Legends: The Folklore Trilogy Book 2

Chapter 10-Where I Hear The Ravings of a Crazy Woman

Dinner that night was the same as lunch, but with fewer heart-stopping epiphanies. Mrs. Simone and Dr. Smith kept looking at Audrey subtly, and I could see how the edges of their mouths would turn up ever so slightly whenever she spoke. Audrey seemed to be doing her best to avoid looking at them.

Mr. Marquez came back in the middle of dinner, his head down. His suit looked a little more rumpled than before, as if he had been sitting against a wall. He sat between Dr. Smith and Ms. Catalona, looking haggard and worn down. It didn't suit him. Mrs. Simone reached across her husband and squeezed his hand..

I felt like asking what was wrong, but when I opened my mouth, Isaac shot me a look that clearly said, it's an adult thing and we shouldn't get involved.

Sierra looked at Mr. Marquez for a long time, if she had known him from a long time ago, but didn't know what to say.

Dinner ended, and we began to go back to our rooms. The rest of the hall filled out, and then our table. Mr. Marquez began to pick up one of the platters, but it trembled in his hand. Mrs. Simone placed her hand on top of it and gently coaxed it back to the table. "Let someone else take it. You need to sleep, Juan."

He nodded, too tired to even argue. Dr. Smith stood and helped Mr. Marquez walk.

I watched in confusion and a tinge of sadness hit me.

"Sierra," Mrs. Simone said quietly, gesturing to the platter with a question in her eyes. Sierra nodded, and picked it up, needing both hands for the heavy tray.

"She asked for water," Mr. Marquez called from the door. His voice was rough and laced with exhaustion. Mrs. Simone nodded. "I'll go get a pitcher." She hurried off to a door in the back.

Sierra noticed us waiting. "You guys can go on ahead, this might take me a bit." I wasn't sure if she was talking to everyone or just her friends, but we all slowly filed out.

"I'll race you to the courtyard," Audrey said to Deynan and Isaac.

"Oh, you are so on," Deynan said, prepping. Isaac just smiled.

"Go!" Audrey said, bolting forwards. Deynan followed in hot pursuit, complaining on how unfair it was. Isaac ran off, laughing, and Sophie followed him, flitting like a butterfly.

I sighed. I hate running. I was getting ready to follow them, when Sierra let out a small shriek. I turned quickly, but she had just tripped a little. She looked at me apologetically. "Sorry, this tray is a little heavier than it looks." I nodded, not sure what to say. For a few moments, we stood there awkwardly. I began to wonder if I just gave off an aura of awkward.

For the first time, I had a really good look at Sierra Claget. Other than my first impression , I noticed a few other things. Her ears were pierced, though the holes were pinched, as if she hadn't worn earrings in a long time. She wore a necklace that had a wide array of charms on it, but I couldn't see them all from where I was. The chain had tarnished; she wore it a lot. She shifted and I noticed a long, pale scar down her forearm. She looked uncomfortable, and I realized I was staring.

Finally, I asked a question. "How is Audrey handling...the news?"

Sierra nodded seriously. "Ok. I think she's trying to avoid confronting it. Just pushing it away. But sometimes I catch her staring off into space, and she only does that when she's thinking about something and she doesn't want anyone to know she's thinking about it. Otherwise she would just say it out loud. She's open like that."

I nodded, surprised on how insightful that was. Suddenly, my mind flooded with a hundred other questions I wanted to ask her. I settled on the most important one. "What's wrong with Mr. Marquez?"