The Voice Read online

  A moment later, a girl waved a piece of paper in my face. “Some guy in black told me to give this to you.”

  Something caught my attention, and I glanced up to see Justin down the hallway. He was looking in my direction, but as soon as I saw him, he turned and walked away, blending into the crowd of students.

  I thanked her and took the paper. It had Kate’s name and room number, along with a sketch of a few buildings to point me in the right direction. Relief washed through me, and I headed toward her classroom. I was surprised to find that the whole school had lunch at the same time, and they could eat anywhere on the school’s campus. Didn’t they have a lunchroom or cafeteria? When I finally arrived at Kate’s room, she was on the phone. Glad to have a moment to myself, I sat down and pulled my lunch out of my backpack.

  The rest of the day passed swiftly. I was a teacher’s assistant for Kate fifth period, and then sixth was physics with Caleb. After school, I headed back to Kate’s room, thankful I didn’t have to ride home with the brothers. It was clear Justin wanted nothing to do with me, and that was fine. Caleb, on the other hand, attracted more attention than I could handle, and he acted like he wanted to protect me. Little did he know, it was too late for that.

  Chapter 7

  “She’s fine,” Kate said, again, for the hundredth time. She had been on the phone with my mom for the past hour.

  Kate looked at me and mouthed, “Do you want to talk to her?”

  I shook my head.

  “Audrey has adjusted well to school. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  I’d heard enough. Grabbing my book, I jogged upstairs. Kate’s bedroom was in the front of the house, with a large window set in an alcove overlooking the street. I went to the cushioned bench and sat down, pulling the curtains closed. It was a private retreat that made me feel safe. I opened my book to get lost in Dickens’ world. A loud engine and the bass from a car stereo startled me.

  Glancing outside, I saw Caleb pull his Jeep into his driveway. He and Justin jumped out with their backpacks and went inside. I couldn’t get over how different they were. Caleb always walked me to class, talking nonstop. I learned that he had a girlfriend, loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and hated pizza. How could anyone hate pizza? He said it was something about the sauce. Justin, on the other hand, continued to ignore me, so I knew nothing about him. I swear something must have happened with the two of them. I saw a movie like that once, where one twin was perfect and the other one was the leftovers—opposites in every way.

  I reopened my book and tried to read. The words started to blur together until I drifted off to sleep.

  Lying in my bedroom, a shadow glided across the wall until it fell on my bed. The shadow slowly disappeared, and a hand snaked around my neck, tightening. I frantically grabbed the hand, trying to pry it off. I wanted to scream, but couldn’t breathe. There was an eerie laugh, which was much too familiar.

  My body froze.

  “I’m still here,” Bill snarled, kneeling beside my bed. “You’ll never be rid of me.”

  I kicked my legs and tried to scream. All I had to do was scream.

  Scream!

  Audrey! Wake up!

  Help me!

  It’s only a dream. Open your eyes and it’ll be over.

  I jerked awake, still sitting on Kate’s window seat, covered with a blanket, the curtains pushed back. I glanced over to find Kate asleep in her bed. The clock read 2:13 A.M. Sliding off the bench, I tiptoed out of her room, my hands shaking. I hated that Bill had the power to keep torturing me. There had to be a way to beat this.

  Walking down the hallway toward my room, I passed Kate’s office. Perhaps there was something I could do to prevent the nightmares. Maybe some research on the Internet would help. There was probably a ton of information out there on how to ward off bad dreams. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

  While the computer was booting up, I went to my room and changed into my PJs. My window had been left open, and my room was freezing. Sliding the window closed, I noticed a shadow pacing back and forth in the backyard next door. It was long, like the shadow of a person rather than a dog or some other animal. The shadow froze and then faded into the darkness. I watched for a few minutes, but everything was still. Maybe it was a cat or something. Oh well. I closed the blinds and went back to the office.

