The Gathering (Darkness Rising 1)

"Seems Hayley's telling you a lot. A word of advice? She's not the most reliable source of information in Salmon Creek."

"Because she tried to cheat on her math homework in seventh grade?"

"That was a long time ago."

"Exactly her point. You caught her breaking into your locker to copy your math homework. One screwup that you've never forgotten."

"If she says I squealed on her, she's lying. The teachers never found out."

"Because you handled it your own way. You started ignoring her. And if you ignored her, then your friends did, too."

"So I turned her into the school outcast?" I laughed. "Seriously, does she seem like an outcast to you? She's got her crowd. It's just not my crowd. She hangs out with us when she wants to. Nicole doesn't ignore her. Corey definitely doesn't ignore her."

"No, he'll make out with her when he's had a beer or two and there's no one else around. But if you and Daniel can't stand her, then she's not dating material."

"That's crap. Yes, I don't trust Hayley, and, yes, it started with that homework. But if she's telling people that I've made her life miserable for five years because of it?" I shook my head and started to turn away.

Rafe stepped in front of me. "I'm sure she's the one still holding a grudge. I also think she's the one who dosed your drink. But the point, Maya, is that you don't give anyone a second chance. One strike and we're out."

"So I'm inflexible and intolerant."

"Maybe."

"Well, then it's a good thing you're done with me, isn't it?"

I headed for the house. Rafe let out a curse. I heard a thump and a gasp of pain. I glanced back to see him cradling his hand, the small tree beside him quivering from a blow. He looked up and caught me watching. Then he spun and strode into the forest.

THIRTY-TWO

AS I APPROACHED THE house, I could see Mom on the porch, her feet bare as she tugged on one of my dad's jackets and peered anxiously into the forest. When she saw me, she let out a sigh of relief.

"I heard voices," she said. "Was that Rafe?"

"Yes."

She pulled the jacket around her and lowered her voice. "I know you really like him, Maya, but you can't be meeting him--"

"I wasn't. It's over."

"Oh." She waited until I was on the porch. "Did you just break up now?"

I shook my head. "Earlier. He came by to see if I'd talk. Maybe work things out. We couldn't."

"I'm sorry."

She gave me a hug, then ushered me into the house, Kenjii following. She led me to the kitchen and started fixing a snack. I wasn't hungry, but I wasn't eager to go to bed either.

Kenjii lay at my feet and I petted her as Mom put crackers on a plate. As she was slicing cheese, she said, with her back still to me, "Your lip. Does that have anything to do with ...?"

"Did Rafe hit me? One, I wouldn't sneak into the woods to talk to a guy who split my lip. Two, if something like that happened, Daniel would never help me cover it up."

"Sorry," she said, bringing the plate to the table. "I had to ask."

"I know."

She sat across from me. I nibbled on a cheese-covered cracker.

After a minute, she said, "He wasn't what you thought he was."