CHAPTER TWO

I felt the skin on my neck and shivered. The mark hadn’t faded—not even a little. It was still there, stubborn and strange, like it had been etched into me permanently. I’d tried everything: creams, pills, herbal remedies. Nothing worked. Eventually, I gave up. The treatments always left a weird aftertaste in my mouth anyway, like bitterness and regret.

“It hasn’t stung me in a while,” I said quietly, sitting on the edge of my bed. “But I still can’t remember the dream. I just wake up sometime after midnight, scared, and the mark itches me.”

Lex leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. His brows were furrowed, the way they always were when he was worried. “Don’t you think we should tell Mom?”

I shook my head. “She’s already stressed with the move and everything. I don’t want to add this to her plate.”

He didn’t argue, just sighed and held out my scarf. I took it from him, wrapping it around my neck like armor.

“Just promise me you’ll always talk to me, okay?” he said.

I nodded and held out my pinky. “Thicker than thieves, remember?”

He smiled and linked his pinky with mine. “Thicker than thieves.”

We’d been doing that since we were kids—our own secret pact. It meant everything to us. No matter what happened, we had each other.

A few minutes later, we left for school. We always drove together, even though we had separate cars. We alternated—today was my purple convertible’s turn, tomorrow would be his sleek black BMW. Mom had spared no expense when it came to us, and we were grateful, even if we didn’t always show it.

I parked the car and tossed Lex the keys. I could be careless sometimes, and I didn’t want to be stuck searching for them after school. That had happened once, and it was a disaster I didn’t plan to repeat.

As we walked into school, a swarm of girls immediately gravitated toward Lex. It was like watching bees chase honey. I waved him off and kept walking. I had math first period, and I wasn’t about to risk detention.

“Lexi, baby, hi!” Linda squealed, throwing her arms around me.

I stiffened. Linda was one of those fake friends—the kind who only hung around because they thought being close to me meant getting closer to Lex.

“Hi,” I said flatly, rolling my eyes.

“Where’s Alex?” she asked, linking her arm with mine.

“He’s just outside,” I replied, gently pulling away. “I gotta get to class, Lin. See you later.”

I didn’t wait for her response. I had no patience for fake energy today.

“Sup, dude?” Isla called out, falling into step beside me.

Now this was someone I’d miss. Isla had been my best friend since kindergarten. She was wild, unpredictable, and absolutely herself. Baggy jeans, scarf tops, purplish hair—she was chaos wrapped in glitter, and I loved her for it.

“Hi bh,” I greeted her, and she grinned.

“Math class, eh?” she asked, pulling a skateboard from her bag like it was a textbook.

“Yeah,” I said, and she gave me a long look.

“You sleep well, dude?”

“Meh,” I replied, and she nodded knowingly.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I was thankful I didn’t end up in detention and that my car key stayed exactly where it should. Small victories.

After school, I found Lex near the parking lot. “Don’t you have practice today?”

He handed me the keys. “We’ll be gone in a few days anyway.”

I climbed into the driver’s seat. “Louisiana’s beautiful. Mom said our new house is close to the beach. We could finally learn to surf once we turn eighteen.”

Lex perked up. “Wouldn’t that be rad?” He drummed his fingers on the dashboard, smiling again.

We pulled out of the lot, the late afternoon sun casting golden streaks across the windshield. For a moment, everything felt normal.

When we got home, Mom was in the kitchen, surrounded by boxes. She’d spent the whole day packing. I was pretty sure we’d be out of D.C. by Friday.

“Hi hun, a package came for you,” she said, pointing to a small box on the counter.

Lex and I spoke in unison. “What package?”

“I don’t know. This one,” she said. “No sender’s address. Could it be from your secret admirer?”

I blushed instantly. “Mom!”

I grabbed the box and bolted upstairs. I didn’t have any admirers—at least none I knew of. And I hadn’t ordered anything online.

I tore it open, impatient as ever.

Inside was something I never expected to see again.

My jade pendant.

I gasped. It was a family heirloom, passed down from my grandmother. I’d lost it the night of the accident at summer camp—the same night I woke up in the hospital with the mark on my neck.

I stared at it, frozen. The chain was intact. The stone gleamed like it had just been polished. But it was impossible. I’d searched everywhere. I’d cried over it. I’d given up.

And now, here it was. Delivered anonymously. No note. No explanation.

I picked it up, and the moment my fingers touched the gem, something shifted.

An image flashed in my mind.

Golden eyes.

A boy. Leaning toward me. His eyes glowing like embers. His face was blurry, but the eyes—they were unforgettable.

I gasped and dropped the pendant. My heart was racing. I tried to hold onto the vision, to remember more, but it slipped away like water through my fingers.

Who was he?

Why did I see him?

And why now?

I picked up the pendant again, slower this time. It felt warm. Familiar. Like it belonged to me. Like it had always belonged to me.

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at it. The mark on my neck began to tingle. Not painfully—just a soft, persistent buzz. Like it was responding to the pendant.

I didn’t understand any of it. But I knew one thing for sure.

This wasn’t a coincidence.

Someone had sent this to me. Someone who knew. Someone who remembered.

And maybe... someone who was waiting.