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  I opened my mouth to ask him, when Grandma’s voice sounded behind me. “Ready to go, Kenzie?”

  Startled, I turned to Isaac who was already standing. I guess he was ready for me to leave. Feeling a little let down, I followed Grandma inside to say my good-byes. When I said good-bye to Isaac he still seemed agitated. I wasn’t sure if I had made a friend or an enemy.

  “See, I told you that you were gonna meet a hot California guy,” Haley said when I spoke to her on the phone.

  I fell backward on my bed, laying my head on the pillow while keeping the phone pressed against my ear. “I’m not even sure if he likes me.”

  “This guy must really be something. Send me a picture.”

  “Oh yeah. That’ll go over well. Hey, can I just take a quick photo of you to send to my friend? Can you say stalker?”

  Haley giggled.

  “I miss you,” the words slipped out before I could stop myself.

  “Yeah right. Not with Mr. Gorgeous right next door.”

  “Shut up, Haley.” I groaned. “I just wish I knew why he acted so strange when I mentioned Rhiannon. You should’ve seen it. It was so weird.”

  “Whatever. Don’t worry about it. So he doesn’t like her. Better for you, anyway.”

  “Yeah, but it’s more than that.”

  “Maybe she’s a stalker. Like the girl in Fatal Attraction, or something.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I highly doubt that.”

  “Well, you did say she was strange.”

  “Yeah, but she seems nice.”

  “Hey, don’t go getting a new best friend. You already have one.”

  I smiled. “You have nothing to worry about, Haley.”

  “Good.”

  Outside my open window came a crunching sound like footsteps on brittle leaves. I inhaled sharply.

  “What happened?” Haley asked.

  A shadow swept past. It resembled the figure of a man.

  “I think someone’s outside my window,” I whispered crawling on the top of my bed and inching forward. I peered out but saw nothing.

  “Kenzie?”

  “Yeah, I’m here. Nothing’s out there.”

  “Gosh, you scared me. It was probably a bird or cat or something. That happens to me all the time.”

  I laughed. It was true. Haley had always been skittish. I was the strong one, the one that didn’t get frightened. What was happening to me?

  4

  Grandma set me up. In the morning she informed me that she had a home to show so she had to go to work. She was a real estate agent so she worked flexible hours. Since she was taking the car, she had arranged for Isaac to show me around town so I wouldn’t be stuck at home.

  She acted all innocent like she was just trying to be helpful but I saw that guilty gleam in her eye. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to spend time with Isaac. I was just a little embarrassed by the circumstances. I mean, what if he felt totally roped into this and didn’t want to see me at all? How awkward would that be?

  These were the questions swirling in my head when a knock sounded on the front door. I took a swift glance at my reflection, my straight blonde hair sleek against my face, my makeup subtle, and scurried toward it.

  When I opened it I sighed with relief to see the broad smile on Isaac’s lips. As I followed him down the driveway he pointed to his little Honda Civic and said, “My chariot waits.”

  I giggled, my heart flipping in my chest.

  Isaac held the door open for me as I slipped inside and then closed it securely behind me. I breathed deeply as he came around the other side, wondering how I could keep myself from falling madly in love with him. I didn’t know if it was possible. I already liked him so much. Why did he have to be so dang nice? Not to mention totally hot.

  “So, where do you want to go?” he asked as he turned on the engine.

  I shrugged. “You choose. You know the area.”

  “Have you been to Sutter Street?”

  “I don’t know. Mom and I came to visit once when I was a kid, but I don’t remember much about it.”

  “Okay, Sutter Street it is.”

  As he drove, I stole glances at him from the corner of my eye. He was so cute I wanted to stare at him all the time but I didn’t want to be totally obvious. My neck stiffened with the effort, so I sat back and stared out the window. My transparent reflection appeared giving the impression that the ghost of me flew through the blue sky and was projected on houses and trees. A sign caught my attention.

  “Folsom Prison? My grandma lives near a prison?”

  “You’ve never heard of Folsom Prison. Really?”

