Tam

  “Well, gotta get to work,” Joe – Mr. Donovan – says. He downed the last of his coffee. “I need to get paid for this job, now that we’re spending your college fund on clothes.”

  I look up, guiltily. Yes, I spent half an hour planning which new outfit to wear at school. Mom splurged – at about five different stores for the five of us. I didn’t think about how much money that was.

  Anya – Mrs. Donovan – coughs to cover a laugh. “It’s not that bad, girls.”

  Joe rolls his eyes at her. “They outgrew their clothes twice in one summer. I think that’s a record.” He laughs as he heads out the door. Cool autumn air spills in and rustles through the house.

  “Sorry, Mom.” Haley does look sorry. “I didn’t think about that.”

  “Well don’t. You were all overdue at the start of the summer, and had a growth spurt by the end of it. Perfectly normal. You’re just growing up really fast.”

  “Really fast,” Kei agrees from the table, drinking her orange juice. She saw our old clothes when we first started looking for hand-me-downs for her – pointless, given she was taller than anyone but Joe. But it was also obvious just how quickly we’d outgrown our wardrobes. I get the castoffs, of course, being a year younger, but they didn’t even fit me.

  “Joe made a lot on his last couple of jobs,” Anya says, waving the conversation away. “We can afford clothes.”

  “Thanks,” I say. I don’t really want draw attention to myself as I sat there in my finery. Kei is quietly wolfing down her toast, already in a white hoodie that screamed Ignore Me.

  Of course, kids look at her knowing violet eyes, too perfect face and aura of grace and beauty… and they aren’t ignoring, they’re just intimidated. Still, the hood is up, and she always seems to be stepping into the background. For the day we’ve known her, at least.

  Those eyes meet mine, and she nods as if she hasn’t just caught me staring. “Morning, Tam.” She pauses. “That’s a pretty outfit.”

  “Um, thanks,” I answer, suddenly shy. “You look good, too.” She does, despite cloaking herself in the hoodie. I’m sure Anya raided local shops as much for her as for a belated back to school spree. If only after seeing how she looks in Haley and the hospital’s old, much-too-tight t-shirts.

  Boys wouldn’t be studying much if they had class while she dressed like that.

  “Good float?” I ask, trying to make conversation.

  She nods. “The best,” Kei says, looking, and sounding, subdued. She stares off into space for a moment, then shakes off whatever she’s thinking about, and returns to the present, and her juice.

  We pass that way – her thoughtful, me trying to look inconspicuous in my finery meant to dazzle and overawe – until Anya shakes her minivan keys and offers to drop us all off near the school.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  ***

  We wander from the side parking lot towards the school, our newest addition, Kei, in front, flanked by Haley and Emily, with Joey nipping at their heels like a puppy. I trail just behind.

  Kei is… friendly but still quiet, speaking up just enough to not be awkward, but little enough that I’m no longer the quietest member of the family. And she’s quietly impressive, though it’s yet to be seen how she stacks up next to Haley’s full set of talents. Assuming she ever sees everything my oldest sister is holding back.

  Still, I have the strangest feeling there’s more going on with her than anyone else in our family full of overachievers, and that worries me.

  I won’t say anything, of course. I can’t.

  Anya and Joe have already put in the paperwork to adopt me and Joey, just like I know they did years and years ago for Emily, Haley’s ‘twin.’ I wasn’t snooping when I found out she’s not actually a twin, honest.

  Still, if this is Kei’s chance at a new family, I can’t mess that up for her. We orphans need to stick together.

  And I don’t feel she’s dangerous, exactly. But sometimes, especially when she glances over her shoulder or scans the horizon, I get the strangest feeling something deadly is following in her wake. Something even she can’t name.

  Lost to her memories, perhaps.

  I glance at Kei again, and shake my head ever so slightly. I’m probably just paranoid.

  “Glad I’m not the only one worried about New Girl,” a voice says in my ear. I jump, and almost slap him before I turn to glare.

  There’s only one student at Waycross I know can sneak up on me, and definitely only one who’d bother, and it’s my sometimes-sorta-boyfriend, Tim. Timothy Heron, who is about to be one very dead waterfowl.

  “Don’t do that,” I snap.

  He looks at me with big blue eyes, blinks, and then flushes. “Sorry,” Timothy mutters. “I wasn’t trying to.” His eyes slide forward to Kei, then dart back to me.

  I sigh. “Let me guess.” I rolled my eyes towards Kei, then back to him. “You’re afraid she’s one of Them.”

  He gives me frantic look, and makes hasty little shushing motions. Serves him right. I don’t like me being snuck up on.

  Not that I don’t do it myself, but I hate it when someone outsneaks me. Professional pride, really.

  At least we’re not in the woods, just the sidewalk. That would really sting.

  “More like someone who just slipped her leash,” Tim answers. “Or pretended to.”

  I give him a long-suffering expression.

  “I’m not paranoid.”

  “Sure,” I say. Because why argue with a crazy person? Also, time to change the subject.

  Having a relationship with Tim in middle school was never easy, and not just because we got ‘shipped’ as ‘TimTam’ – which is just embarrassing – or even his conspiracy theories – which are even more embarrassing.

  But now that we’ve grown up and turned into freshmen, I at least know how to divert his attention. And set some ground rules.

  “Don’t do anything weird around her,” I warn Timothy. “Everybody likes her, and she’s got a shot at becoming another Donovan sibling. I don’t want you messing that up. Also…” I pause. “Anya and Joe put through the paperwork. They haven’t told anyone else, not even Joey. But they’re adopting us both.”

  “Really?” Tim says loudly. I elbow him, hard, and his voice drops, and turns a little squeaky. “Tam, that’s great.”

  I shrug. “Thanks. There’ll be a party. We’re still getting things settled, but probably this Saturday. So…” I shrug again, acting noncommittal. “Save the date, if you want.”

  “So… You’re inviting me?”

  I glower at him. “Not if you keep acting weird. So no shadowing Kei at looking for her Secret Government Contacts, or whatever. ‘Kay?”

  “Got it.” He grins. Worrying about whether Anya and Joe would ship me down the river to some other foster family was most of my teenage angst during my middle school years. Now I’ve settled into normal self-esteem issues like any overachiever dropped into a tank of supersmart piranhas at school, where even the slackers had savant-level abilities or even stranger gifts.

  Given what our school’s like, it’s not surprising someone with Tim’s overactive imagination sees conspiracies around every corner.

  Which is ridiculous. A good conspiracy is never that heavy handed. Deniability is too valuable.

  And unlike Tim, I have a lot of faith in our faculty’s ability to conspire in the shadows.

  So also unlike him, I don’t see much reason to look for clues in our lunch menu.

  “What’s for lunch today, anyway?” I ask him. Yes, I know I’m not supposed to feed the pathology. But I have an ex who knows what the lunchladies are planning before they do, and that’s something I appreciate when I’m hungry.

  “The usual free lattes and smoothies. Plus filet mignon, shrimp, some vegan soups and fruit salads,” Tim said. “They’re still picking out the vegan stuff. Which is interesting because—” He catches my eye and then catches himself. “Never mind.”

  I smile at him. He’s learning. This is going to be a great year.

  Patreon page. The first chapters released on here are already up there, even for free subscribers.