Blue Violet - By Abigail Owen Page 0,12

distances.” Seeing that Ellie was still frozen mid-action, Griffin moved to help her finish gathering her homework off the floor. They sat down on the couch together. Griffin picked up her legs and propped them in his lap.

“So what did they talk about?”

“Ummm… someone named Alex just arrived.”

Ellie nodded, blocking her true thoughts from her brother. “Yeah, I met him today. What about him?” She hoped she sounded casual, even though her heart bounced around a bit at the mention of his name.

“He’s been away at college, and Lucy asked him to come home. Apparently her power also includes some kind of general intuition. Feelings that something good or bad is going to happen. The family seem to take her feelings pretty seriously. And she’s got one now.”

That sounds pretty ominous, Ellie thought. Aloud she asked, “Good or bad?”

“A bit of both,” Griffin answered. “Based on what I heard, she’s not sure which. On the plus side for us, they think you’re just a normal high school girl…that you would’ve figured them out or approached them by now if you weren’t.”

Relief whooshed through Ellie as she released a big breath.

“But,” Griffin continued, “that does mean you’re going to have to be extra careful until we know for sure we can trust them.”

“We can trust them. I already know that.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do,” she insisted.

He looked skeptical.

“I could always use Lucy’s power to show you. You said she sees intentions,” Ellie suggested.

“Pass.”

Of course, Griffin hadn’t gone into any details about what he was really bothered about, but Ellie knew it would be useless to ask him. He tended to be a bit of a thinker, and would only open up when he decided it was best. If he decided it was best.

After a few moments of contemplative silence, Griffin ran his hands over his face and said, “If you’re sure you’re right about being able to trust them, then I think you shouldn’t avoid Adelaide, Lila, and Nate.”

“Seriously?” Ellie loved the idea of befriending the trio. It’d been a long time since she’d had anyone except Griffin as a real friend.

“Can you do it without their finding out?”

“Ummmm…” Ellie managed to momentarily put on hold her desperate wish for friends who truly knew who and what she was, to give that question the serious consideration it deserved. “Yeah, I think I can. Especially if I have your help,” she finally decided.

“Okay.” Griffin nodded and ruffled her hair. “You’d better finish your homework, young lady.”

Ellie stuck her tongue out in response. It felt so good to have Griffin on her side again. Ellie headed upstairs, her head full of what tomorrow might bring.

Chapter 8

Ellie woke bright and early the next morning. Hopping out of bed, she dressed in her warmest running clothes and headed out the door. She got in her car and drove down to Lake Estes. After locking up, she walked over to a path partially covered in snow and broke into a steady jog. Ellie kept her run fairly short this morning, circling the lake only once, and then jogging over to the downtown, stopping briefly at her car to grab her book.

Once downtown, she headed into a small coffee and pastry shop. Although she hadn’t been living here long, this was already one of her favorite places. The food was good, and the shop opened early. Ellie settled down to enjoy her breakfast and read more of her book for her English class.

“Ellie, right?” a deep voice resonated just above her.

Glancing up from the book, Ellie’s mouth dropped open. Alex Jenner was standing beside her, coffee in hand, also decked out in running clothes. Just as frickin’ gorgeous as he had been the day before. And all Ellie could think was I just finished running, and I look and smell like nothing very pleasant. Why, oh, why did he have to bump into me now?

Just barely resisting the urge to fix her hair or sniff herself, Ellie closed her mouth with a decided snap. With a concerted effort, she pulled it together, proud of her oh-so-casual, “Alex, right? Adelaide and Lila’s brother?”

“Good memory,” he toasted her with his coffee cup. “Mind if I join you?” he asked, nodding at the empty chair beside her.

“Sure.”

After seating himself, Alex looked over and caught Ellie watching him. With a blush, Ellie lowered her eyes to her book.

“Good book?” he asked, bringing her gaze back to him.

Ellie shrugged, showing him the cover.

“To Kill a Mockingbird. I’ve always liked that one,”