  I shook my head, taking in the great expanse of yellow field, surrounded by barbed wire fences.

  “Ever listen to Johnny Cash?” Isaac asked.

  “Not so much. Why?”

  “He sang a famous song about Folsom prison.”

  “Guess I must’ve missed that one.” I imagined men trying to escape through the field, running so fast their feet barely touched the ground and then hurtling their bodies over the fences, their flesh tearing on the barbed wire. I shuddered.

  “How creepy,” I said.

  “It’s not so bad. It’s not like men are always escaping.” He paused and let out a light chuckle. “Only sometimes.”

  I glanced over at him, stricken.

  “I’m only kidding. Folsom is perfectly safe.”

  I was glad when we left the prison behind and drove past a cute street with quaint shops. It looked more like a painting then a real place. Isaac guided his car into a parking lot and cut the engine. I immediately unbuckled myself and reached for the door handle.

  “No, I’ll get that,” Isaac said as he hopped out.

  This was new for me. I let my hand fall and sat back, waiting patiently. A second later the door popped open and Isaac held it like a chauffeur. I stepped out feeling like a princess. It made my cheeks warm and I stared hard at my feet to hide my blush.

  We walked away from the little street and headed to a wooden bridge suspended over Folsom lake. I scratched the top of my arm through my long sleeved shirt where my cut was healing. Isaac peered over at me.

  “Still haven’t gone shopping, huh?”

  I pressed my lips together, nervously fingered the bottom of my sleeve.

  “This is called the Truss bridge. It was built for people to walk or ride their bikes on. It spits you out right at the bike trail.”

  I cocked an eyebrow at him. “Wow, you’re taking this whole tour guide thing a little too seriously.”

  He smiled and his whole face lit up. My heart squeezed in my chest and I forced myself to look away. I leaned over the edge of the bridge and stared into the dark water below. White ducks glided amidst twigs and leaves that floated on top. Green algae hugged the rocks that protruded out of the water and plants danced as if to a song only they could hear. A rock was thrown from the shore, skidded along the water. I spotted two kids in the sand, half hidden by a tree. They threw a few more rocks and then ventured toward the cold water, dipped in their big toes. Shivering, they gathered up their shoes and trekked back up the embankment. A snake slithered into the water and I felt a hand on my back, pushing me forward. I momentarily lost my balance and had the sensation of falling. Startled, I flinched and stepped back.

  I turned expecting to see Isaac, but he was a few feet away and the closest people were on the other side of the bridge. Goosebumps broke out on my arm despite the heat. Quickly, I scurried to Isaac’s side.

  “Let’s keep walking.”

  “You okay?”

  I forced a smile. “Yeah. I just want to see more.”

  He nodded. “Great. Let’s go back up to Sutter Street. I know a great place to take you for lunch.”

  I was grateful when our feet hit the pavement and we were back on steady ground. Dizzy from the heat, I scurried alongside Isaac as we headed up the street. Sweat slid between my shoulder blades and down my spine. My arms and neck itched from the
perspiration like I was breaking out in hives. Scratching my skin through my shirt I looked around for a place to cool off. My gaze landed on an antique shop. I bet they had air conditioning.

  “Hey, Isaac, let’s go in there.” I pointed to the shop and hurried toward it. He followed behind me. The minute I opened the door, cool air swept over me. I sighed with relief as I stepped inside. The place was small and cluttered with a hodgepodge of plates, cups, jewelry, paintings, toys, hats, clothes, quilts and furniture. It kind of reminded me of home. I weaved my way through the store, taking in the eclectic variety. The musty smell tickled my nostrils and I held back a sneeze. I picked up a forest green felt hat with a large black feather sticking out of the top and placed it on the top of my head. I caught my reflection in a nearby mirror and let out a giggle.

  “Hey, Isaac, check it out.”

  He came up behind me, filling the rest of the mirror. He eyed me for a minute and smiled. Something about his expression stopped me cold. I stopped giggling and stood perfectly still.