  I kept the light off so it wouldn’t disturb Kate. Curling up in the chair, I glanced at the monitor. Dang, it was password protected and wouldn’t let me log on as a guest. I’d have to do the research later. While waiting for the computer to shut down, my eyes wandered outside. The twins’ house was a mere ten feet away. The shutters were open, and there was a faint glow coming from inside. I stood up to get a better look.

  When my eyes adjusted, I saw that the light was coming from a TV sitting on a dresser littered with dishes and papers. There was a computer on the desk by the bed, and the closet was open. I didn’t know the boys well enough to be able to determine whose room it was.

  Then someone walked in, so I dropped to the floor and froze. All the lights in the office were off, so whoever walked in shouldn’t be able to see me, right? I wanted to know whose bedroom I had briefly glimpsed. Not sure why it mattered or why I cared, curiosity won over common sense, and I crawled closer to the window.

  Placing my hands on the ledge, I inched upright, peering out. The person pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the ground. Then he walked over and sat on the edge of his bed. He put his elbows on his knees and massaged his temples like he was tired or stressed about something. I leaned closer. It had to be Justin—Caleb’s hair was longer. This was the first time I’d gotten a decent look at him, and I could see the similarities between the twins. Both were broad shouldered and well built, but Caleb flaunted his good looks, whereas Justin seemed to hide his.

  Justin’s back was toned, even more so than any of my brothers’. And his skin was tan and smooth. When he leaned back, I saw his muscular torso and felt the intense urge to touch him. My face warmed.

  God, he was gorgeous.

  Justin jerked, as if poked by something. Then he stood and turned his head in my direction. He squinted, and I swore he could see me. He reached out, pulling the shutters closed.

  He saw me spying on him. But there was no way for him to have known I was here, unless my face was reflected on the window or something. Either way, I was embarrassed. Justin didn’t like me before, and now I had absolutely no chance of rectifying that.

  It didn’t matter, I told myself.

  I practically ran to my bedroom, eager to distance myself from him. I climbed into bed and threw the covers over my head. Thankfully, tomorrow was Saturday—I wouldn’t have to face Justin at school.

  The next morning, I woke up and stretched. That was the best night’s sleep I’d had in a long time—nightmare free, for once.

  The smell of coffee led me downstairs. Kate was already up, dressed, and reading the news on her iPad.

  “Morning,” I sang.

  “About time, sleepyhead.”

  I fixed a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and slid onto the stool next to her.

  “I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Kate began. “Did you take any of my pictures?”

  I looked around, not having a clue of what she was talking about.

  “The picture on the mantle,” Kate hinted. I still had no idea, so I shook my head. “Your picture was on my mantle and it’s not there anymore. I assume you took it?”

  Pictures of me were not something I was bothered by—now, pictures of Bill, those I would burn immediately. With a vengeance. After stomping on them.

  “Sorry, Kate, I didn’t take it.” I glanced above the fireplace. There was a picture of my brothers, one of my parents, and the other two were of Mike and Kate. “Maybe Mike grabbed it by accident.”

  She turned and looked. “You’re probably right. Speaking of Mike, I have a few things I need to do today. Will you be okay here by yourself?”

  Gue
ss I hadn’t earned her trust yet. “I’ll be fine. I have a ton of homework. You know, two schools and all.”

  “You don’t have to do your homework from here. Just focus on your work from Bethel Park. Those are the grades that matter.”

  “Yes, but if I don’t do the homework for one of my classes here, and I get called on, I’ll look like a fumbling idiot.” Kate smiled, probably amused by my fear of looking stupid. “In any case,” I continued, “I’ll keep myself busy and out of trouble. Don’t worry.”

  Looking more closely at Kate, I realized her eyes were puffy and red, again. I knew she hadn’t been sleeping well either.

  “So, what do you have to do today?” I asked, wondering how Mike fit into it. Kate started playing with her UCSD coffee cup, suddenly uncomfortable. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.”

