The bell rang.
My class erupted into their typical jubilee and excitement as Brad darted back to his desk.
I froze in place, turning his words over in my head. Sister? I didn’t have a sister. But he said she looked like me. How? My red hair? Brown eyes? Red puffy lips? How did she look like me?
My knees nearly gave out as I dropped into my chair. I turned toward Brad’s desk to call him back, but he was already gone.
Terror speared down my spine.
I should’ve chased after Brad to make sure the lady didn’t harm him. Or my dad. Head him off before he told another teacher or the principal that I scared him. That I was acting weird.
Because fuck, I was acting like a crazy person. Cemented in place, hands shaking, chest heaving like the woman in a horror movie preparing to die.She knew her time was up. Knew the psycho in her nightmares had been real all along and was coming for her. She didn’t know where to run.Where to hide. Who to ask for help.
Rocking in my chair, I eyed the envelope, faintly acknowledging the shouts of goodbye from my students.
What in the hell kind of game was my dad playing?
How did he find me? How long had he been in my town?
I replayed Brad’s words in my head again.“She said if you read the letter, you’ll come to the meeting place.”
But I didn’t read the letter. I didn’t go to the meeting place. Who was I to meet? What did they want? Was my dad behind all of this insanity?
I zoned out for a spell, horrified at what this all might mean.
Read the goddamned letter, Tara!
I raised my hand to pick it up just as my phone rang on my desk. “Ah!” I slapped my hand over my mouth, forgetting I was alone in an empty room.
Relief washed over me when I saw Hero’s name.
Quickly I grabbed it. “Hero! Is it you? You’re alive!” I answered without preamble.
“I told you I was coming back to you, Roja. Are you okay?”
Be strong. Don’t break.
Hearing his comforting, raspy voice made me weak. “No… I’m not,” I told him honestly. “Are you on your way home?”Please, please, please be on your way home.Be home now!Storm would arrive to pick up Madeline and me at three thirty. It wasn’t the same, though. I wanted my Hero.
“Sort of. Tell me what’s wrong. Are you crying?”
I wiped my cheek. “A little.”
“Roja, what’s going on?” His harsh tone made my muscles lock up and my heart stop. “We’re at the airport. Should be home by supper.”
My heart plummeted. “Supper?” I screeched, staring at the letter. Doom settled in my stomach.
Nowhere to run.
Nowhere to hide.
No Hero.
“Stop dodging the question, dammit!”
“Don’t yell at me,” I cried. He’d want to know about Brad, the kitten, and someone posing as my sister. The very thought churned my stomach. I eyed the letter. Telling him over the phone didn’t seem right, but neither did keeping it from him.
“Roja, what the fuck’s going on?”