  “You look beautiful. You always do. No matter what you wear.” He took the hat off my head and plopped it on his. Then he laughed. “Now that looks funny.”

  I swallowed hard, turned away. The itching started back up and I realized it had nothing to do with the heat. I rolled back my sleeve and saw angry welts rising up on my arm. Isaac was getting under my skin, no matter how hard I tried not to let him.

  After the antique shop we got sandwiches and Isaac refused to let me pay. I insisted on buying my own ice cream cone when we stopped at Snooks Ice Cream though. No need to make it seem more like a date than it already did. The rash was growing. I’d sworn off boys for a reason. They always broke my heart and I worried that if Isaac ever broke mine I’d end up like Humpty Dumpty; broken so badly I’d never be able to able to put the pieces back together again. I needed to get away from him and I needed to do it fast.

  “I better get home. I’m sure Grandma’s there by now.”

  Isaac glanced at the watch wrapped around his wrist. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Wow, time sure does fly when you’re having fun.”

  Didn’t this guy have any flaws?

  When we got back Isaac insisted on walking me to the front door. By now I had scratched so hard I bled. I needed him to go away. I smiled politely and said good-bye on the porch and watched with relief when he walked off.

  “Wow,” Rhiannon’s voice caught me off guard.

  Startled, I glared at her with irritation. “You have a habit of sneaking up on people, you know.”

  Rhiannon smiled wryly. “Yes, I do.” She walked toward me, bringing with her the scent of incense. “Looks like you had a fun day with lover-boy.”

  My face flamed. “Please don’t call him that. We’re just friends.”

  “That’s not what you’re aura is saying. Love is all over the place.” She waved her arms in a circle above my head.

  “What’s with all this aura talk? What does it even mean?”

  “Why? You don’t believe in it?”

  I shrugged. “It’s not that. I just don’t know anything about it.”

  “The supernatural world is all around us. Most people can only see the obvious, the tangible. They’re oblivious to the unseen, the invisible. I feel sorry for people like that. “

  “So, you’re saying you can see what’s invisible to others?” I hoped my tone didn’t reveal how skeptical I was.

  She nodded. “Yeah, and I can teach you too if you want.”

  I bit my lip. It did sound kind of cool, but also a little nuts.

  “I’ll tell you what. We’ll start slow. Baby steps, okay? You asked about auras. I have a book about them I can loan you. Hold on.” She ran inside her house, her black hair streaming behind her like a plume of smoke.

  When she returned a moment later her face was flushed and she held a skinny book in her hand. She thrust it toward me. “Here. Read it and let me know what you think.”

  “I will,” I promised. “Now I better get inside. Grandma is probably wondering about me.”

  Rhiannon smiled. “See ya.”

  “Yeah, see ya.”

  Grandma was sitting on the couch, her legs tucked up under her and her eyes trained on the TV. Her high-heeled shoes were on the ground near her feet, her suit jacket strewn across the couch. The minute I entered the room she clicked the remote and the T.V. went black. She turned to me, a big smile on her face.

  “Did you have fun today?”

  “Yeah, I did.”

  “Good. I’m so glad. I would’ve felt bad if you had been stuck in the house all day.”

  “That’s the only reason you set the whole thing up?” I asked, eyebrows arched as I plopped down next to her on the couch.

  “Of course.” Grandma’s face was the picture of innocence. “What did you do?”

  “We went to Sutter Street, walked on the bridge and then went to lunch and to Snooks for ice cream.”

  “That does sound like fun.”

  I leaned my head against the couch, savored the coolness of the air.

  “You look like you’re burning up though. Is that what you wore?”

  I nodded.

  “Why you insist on dressing like it is winter I’ll never understand.” Grandma shook her head. “Your mom always had her own style too. Oh, speaking of your mom, she just called.”

  “Really?” I didn’t even bother hiding my surprise. She’d hardly called at all. “What’d she want?”

  “To say hi, I guess. I told her you’d call back when you got home.”

