Page 303 of Nobody's Girl

“Okay, when you put it that way, I guess you’re right.”

The band that has set up on the temporary stage in the enormous back yard starts to do their sound check. The light is quickly fading away, making the lights that have been strung up everywhere begin to glow.

“It’s time, Alyssa. Are you ready to take our places?” Eden asks me.

“As I ever will be.”

We go into the living room, sit down in front of the television, and wait for Kyle and Laura to find us.

The front door opens slowly. Kyle’s head comes into view as he looks into the dark room. “Okay,” he whispers. “Come on. Follow me closely.”

He moves into the room cautiously as aura follows him. “How are we ever going to find them in here? This place is huge.” Laura whispers.

“Shh, look I can see a light just around the corner. Be really quiet. I have no idea who it could be,” he tells Laura.

Eden and I sit perfectly still on the sofa as we wait for them to come to us. Time ticks by slowly. I don’t hear anything else for what seems like an eternity. Then I feel Laura’s hand touching my shoulder. I turn my head to look at her. Her face lights up.

“Are you okay, Ally?” she asks me quietly.

I nod. “I am fine,” I say out loud.

“Shh,” Kyle says as he puts his finger up to his lips. “Let’s get out of here before whoever took you guys gets back or wakes up or whatever.”

Eden turns to look at him. “It’s okay.”

“How is it okay?” Kyle asks in a whisper.

Eden and I stand up. “Because no one’s here or coming back,” Eden tells him as he hits a button on the remote he’s holding, turning the lights up.

I see Laura and Kyle are completely dumbfounded. “What the hell is going on?” Kyle asks, finally not whispering anymore.

“Sorry about the abduction thing. It wasn’t true,” I say.

“What the hell do you mean it wasn’t true?” Laura practically yells at me.

“It’s not true. It was a test,” I tell her.

Laura lunges over the sofa, grabbing at me as she screams. “Alyssa Shaylee Fontaine, I am going to kill you. We were told that you both had been taken. We’ve driven like maniacs from New Orleans, freaking nonstop all the way to Austin to get to you. And it was all fake?” she yells at me.

Kyle looks confused, but grabs Laura, holding her back. “Hang on Laura. We can’t kill them, even though they are asses. I can’t believe you two would do this to us. I guess you think it’s funny or something. Maybe it’s just to see how far we’ll go for you, I don’t know. I do know it’s not cool at all,” Kyle tells us.

“Okay, guys,” Eden says as he tries to calm them down. “Let’s just go outside and get some fresh air. We’ll explain it all to you.”

I take Eden’s hand and we lead them out of the house and into the dark backyard. Eden opens the door, revealing only the blackness of the moonless night. I’m surprised by the fact that it’s impossible to see anything.

“It’s pitch black out here,” Kyle says.

Suddenly the large yard is flooded with light as all the lights that have been strung up light up all at once. “Surprise!” everyone yells.

Kyle and Laura look at each other and then at me. “What’s going on, Al?” Laura asks me.

“This is your initiation into the society. This party is to welcome you and Kyle into it,” I tell her.

“Okay, that’s a little over the top,” Kyle mutters. “But really nice of everybody.”

Laura notices everyone is still looking at us. “Ally, who threw this party for us? We need to tell them thank you,” she says, almost under her breath.

“The entire society is throwing this party for you. You’ve been chosen to be our guardian, Laura. Your place in this society is second to Kyle’s. You both are very important.”