Sparked (The Metal Bones Series Book 1) (4 page)

Chapter 4

I could hear laughter coming from the family room. Mom was entertaining my friends, while Carmen was in my room, pulling out my hair.

“Ouch.” I whacked her hand away. “You know it’s attached to my head, right?”

“Stop being such a sissy.” She pulled some more. “It’ll look great when it’s done.”

I heard my dad come home from work, followed by his laugh. “How in the world did you get her to agree to that?”

Oh lovely. I don’t think he’ll be laughing so hard. Not once I walk outside.

Carmen finished running her hands through my hair and touching up my makeup.

“You’ll knock ’em dead.” Carmen winked at me.

I looked at my straightened hair and made-up face in the mirror. “And I’m pretty sure that’s what’ll happen.”

“Oh, stop being so overdramatic.” Carmen helped me up and out the door.

With each step, I heard my heels thumping against the floor.

“I already told the guy she could go.” Jayla laughed from the family room.

“It’s not like she had much of a . . .”

The room went silent, crickets chirped, mouths hung open. Dad’s eye started twitching. Mom’s green eyes were so pale, you could call them an iridescent yellow. Jayla’s mouth fell to her chest and then morphed into a smile. Sydney’s eyes lit up.

“You look amazing.” Jayla circled me.

“Nice work, Carmen,” Sydney said.

The gold heels laced up to my mid-calf. Luckily my jeans covered the majority of the lacing. The black slinky halter-top pulled, too much for my comfort, at my chest. Carmen had  straightened my hair and parted it to the side, then finished everything off with lip-gloss, blush, and smoky eye shadow.

“This is the look you guys were going for?” I tugged at my shirt, hoping nothing would fall out.

“Over and beyond,” Carmen said.

“I think you look great. He might even drop dead in his tracks,” Jayla said.

“I could drop dead,” Mom said. “I never would have thought I would see you dressed like this.” Then Mom squealed. “And look at those heels.”

I twisted my ankle to get a better look. “I’ll probably fall face first on the sidewalk and ruin the date.”

“I doubt anything could ruin this date,” Sydney said.

There’s always hope.

At that moment, the doorbell went off. I groaned. Was it time already? I thought I had fifteen more minutes. Whatever. The sooner, the better. I turned toward the door but Mom was already there. She reached for the knob. My heart started to race as she opened the door.

“Aunt Becky, Uncle Leroy, Joel? What are you doing here?”

“Hi,” Aunt Becky said.

Mom and Aunt Becky looked identical, except for the paint and overalls. “Your mom invited us over for dinner, since you wouldn’t be eating with them.” She entered carrying store-bought macaroni. Joel and Uncle Leroy followed her. When Aunt Becky turned her full attention to me, she nearly dropped the macaroni.

“What are you wearing?” Her eyes widened.

Joel bumped into her as she froze in place. He started giggling.

At least someone thought this was funny.

“Vienna, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this dolled up before.”

“Me either.” I tugged at the fabric. It seemed to be shrinking every time I spoke.

“Well, you look lovely and when is your boy supposed to arrive?”

“He’s not my anything.” I glanced at the kitchen clock. This whole situation was getting worse. “And let me guess.” I turned to Mom. “You all planned on being here for the big reveal?”

This was going to be so awkward. We were packed in like a can of sardines.

Dad eyed my outfit. “We all want to meet him. It’s been a while since you—”

“I know. Been on a date.”

“Maybe we’ll scare him a little.” Uncle Leroy laughed.

“You don’t think we’ll scare the boy? Do you?” Aunt Becky fiddled with her necklace.

“I hope you do,” I mumbled.

Sydney elbowed me.

The doorbell chose that moment to ring again. I weaved my way to the front of everyone but Mom. My heart started racing against my chest again.

Mom opened the door. His shoulder appeared at the top of my mom’s head. As Mom opened the door wider, I saw his face. His light-brown hair was cropped short and he had matching light-brown eyes.

“Hi.” I extended my hand before anyone could say anything.

Chapter 5

It was the quickest exit of my life. I’m sure their faces were plastered against the window, trying to get a look at him before we left but I wasn’t about to introduce a date to my entire family. Sorry.

Chandler’s plan for us was simple. Dinner and a movie. And I thought it might not be too bad, until we passed the first few minutes in the car together. Needless to say, dinner didn’t go any better. It was dull, awkward, and boring. I couldn’t wait for the movie. I was so tired of saying, “so, um, and yeah,” while staring at the walls.

I was overjoyed when the movie theater came into view. No more uncomfortable silences and no more forced conversation. A smile spread across my face. Hopefully, nothing would ruin this.

“Relax, it’s not going anywhere.” He laughed at me.

“What’s not?”

“The movie theater.” He laughed again. “You were eyeing it like you were afraid it was going to get up and walk away.”

I managed a weak laugh and hopped out of the car. This date couldn’t go fast enough.

The wind blew through my body, chilling it. I wished I had remembered to bring a jacket.