  “No—I want you to be able to talk to me, so I should be able to talk to you.” Kate took a deep breath, twirling her coffee cup around. “I’m having lunch with my girlfriends—to tell them about the breakup. Then I’m meeting Mike. We need to talk. Him calling off the wedding, moving out. I can’t believe it’s come to this.” She discreetly wiped her cheek.

  “Were you two having problems, or do you think he got cold feet?” I didn’t know much about Mike. Kate and I had kept in touch through email, but she didn’t share a lot about him. When they first met, I was only eleven years old. I knew they’d dated all through college and moved in together last year, but I had never met him.

  Kate shook her head. “I’m not sure. He was so supportive when you went missing. He took care of everything around here. Mike even encouraged me to go back to Bethel Park so I could be with your mom and help look for you. I was gone for the summer.” Her voice trailed off.

  The summer. I was taken two weeks after school ended and wasn’t found until Labor Day. I shivered. It was hard realizing a piece of my life had been taken.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to remind you of that time.”

  I shrugged. “It’s okay. Did Mike give a reason for moving out?” I knew perfectly well that he hadn’t, after reading the note he’d left, but I wanted to keep the conversation off me.

  “No.” Kate hesitated and then continued, “But one time when I came home unexpectedly, there were some odd things. I found a few candles in our bedroom and scented bath oil, neither of which I bought or used. I think he may have met someone else.” Kate stood and went to the sink, rinsing out her coffee cup. “In any case, I need to talk to him. I want to understand.”

  I nodded, not really agreeing with her. I wanted to hit him in the face for hurting Kate, and I didn’t even know him.

  After Kate left, I showered and then started my homework. My first priority was to complete my work from Bethel Park. I’d been doing a little bit each day during the week so I wouldn’t be overwhelmed on the weekend, but I had been too efficient, and I finished before lunch.

  Next was my work from here. I decided to do physics and save the rest of my classes for Sunday. After reading through the assignment sheet, I realized my homework was a lab, and I didn’t have the book.

  I went to Kate’s room and glanced out front. Caleb’s Jeep was in the driveway, so I figured I could just borrow his. Should I call? Just go over? But what if Justin answered the phone or door? He had to have known I was watching him last night; otherwise, he wouldn’t have closed the shutters like that. It could have been a coincidence, but probably not.

  At some point, I would have to face him. Or would I? He seemed to distance himself from most people, including me. Besides Caleb, I never saw Justin talking to anyone at school. He always had his iPod, hood, or a baseball hat on. Even if he answered the door, he would probably shut it in my face or just turn and walk away.

  Getting up my nerve, I decided to go over. I wanted the lab book—the assignment would hopefully take the rest of the day to complete. Glancing in the mirror, I saw that I looked decent enough. I had on my new Roxy shirt. Luckily, Kate let me keep my old clothes. I didn’t know what I would do without my favorite cotton pants. My hair was piled on top of my head in a messy bun, and I hadn’t bothered with makeup. Not that it really mattered. I wasn’t interested in Caleb, and he had a girlfriend anyway. Still, there was no need to embarrass myself any more than necessary. I did enough of that last night.

  I rang the doorbell, praying Justin wouldn’t answer. Actually, it would be better if he wasn’t even home. A few moments later, a young woman opened the door. She didn’t look much older than Kate, and I wondered if the boys had an older sister.

  “You must be Makayla. I’m Sarah, Justin and Caleb’s mom. It’s nice to meet you.” Their mom? No way.

  “Hi,” I stammered, still not used to my fake name. “Is Caleb here?” Sarah smiled at me with a hint of amusement and invited me in. She probably thought I was here on a social call. “I have a question about our homework,” I clarified, once inside.

  Sarah laughed like she had heard that excuse a million times. She closed the door and called Caleb. He came down the stairs a moment later, not at all surprised to see me. “Here for the physics lab?”

  “If you don’t mind, I need to borrow your book,” I said.

  He shook his head. “We’re in the same class. Let’s just do the lab together. Maybe then it won’t be so awful.”

  Smiling, Sarah left the room, probably convinced that this was my plan all along.

