaching for a pair of skinny jeans. They're outrageously priced, but they look amazing. Something she would've picked out for me.

"I don't want to pry, but I'm a really good listener," Jenna says, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I nod, appreciating her warmth. "I'm just not ready," I reply, walking away to the lingerie section, hoping to mask my emotions by staying busy.

I can feel Jenna's eyes on me, probably trying to gauge how to break through my walls. She must think I'm going to be a tough nut to crack, but I need time. She gives me space as we continue our shopping spree, but I sense her concern rolling off her in waves.

After loading up with clothes, shoes, and everything else she thinks I'll need, Jenna steers us toward a car dealership on the way home. She parks out front, and we get out, the crisp air carrying the faint scent of motor oil and new leather.

"You two are going to be sharing a car," Jenna says, her tone matter-of-fact. "You'll need to help with getting Jeremy to school, so it needs to be something reliable and big enough for all of you."

Elena and I exchange a look. Sharing a car? I hadn't anticipated that, but I guess it makes sense. We wander through the lot, finally settling on a silver SUV with enough space for all three of us. After some paperwork and a quick rundown from the dealer, the SUV is ours.

On the drive back, Elena takes the wheel while I settle into the passenger seat, getting a feel for our new ride. It's clean, almost too perfect, and it smells like that unmistakable new car scent.

"I hope you're ready to be my co-pilot," Elena says with a smile as we pull into the driveway.

"Guess I'll have to be," I reply, returning her grin.

Once home, I haul all my shopping bags upstairs, realizing I've only got a few hours to get everything put away. Earlier, Elena invited me to go to the Grille with her, but I just want to settle in and relax.

I grab my new cell phone and text her from across the hall:

Hey, Jenna wore me out shopping. Raincheck on the Grille? I need to get this stuff sorted and hit the hay early.

A moment later, my phone buzzes:

Yeah, it's cool. I know how she can get when she's shopping. See you in the morning.

I toss the phone onto my bed and start organizing my clothes, trying to decide whether to keep the shoes in their boxes or find a shoe rack later.

A Couple Hours Later

Finally, everything is in its place. I collapse onto my bed, satisfied that my room finally feels like mine. I glance at the clock: 9:58 p.m. It's early, but I did say I wanted to get some rest.

Stripping out of my clothes, I toss them into the hamper and pull on a new pink pajama set. I crawl under the covers and set my alarm, drifting off quickly into a deep sleep.