The theater wasn’t packed, since it was a Wednesday night, and we went inside, sitting down relatively quickly. The previews were a good distraction. I could focus on them and didn’t have to worry about the lack of conversation. That is, until he started commenting on every preview.  

“That’s going to be awesome!”

The preview had a guy running through a building, shooting people.

I frowned. “What was he escaping from again?”

“I don’t know.” Chandler shrugged. “But the explosions, and the way he jumped through the air, I think it’s going to be great.”

“Could be.” I pressed my lips together. I couldn’t win. He went from not enough talking, to talking when I didn’t want him to. Even better, he turned out to be one of those people who spoke throughout the whole movie. The people who like to give their prediction of each event, before it happens.

As soon as a big scene in the movie came up, he would lean over and whisper in my ear, “I bet the car’s not going to start.”

Sure enough, as soon as the people got in the car, it didn’t start.

I nodded. “You got it.”

“Watch, it’s going to be his brother that stole the part.”

And, like the time before, it was the brother.

“Awesome.”

He smiled at me, probably proud since he was getting all his predictions right, and lifted his arm up. My eyes bulged. What was he doing? He reached over and put his arm around me. I stiffened. I tried to shrink my body as far into the seat as possible. It didn’t matter. He laid his arm across my shoulder.

“Um?” I shifted in my chair. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I’m ready for this.” I pushed at his arm across my shoulder.

“Yeah. Yeah. Of course.” He smiled and removed his arm. “You can never tell with girls these days anymore. Some get mad if you do and some get mad if you don’t.”

“Oh.”

“You look like one of the get mad type of girls.”

“Oh.”

“Dude, quit talking.” Someone said from the audience.

I cringed. People from the audience were shushing us.

Chandler leaned over. “They’re just mad because they don’t have a date.”

I nodded, ignoring him.

“Come on, man. We’re trying to watch a movie,” another person behind us yelled.

Five minutes later, Chandler started predicting events again. I heard the person behind us curse. This was the most embarrassing night of my life. I wished I could melt into the seat and disappear. I pressed my lips together. I was going to kill Jayla. No, not just Jayla. All of them. They were all dead meat.

When the movie ended, everyone that walked past us sent scowls our way.

“What’s their problem?” Chandler asked.

I debated telling him but it wasn’t worth it.

“No idea.” I weaved my way between people. “I’ll be right back. I have to use the restroom.”

“I’ll be here.”

I nodded and kept walking. I entered a stall, then closed the door and sat down on the toilet. I rubbed my forehead. There was still the car ride home to look forward to. After fifteen minutes, I calmed down, rolled my shoulders and splashed some water on my face.

Right when I stepped out of the bathroom, a strange hand closed on top of mine, spinning me into a corner. The touch sent electric currents up my spine.

“Wha—?”

The stranger’s other hand clamped down on my mouth. I struggled, twisting and turning, trying to get out of his grasp. I opened my lips to scream but his hand pressed down harder. I lifted my heel to jam down on his foot.

“Vienna.”

I stopped squirming. I looked up, and saw his violent green eyes staring into mine. My breath caught in my throat. It was
him
. I breathed in his earthy scent and my body relaxed. My heel came down, to rest on the floor.

“You promise not to scream if I let you go?”

I nodded, feeling the warmth of his body against mine.

He released his hand from my mouth. “I’m sorry I scared you. I was trying to find a way to get to you.”

His eyes were even more beautiful up close. The way the different greens spun in and out of each other. Nothing like I had ever seen before.

“Vienna?”

“Yes?”

“You need to be careful. All right?”

I frowned. “What were you doing outside of my house the other day? Are you . . .? Oh my gosh.” I stepped forward and jabbed him against the wall. “You’re stalking me.”

“Let me explain.” He pushed my finger away from his chest and static zapped through my hand.

“You’re crazy, you know that? They have restraining orders out there for people like you.”

He huffed with those beautiful pink lips of his. “You’re not even giving me a chance. I came here for a reason. I came here to warn you. Please be care—”

“Careful?” I propped my hands on my hips. “Says the person who stalks me and then abducts me in a movie theater.”

“I would hardly call this an abduction,” he said, revealing pearly white teeth. “I’m not even touching you.” He lifted his hands in the air. “See?”

I crossed my arms. “You yank me in a corner, cover my mouth, and tell me not to scream?” I raised an eyebrow. “Any normal person would call that abduction.”

“Abduction is when you take someone by force or deception. I didn’t take you anywhere.” He looked over his shoulder. “We don’t have time for this. They’re coming for you and you need to be careful.”

“Who’s coming?”

He stepped closer, blocking my view of the crowd. “Vienna, you need to be careful with everything you do. You understand?”

I narrowed my eyes. “I am careful.”

“Not from what I’ve seen.” He looked to where Chandler waited. “
With
him.”

“How long have you been following me around?”

“Vienna.” He lifted my chin with his finger, filling me with his hard glare. “They’re coming.” He dropped my chin and then twisted around the corner.

