Read Online See by Jamie Magee - Free Book Online Page A

something around them.
    As the boy came closer, my heart started to race. The whispers I had managed to ignore began to grow louder – they were calling my name, but also the name of another…one I couldn’t clearly make out…it almost sounded like ‘Raven’. I blocked them out by remembering the song I loved so much and began to move my fingers against the table.
    As he came closer, the boy glanced down at my hands. I swear, I saw his eyes sparkle. As he passed my booth, he reached his hand out and let his fingers dance across the edge as he locked eyes with mine. I wanted to smile – to make some kind of sane acknowledgment, but I couldn’t make my body work – I was paralyzed by his direct attention.
    Kara was staring at me; she didn’t even seem to notice the boy dancing his fingers across our table.
    “ OK, Charlie?” she asked quietly.
    “ I’m not hungry. Can we just go?” I said, trying to catch my breath and look sane.
    Frustration seemed to cloud her eyes as she looked down at her menu again.
    I looked out the window to watch the boy leave. I gripped my hands on edge of the table. I swear, my body wanted to chase after him – how insane is that?
    Once he and who I thought was his dad were outside, they walked down the sidewalk in front of our cars. The boy stepped off the curb and unlocked a dark gray Hummer. I could tell it was still very new; all the chrome shined in the afternoon light. The man made his way to the passenger door, which was by my mother’s driver side. He looked through the windshield at her and waved. A beaming smile spread across her face. She ended her call abruptly and stepped out of her car. The man held his arms out, and she reached up and embraced him. My eyes widened as I surveyed the scene. The boy was looking across the Hummer at my mom and the man embracing each other.
    “ Um...Kara...mom is hugging a man and smiling...like, really smiling,” I said in an astonished tone.
    Kara just stared at me. “Evan,” she said, almost shortly.
    I looked quickly at her, wondering what I had done to make her so angry.
    “ Who?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.
    “ Evan Michaels...do you remember him?” she asked in a placid tone.
    I shook my head no and looked at her like she was crazy.
    I watched her face flush with fear. “Um,” she mumbled in a shaky voice.“Well….his wife introduced your dad to mom…our families are extremely close.”
    “ He knew my dad? Cause I’ve never seen them before,” I said, raising my eyebrows and feeling heat burning my ears. How could I forget the reaction that that boy seemed to jar my body into?
    “ What – or who - do you remember about Salem?” she asked quietly.
    “ Come, Charlie ,” the whispers taunted.
    “ You, Madison – the house – a few other random people I never really cared for in the first place,” I said, boldly ignoring the shadows that seemed to be growing impatient.
    “ Madison…that almost makes sense,” Kara said under her breath.
    “ Tell me about them, “ I said, glancing out at the boy and catching him looking through the window at me. I watched as his eyes moved to Kara and he shook his head ‘No’ once. I quickly looked back at her. She slowly looked down and let out a deep breath. My eyes moved quickly back and forth between her and the boy.
    “ Kara?” I said, settling my eyes on her.
    “ I shouldn’t have to tell you…but I will…”
    “ You’re scaring me, Kara,” I said, reaching back to pull my hood up. I wanted to run at that moment – to where, I don’t know, but I felt blind and alone, and that was terrifying.
    “ You’re scaring me….” she said as she rubbed her hands across her face. “Evan – Evan Michaels and your dad toured together. They were best friends…he was who helped us get through those dark days after the accident… he helped mom balance out your dad’s royalties; I don’t know that we would have been OK without that. Mom didn’t think she deserved