“Goodnight, Miss Emery.” She slipped a roll into my hand.
I smiled gratefully and turned to go, then stopped. “Belinda?”
“Yes, dear?”
“What do you do with the mail when you bring it in?”
“I put it directly on your father’s desk, every afternoon, as I have for years.”
“Did you ever happen to see any personal letters for me?”
“No, dear. But I would never look through the mail.” She lowered her voice. “Your father would find that inappropriate.”
“Okay, thanks.”
I headed upstairs, but instead of going to my room, I made a right and stood in front of Grant’s closed door. After pausing to make sure the coast was clear, I stepped inside.
It was just as he’d left it—there were even dirty clothes in the hamper and a UI sweatshirt on the floor. He’d gotten into the University of Iowa, home to the famous Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and planned on majoring in creative writing. An amazing accomplishment…and our father couldn’t see it.
I turned to his bookshelf and grabbedA Prayer for Owen Meany. It had been some years since I’d looked at it. Since Xander disappeared. But as I flipped open the first page, what I’d written about him came back to me.
I’m doomed to remember a boy with mismatched eyes…
Only I didn’t have to remember him anymore. He was back.
And he’d kept his promise.
Chapter 7
Xander
On Friday morning, the students were diverted from their first period classes and funneled into a huge auditorium for a pep rally. By the time I arrived, the place was packed, everyone stomping their feet and shouting about Royal Pride—the school’s mantra and guiding ethos. Bleachers had been unfolded from both walls, and the seats were filled with students, about a thousand in all.
The cacophony was enough to make me turn around and leave, but then I heard my name. Dean Yearwood sat on the upper level of one side and waved me over. In the interest of the Experiment and putting effort into making friends, I braved the noise and joined him.
Dean gestured at the small group around him—two guys and one girl.
“Xander, I’d like you to meet Kevin Huang, president of our Math & Physics Club, and Jasper Reed, treasurer.”
Sitting one riser below was a girl wearing an eclectic outfit of contrasting styles, with a cloud of brown curls and a pale, delicate face. Shrewd brown eyes observed me.
“This is Harper Bennett,” Dean said. “She’s new, like you, and a recent addition to our little gang. You’ll meet the rest next Wednesday at our first meeting…all two of them.”
“Hello,” I said with a wave that encompassed them all. “Thank you for having me.”
“Our pleasure,” Kevin said with a warm smile. He was a skinny guy in a windbreaker, khakis, and nice shoes. Not a Bender, then. My father liked to say you can always read a man’s situation by his shoes. “Dean tells me you aced our little quiz.”
“I suppose so.”
Dean thumped my back. “So modest. I have a feeling that was only a taste of what Xander is capable of.”
“No, no, I—”
“Whoa!” Dean exclaimed suddenly, staring at me. “I didn’t notice before, but…holy shit! You have two different colored eyes!”
“Not entirely, but…yes.” I said as everyone—including Harper—peered at me closely.
“That is the coolest thing ever!” Dean cried.