“W-wait. Who are—?”

I stared into a sea of people. He was gone, like last time. I stood there, dumbfounded.

“There you are.” Chandler came over to me. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Nope, you didn’t.” I scanned the theater for Green Eyes.

“You searching for something?”

“No.” I shook my head. “Are you ready to go?”

I headed toward his car without waiting for a response.

It was the most silent drive home I ever encountered. My mind was too busy to deal with Chandler. Too busy trying to figure things out. Trying to fit together the pieces Green Eyes left in my lap.

Who’s coming for me? Why? It didn’t make any sense. And how would he know someone’s watching me? And why was Green Eyes watching out for me in the first place? He doesn’t know me.

“Vienna?” Jayla’s voice echoed down the hall.

“Yeah?” I shut the door.

Carmen, Sydney, Joel, and Jayla were hanging out in the family room. Joel had his homework out. Carmen and Sydney were fully immersed in it.

Jayla tapped her foot. “How did the date go?”

“Couldn’t wait for it to be over.” I plopped down onto the couch. “You don’t talk to him much in class, do you?”

“Why? What happened?”

I sighed. “What didn’t happen?”

Sydney tsked. “Come on. It couldn’t have been that bad.”

“Oh yes it could.” I rubbed my face. “After the movie, the people in the theater gave us dirty looks. He talked the whole time.” My hands were now covered in makeup. Even better.

“Wow.” Jayla made a face. “That is bad.”

“I’m sure she’s over exaggerating,” Sydney said.

“Fine, you go out with him.”

“Okay, okay, I get your point.” Sydney went back to checking over Joel’s homework.

Joel pointed at my cheeks. “You have black all over your face now.”

“And my hands.” I rubbed them on his arm.

“Hey.” He dodged away from me. “Look what you did.” He rubbed his now-dirty arm on my shoulder.  

“How’s your homework going?”

Carmen put her head in the palm of her hand. “Where do we start?”

“It’s not that bad.” Joel’s green eyes darted between us.

“He’s writing sentences with his spelling words,” Sydney said. “We had to make him redo it because it was atrocious the first time around. Have a look.” She gave me his homework.

I read the first line.

She had
birth
.

“She had birth? Joel, what grade are you in again? Fourth?”

“Hey.” He laughed.

“I don’t know how my mom does it.” Sydney said.

Hey, look there is a
curve
.

This is
werse
than I thought.

“Joel, you spelled your spelling word wrong. W-e-r-s-e?”

“I thought that was how you spelled it.”

“Just wait. It gets better,” Carmen said.

I made a
hurl
.

I see
blurred
up.

“You see blurred up?”

“I meant I see blurry.”

“After we corrected him,” Sydney said.

I am
sternly
.

I’m your
serpent
.

I’ll
spare
myself.

Look at my
lair
.

I’m going to
spurt
.

“You’re going to spurt, really?”

Joel was on the floor, laughing.

“Joel, come on now.” I kicked his foot. “You’re drooling on the carpet.”

He laughed harder.

“What’s so funny in here?” Mom asked.

Dad, Uncle Leroy, and Aunt Becky followed behind her.

“We just read Joel’s homework aloud.” Carmen smiled.

“Oh no.” Aunt Becky gasped, her face going pale.

“It wasn’t that bad. We fixed it.” Sydney waved her hand in the air.

Aunt Becky still didn’t look any better.

“Anyways,” Mom said, “how was your date?”

“A disaster,” Sydney said.

“Sorry about that.” Jayla said. “He seemed nice enough.”

“But he was so cute,” Aunt Becky said.

I rolled my eyes.

“That he was,” Carmen added.

I stood up and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to get the chill out. “I need to get out of these clothes.”

“We’re leaving now, too,” Uncle Leroy said.

I said goodbye to everyone and made my way to my room through the kitchen.

Robotatouille was charging, its gaze directed at the wall.
I’ll figure you out. I will.
I hunched over as I walked past him, out of his line of sight.

Once in my room, I headed immediately toward my shower. I couldn’t wait to get the makeup off.

The warm pounding of the water eased my muscles. I laid one hand on the cool shower tile facing me and leaned against it. The hot water rushed into my veins and expelled the chill of the night air.

I put on a long-sleeve T-shirt and plaid pants. I didn’t even bother to put on the dehumidifier. A little warm air never hurt anything. I pulled back my covers and dropped into my bed. I’d have to continue with my search tomorrow. Hopefully, one of the books would give me a lead.

My toes rubbed against the soft sheets with my promise for tomorrow and I slid the covers over my ear. My eyelids closed and beautiful green eyes drifted into my mind. I tossed on the bed and tried to think of something else. My mind skipped to him again. I peeked an eye open and stared at my blinds.

Was he watching me now?

I shut my eyes and lifted my blanket higher.

His intense green eyes flashed before me.

He said someone was after me. Who? And why does he care so much? Who was I to him?