  “I’ll call later. I’m gonna take a shower first.”

  Grandma nodded. “I don’t blame you. It must’ve been close to a hundred degrees today.”

  Before I got in the shower I examined my cuts. They still weren’t healed. I’d have to endure long sleeves a little longer. As I stood under the spray of water I tried not to think about the afternoon or how Isaac looked at me so intensely, like he could see into the depths of my soul. I scrubbed my skin until it was raw, hoping I could wash Isaac out of my system, pull him out from under my skin, cut him out of my heart, and erase him from my mind. I suspected it wouldn’t be that easy.

  Before going to bed I called Mom back. She answered right away.

  “Wow, you’re home,” I said. “Your new boy-toy break up with you?”

  “Great to hear from you too, Kenzie.”

  The sadness in her voice filled with me shame.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled. “It’s just I’m surprised I caught you. Whenever I call you’re not home.”

  “There’s no reason to be. No one’s here.”

  If I didn’t know better I’d think she missed me.

  “Are you having fun there?” she asked. “Yeah, I am actually.”

  “Mom said you were out with the neighbor boy.”

  “Yeah, he’s nice.”

  “Cute?”

  “I suppose. Anyway, we’re just friends.”

  “That’s good.”

  Awkward silence filled the line.

  I faked a yawn. “I better go. It’s getting late.”

  “Yeah. Okay. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Sure.” As I hung up, emptiness filled me.

  5

  I sat on the porch swing rocking it back and forth by pushing off the ground with my big toe. It was early morning and still cool out. The scent of honeysuckle filled the air and it was quiet except for the distant sound of cars driving on the road. I was reading the book Rhiannon loaned me and, while I found the information about auras interesting, I still couldn’t figure out how she was able to actually see them.

  “Hey you.”

  I looked up. Isaac walked up the steps to the porch. He sported gym shorts and a t-shirt and held a basketball in the crook of his arm. Perspiration glistened on his forehead and he reeked of sweat. Despite all of that he looked amazing. He sat next to me, rattling the chains on the swing.

  “Watcha reading?”

  “Oh, n
othing. Just a book Rhiannon loaned me.”

  “Auras, huh?”

  I hated hearing the disappointment in his voice. I shrugged. “It’s no big deal. I just find it interesting. Did you know that Rhiannon reads auras? And she’s always been right when she’s read mine.”

  He eyed me skeptically.

  “I’m serious. It’s amazing actually.”

  Isaac leaned close. Instinctively, I moved back. “You know you don’t need to read auras to tell how someone is feeling. I bet I can tell you exactly how you feel right now.”

  “Really?” I raised my eyebrows, challenging. “Then tell me, Mr. Psychic, how am I feeling right now?”

  “Conflicted.”

  His words unnerved me and I stared hard at my lap.

  “What about me? Can you guess how I’m feeling?”

  I looked up at his smiling face and took a wild guess. “Happy.”

  “See I told you. That’s exactly how I feel right now when I’m sitting here with you. Happy.”

  My heart fluttered. I knew without a doubt that I was falling for him.

  “I actually came over for a reason.”

  “So, you didn’t come over to practice reading my mind?”

  He grinned. “No. I was thinking about something you said the other night at my house.”

  “Oh?” My mind ran through our conversation, searching for a clue.

  “Yeah, you said that since you didn’t have a dad, you never learned to play basketball. I thought I’d change that.”

  I squirmed. The thought of humiliating myself by playing ball with Isaac filled me with dread.

  “C’mon. I’m a really good teacher.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Please? It’ll be fun. Besides, I’m always looking for someone to play ball with. You’d be doing me a favor.”

  I gnawed on my lower lip. “Well, if you put it that way how can I say no?”

  “Great.” He hopped up. “Let’s go.”

  “Now?”

  “No time like the present.”

  “Okay.” I stood.

  “You wanna change first?”

  I looked down at my shorts and long sleeved shirt. “Nah. But I guess I should put on some tennis shoes. I’ll be right back.”