Fire Scarred *Un-Edited Version*

Chapter Eleven

"Happy Wednesday!" I tried to sound chipper as I walked into our litchen. Mom and Dad looked up at me from whatever they were being interrested in. Their faces had the suspisious look to them like they were waiting for me to confess what I broke or what I made a bad grade on. But, I had done neither of those things. I was simply covering up the tension building inside of me. I figgeted with the edges of my shirt. "Are you ready to go to breakfast?" 

Mom pushed the papers in her hands back into their folder. "Sure. Henry, time for breakfast." 

"Okay." Even though the words left his mouth, it hadn't meant he'd fully understood what he'd just said. His eyes were still soaking in the words from the book laying before him. His lips formed the words as his eyes scanned over them, an inaudible noise coming out.  

"Dad?" 

"Yes?" 

"Let's go." 

"Oh, right. Right. I'll just grab my jacket." 

Once he'd left the room, Mom said, "He's been busy working on some new spell of his. He says that he senses some disturbance here, that we have an intruder of some sorts. He wants to figure out what it is, and make it leave. We fear that it's whatever had attacked you and Sage that night. We don't know how to stop something we can't see." Worry lines creased her forehead. "It'll all be okay, though. We'll find a way to fix this. You don't have to worry. Just be on your guard." 

"Okay, Mom. Thanks for telling me. I'll be careful." 

"Good." 

At that moment, Dad came from the other room with his jacket thrown over his shoulder. His eyes were focussed on the notebook in his hands. He grunted and flipped a few pages back. Unsatisfied, he turned a few more pages. Dad nodded like whatever he just read had confirmed some susspission he'd had, which it may have. His nose twitched, an annoying habbit he had when something bothered him. He had stopped walking by the entry way of the litchen. His eyes veered from the page he was reading a moment to look up at us.  

"Go on without me," he said with his face burried in the book again. "I'll eat something here." Dad's voice trailed off as his eyes began wandering the page again. 

Mom sighed. "Okay then." 

We walked out of the cabin in silence. My chest ached at the thought of seeing everyone today. I didn't want to have to explain to Raylynn, Georgia, and Josh why I was a no show yesterday, nor have to face whatever awkwardness that came from seeing Noah. Everything was supposed to be okay. We agreed on it, but that didn't stop the nervous butterflies making their home in my stomach. And then there was Leo. We hadn't agreed to meet up today, but we had met up every other day without verbal confirmation. It was just understood. Did what happened between us the day before, our kiss, effect if we met up today? I'd said see you around. Was that meaning we wouldn't see each other today? I wasn't sure how I'd meant it at the time I'd said it. My mind began to spin. It hurt to think. By the time we got to the Hall, a massive headache had set in.  

I slouched in my ussual seat not even bothering to get up and get my breakfast. Any hunger I'd had had totally melted away. 

"Hey." My greeting sounded weak even to my own ears.  

"Hi." Noah smiled and squeazed my hand. I returned the gesture. Something felt wrong about the whole thing, but I didn't let it show. Fingers gripped my heart and tugged it, pulling it to my gut. I pushed away the feeling and tried to smiled. But I could tell me act fell short. 

"Where were you yesterday?" Josh asked. His voice was laaced with mild concern. "You never showed up." 

"And your little friend didn't either," Georgia added. Her voice was gruff with anger.