❝She's one of those girls you just can't walk away from. One of those girls you will never forget, no matter how hard you might try.❞
BOOK ONE OF THE SCARLETT CHRONICLES |
After being kidnapped as a young child, seventeen year old Scarlett Grey is...
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I WAS SCRAPING my chopsticks against the bottom of the takeout box, trying to get to the last of my chicken chop suey, when my phone started ringing. I slid to answer the call, squishing my phone in between my ear and my shoulder. "Hello, Mum."
On the other end I could hear soft piano music and whispers of voices. "Scarlett, Darling, how was your day?" Mum asked, her voice as proper as ever.
"It was good, Mum. I made the dance team," I told her, holding back a laugh as Meghan's bite of noodles slipped through her chopsticks and onto her lap.
After tryouts, Aimee and Meghan had brought me back to their house and we'd ordered Chinese takeout to celebrate my making the team. We were in Aimee's room; she was stretched out on the floor, Meghan had her legs hung over a leather chair and I sat cross-legged on the bed.
"That's lovely, Sweetheart, your father and I are so proud of you. You've worked hard for this," she congratulated me.
I scowled down at my near-empty carton before pitching it towards the garbage and missing by about a foot. Aimee and Meghan's laughter filled the room. I flipped them off before lying back on the bed. "Thanks, Mum. How was the gala?"
I heard her breathy sigh on the other end. "It was wonderful. I hate to tell you this over the phone, but it looks like we won't be home tonight. Your father was pulled away for some business and I'm accompanying him."
"That's fine. I, um, I'll see you soon then?" I rolled my lips into my mouth, resisting the urge to sigh.
"I'll call you tomorrow, when I know how long we'll be gone for," Mum said. I heard someone call out her name and she murmured a quiet reply. "Why don't you stay with your friends for a bit? I hate the thought of you alone at the house."
"We'll see, Mum. Enjoy your trip."
"I love you, Scarlett. Your father sends his love as well."
I smiled sadly. "Love you both, Mum," I told her before clicking off and tossing my phone to the side. "Go figure," I muttered cynically.
"Parental troubles, Scarlett?" Meghan called over to me from her chair.
I sighed before sitting up and tucking my feet underneath me again. "They're not coming home tonight."
