The Darkest Target (Arrows & Anchors Book 2) (SAMPLE)

Chapter 1: Proud (Part I)

"All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again."
— J.M. Barrie

Familiar. The sounds were so familiar. 

With an anxious beating in my chest, I sat and studied the buzzing crowd. My best sidekick in the entire world, Laina, was to my right. It felt complete with her here. Granted, we weren't in the front row this time, but we still had a crisp, clear view of the decorated stage before us. The event hadn't even begun yet, and already, the excitement in the air was almost palpable.

My eager ears welcomed the low hum of the masses, as I gazed around, trying to spot him.

"This is just like old times!" Laina squealed and hugged me for the fifth time... in a span of ten minutes.

"Why don't you ever hug me that much?" Wes asked his girlfriend, with a playful poke to her ribs.

"Shush, you!" Laina peered at him. For the most part, it was in affection. "I'm making up for lost time!"

My best friend's arms remained wrapped around me, tight as could be. Oh, how I had missed her. As of late, Laina had been engrossed—happily so—in the ventures of opening her very own restaurant. Because of that, this reunion was a long time coming. Still, it largely felt as though no time had passed at all. The last handful of years had been a blur, seeming to have raced away with a single intake of breath.

"So, your mom is handling everything for tomorrow?" Laina stepped back, to look into my eyes.

"I think so." I huffed. "She's meeting with the photographer right now, and Adam's picking up some things from the dry cleaners. He should've been here by now."

My eye darted from my watch, to the floor, to the stage, and back again.

"Brooke, you're probably more nervous than my brother," Liz said with a grin. 

I turned to my left, to smirk at her.

"I know, I know." I closed my eyes, and tried to better control the speed at which my chest was expanding and contracting. "I bet Julian is just excited to be back on stage again."

"Breathe, Brooke," Tommy said, from his seat next to Wes. "He's going to do great."

Tommy looped an arm around Gina and they both offered me a soothing smile.

"He's right," Jesse agreed. "And hey, that's your step dad right there, isn't it?"

Jesse pointed to Adam, who was standing by the arena doors to our right. One hand was cupped over his angular brows, trying to spot us.

While trying to stay calm, I motioned toward him, before Laina burst out, "RIGHT HERE, ADAM!"

She jumped up and down, waving her arms around like a complete maniac.

As if we weren't already getting enough attention.

Adam ran over to claim his reserved seat next to Liz. My step dad's career had proved to offer some perks after all. With a bit of finagling the day before, we were all able to score seats at the back of the floor, instead of in the risers with the rest of the audience.

"Sorry I'm late." Adam rushed the words, just as the music hit.

Slowly, a line of people—clad in black robes—began passing by us. I kept my eyes moving around and between them, searching for cloth of a different color.

"Do you see him yet?" Laina whispered into my ear—well, as close to a whisper as Laina's voice could've gotten.

"No, I thought he was supposed to enter at the front of the procession," I replied, while rubbing my hands together.