Page 7 of Burning Embers
“Sorry for startling you, new girl.” Jake flicks his gaze towards Hale before focusing once more on me. “Hale always says that I need to stop being so…” He flounders for an appropriate word.
“Touchy feely?” Hale supplies.
Jake rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. What he said.” He removes one of his hands from his pocket and extends it to me. “I’m Jacob, but you can call me Jake.”
Tentatively, I venture a step closer. The knot in my chest gradually loosens the longer I study his genuine smile and twinkling eyes. Just like with Hale, something about Jake puts me at ease. The tension always coiling my muscles ebbs away the longer I hold his hazel gaze.
“I’m sorry for…you know…flipping you,” I say, my cheeks flushing. “And putting a knife to your throat.”
Hale begins to chuckle from behind me, and Jake winces.
“Yeah…maybe we never tell anyone about that. Ever. I have an image to maintain.” He gives my hand a firm shake before releasing it. “But it is good to meet you.”
I try for a smile, though it feels foreign on my face. My lips don’t quite know how to move the way I want them to. “Yeah. Likewise.”
Jake’s smile widens at my feeble attempt at civility before it abruptly straightens out. His lips press together, and he turns his head to stare at something over my shoulder. “I have to warn you, though, that if you think I’m a… How did you put it, Hale? If you think I’m a touchy-feely person, then that’s nothing on?—”
“Oh. My. God. She’s here! SHE’S HERE!” The loud, exuberant, shrill voice sounds from directly behind me.
Instinctively, I wince, sure that scientists haven’t even discovered a pitch as high as this yet.
“Lissa,” Jake finishes lamely.
Every muscle in my body locks together when something rams into me from behind. This time, however, I’m prepared for it, and I don’t flip her over my shoulder.
Or put a knife to her throat.
Despite that, I can’t quite get my joints to unfreeze. My heart slams against my rib cage like a bowling ball knocking down pins. The air seems to be made of tiny daggers.
“Lissa!” Hale reprimands, his voice stern.
The newcomer—Lissa, apparently—ignores her foster dad and squeezes me tighter. All I can see are thin arms wrapped tightly around my waist, each of the wrists covered in bracelets.
“Oh my gosh! I’m so excited you’re here! When Hale told me that a new girl was coming to the house, I was over the moon! It’s been just me for so long. And boys are stinky! Do you like your bedspread? I wasn’t sure what color to get you. I was going to go with pink for obvious reasons, but Jake said I should choosesomething a little more modest, whatever the hell that means. Do you like it?
“I also chose your dresser, though Hale didn’t allow me to pick out any clothes for you. We didn’t know your sizes. But I can totally go shopping with you, if you want. I’m a super good shopper! I think you would look amazing in pink. It would really complement your hair. Is that your real hair color? I love it! I always wanted blonde hair, but Hale and Gerry told me that I have to wait until I’m older to dye it. Maybe I’ll dye it pink! Ohhhh! Rainbow! No, purple! I can’t decide.”
As the verbal freight train that is Lissa continues her long, drawn-out monologue, Jake reaches forward to untangle me from the iron vises around my waist. He flashes me a sympathetic smile as I’m finally able to free myself from the tiny girl.
Spinning, I take in my roommate for the first time.
She’s incredibly short—so short, that I half believe that she’s under four foot. That, combined with her cherubic, dainty features, makes her look years younger than her actual age. Dark brown hair cascades down her back in perfect ringlets, held away from her face by a pink headband. She wears a pink skirt, a white- and pink-striped shirt, and pink knee-high socks.
Is this what Barbie’s child would look like if she had an affair with GI Joe?
Lissa squeals again, as if she’s pleased to have my attention, and rushes forward to give me another hug. Just like before, I go rigid in her embrace, reminding myself to breathe.
“This is going to be so much fun!” she squeaks. “It’ll be like a sleepover every day. I’ve always wanted a sister.”
“Lissa…” Hale warns, sounding exasperated.
I imagine this is a daily occurrence with the tiny girl.
“We’re still going to the mall, right? To buy you clothes? Do you need anything else? A phone? A computer?”
I open my mouth to respond that I don’t need any of that stuff, when Hale butts in.
“We’ll stop at the technology store in the mall. Ethan still works there, correct?” He directs this question at Jake, who nods once.