  “That’s okay. I’ll just borrow your book. I’m sure you have other plans.”

  Caleb considered me for a moment. “I do have plans. But not until later. You can’t possibly be so bad at physics to warrant an all-nighter.” He raised an eyebrow.

  I reluctantly agreed. I hadn’t planned to spend time with anyone, but I could handle this. It was good practice.

  He ran upstairs to get the book, and left me standing in the living room. From there, I could see most of the downstairs. The house was smaller than Kate’s, but had the same view of the golf course. Most of the walls were white, and the rooms were sparsely furnished.

  When Caleb returned, I went to the front door.

  “Where are you going?” he asked. I looked at him, confused. “The kitchen’s this way,” he said, walking down the hallway. I followed, thankful Justin wasn’t anywhere to be seen. At the end of the hall was a small kitchen with a table and three chairs. The family room was next to the kitchen.

  I sat down at the table across from Caleb. He opened the book and quickly read through the instructions. We were supposed to figure out the fastest way to cool a can of soda to determine how the kinetic theory of matter related to heat transfer. Caleb found several cans of soda, coolers, ice, and a timer. After setting everything up, we began the timer, taking the temperature of the soda in five-minute increments.

  With the two of us working together, this was going to be over before dinner. What was I going to do for the rest of the evening?

  “You’re awfully quiet,” Caleb commented, twirling his pencil between his fingers. I smiled, not sure what to say. “What are you doing tonight?” he asked.

  Hopefully Kate would be home. I couldn’t be home alone when it was dark out. “Um, I’m not sure. Maybe read or watch a movie.”

  Caleb nodded. “We’re going to a party, if you want to come. I could introduce you to some people.”

  “Time.” I reset the timer and grabbed the thermometer. I read the temperature of each of the soda cans while Caleb recorded the results.

  “So?”

  I looked at him, and then at my paper. “We have to do this for at least thirty minutes.”

  “No, I mean about the party.” He gave me a smile that I was sure made many hearts melt.

  “Oh.” He probably just asked me to be polite. Besides, parties weren’t really my thing. I hadn’t been to any back home. I mean a real party. Birthday parties didn’t count.

  Justin walked in, catching me off guard, and my face flushed. I looked down at the thermometer, hoping he wouldn’t notice me, but he walk
ed right past me and whacked Caleb on the back of the head.

  “Dude, what was that for?” Caleb rubbed his neck, glaring at Justin. They stared at each other for a minute.

  I stole a quick look at Justin. He was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt and nothing on his head. His hair was darker than I thought—almost black. His nose was dusted with freckles, and he was even better looking than I had realized. When he glanced my way, I snapped my head down, pretending to read the timer.

  “Okay,” Caleb said. I didn’t realize Justin had said anything. “Mom’s upstairs.” Justin left. Thank God.

  I got the distinct feeling that Justin had heard Caleb invite me to the party, and that he didn’t want me to go. I wondered why he disliked me so much. Maybe he thought I was yet another girl pining for Caleb. Or maybe I was just paranoid.

  When we finished the lab, Caleb walked me to the door. “We should do this again.”

  “Sure,” I said, not really thinking it through.

  “See you Monday. It’ll be nice to have a homework partner.”

  Seriously? I smiled and left, thankful he never mentioned the party again. Walking back to Kate’s house, I had the sensation that someone was watching me, but I didn’t see anyone or notice anything out of place. After shutting the front door, I locked it, praying that Kate was home.

  She was home, but had holed herself up in her bedroom. Her meeting with Mike must not have gone well. Poor Kate. She was beautiful and kind and deserved so much more.

  After making a turkey sandwich for dinner, I desperately tried to find something to do to keep my mind occupied. It was dark outside, and I felt alone. I could feel one of my moods coming, and the last thing I wanted was to lose control and have a breakdown at Kate’s house.

  I turned on the TV. Bad idea. One of the lead actors reminded me of Bill. With shaking hands, I turned it off. But the damage was done.