From Gods (Descendant Prophecies Book 1)(6)

As soon as Skylar entered the diner she got a whiff of the delicious  aroma from whatever Jack was cooking and the hunger pangs started. With  all that shopping, she had worked up an appetite.

The girls waved to Kayla's mom, Mona, Jack, and the weekend waitresses.  Not wanting to interrupt anyone, they headed to a corner table and sat.

"What can I get you ladies?" Mona beamed a smile. "Out of all the places  you could eat, you came here on your day off? You girls must be  desperate." Mona snorted.

"It's called free food," Kayla laughed. "With all the stuff we bought today, I'm going to have to sacrifice my stomach."

"You surely are sacrificing your stomach with Jack's cooking," Mona teased. "Last call."

Skylar giggled. "We're fine, Mona. I'd like to order Jack's famous  burger with french fries, crispy thin. Don't forget the ketchup,  please."

"That sounds good. I'll have the same . . . I think," Kayla said,  looking undecided. "I'm so hungry. I could eat everything on this menu."

"Got it. I'll put your order through. Everything on the menu," she  winked and then became serious. Mona leaned over as if she were going to  tell them a secret. "By the way, I haven't seen the boys today." Then  she walked away.         

     



 

Skylar had finally stopped thinking about Mason, but after Mona's words .  . . well, now she was-again. He had already occupied her mind all day  at the mall. She didn't want the thought of him to linger any longer.

After ten minutes, Kayla's mom brought dinner over and sat with the girls. "How do you like working here, Skylar?"

"I have to say, I was surprised how much I enjoy it."

"That's because you're with me," Kayla butted in. "Imagine working here  alone with no one our age to talk to. Let's see what you'd say then."  She looked at her mom, taking a huge bite of her burger.

Ignoring her daughter, Kelly continued, "Let me know if you decide you  don't like it. I'm not going to force you to work for me. Do you  understand?"

"Sure, Auntie Kelly." Skylar poured the ketchup on her plate and over her burger.

"So, what are you girls doing after dinner?"

"I think we're-" Skylar started to say with a mouthful of food.

Kayla kicked Skylar under the table. "We're going home. We're exhausted from shopping all day."

"Really?" Kelly looked surprised. "If you do decide to go out, make sure  to stick together and be back home before I am. Well,"-Kelly stood  up-"I'd better get back to work."

"But you're the boss," Kayla pointed out.

"What kind of boss would I be if I didn't set a good example, right?  Remember that girls." With a nod from Skylar and a roll of the eyes from  Kayla, Kelly greeted the new customer that had just walked in.

"Why did you kick me under the table?" Skylar huffed. "That hurt."

"Sorry, but I didn't want you to tell my mom."

"Why?"

"She wouldn't have let us go."

"How do you know? You didn't ask."

"Trust me. I know. And like she said, we just need to be back before she  is. No need to tell her where we are going or whom we are going with."  After they finished their meal, they headed home to get ready for the  beach party.





"There it is." Kayla pointed, focusing her eyes on the bonfire that was  blazing skyward, dancing with the colors of red and orange. Readjusting  her bag, Kayla slung it over the other shoulder and walked side by side  with Skylar along the path. Nick had told Kayla to look for a bonfire,  and what a bonfire she'd found.

Seeing Nick, Kayla waved happily. He grinned as he watched them  approach, wearing only navy blue trunks. Holding a bottle of beer in his  hand, he gave the girls each a light hug, then turned to his friends.  "Hey, everyone, this is Kayla and Skylar."

They all waved without making eye contact, ignoring the newcomers to  turn back to their own conversations. There were about ten of them.  Skylar looked at everyone when she greeted them, but she didn't see  Mason or Doug, or whatever his name was. Feeling disappointed and not  knowing why, she settled on the sand when Kayla took out a beach towel  and laid it down.

The night air felt comfortable and the bonfire kept them warm, though it  wasn't cold out. Nick went to the cooler and brought back a couple of  opened bottles. "Here." He handed one to Kayla.

"Thanks." Kayla nodded, taking a sip. Skylar gave Kayla a long stare, a  look she used when she was not happy with her cousin, and Kayla  understood. "What? It's okay," Kayla whispered and smiled. "I've had one  before."

Then he gave one to Skylar.

"I actually don't like beer. But thanks anyway." She tried to sound as  polite as possible. She didn't want to offend him, and she definitely  didn't want to tell him she'd never drank beer before.

"Oh, no problem. More for me then." Nick chuckled and sat on the other side of Kayla.

As they sat there soaking in the perfect temperature, Skylar dug her  feet into the sand. She loved the sensation of the cool, soft sand  seeping between her toes. Oddly, like Nick had said, there was no one  else on the beach besides his group. This made Skylar uneasy, but she  brushed off the feeling since they weren't the only girls there.

With her arms extending behind her, she lay back, enjoying the music  blasting from the iPad, but the waves crashing on the shore took her in.  It was somehow hypnotic, soothing. Turning her head toward the sound,  she could see the moonbeams flawlessly reflecting silver lights along  the ocean, wrapping Skylar with a feeling of peace and comfort.  Mesmerized by the view, she thought she could gaze at it all night.  Though she was tired from shopping all day, somehow being there had  awakened her, providing a new vibe of energy.         

     



 

Unfortunately, the peace was interrupted when Skylar turned her head  toward the bonfire again. The guy with the yellow trunks was gawking at  her. His stare was unlike anything she had experienced before. She  couldn't tell if he was undressing her with his eyes or if he wanted to  hurt her, like a lion observing its prey, ready to attack. Awkward!  Slowly, she turned without making it obvious she was uncomfortable.

Skylar wondered if she had a sign on her forehead that read "Please  stare at me." First there were the guys at the mall and now this guy  she'd barely met.

As always, though Kayla didn't know it, she came to Skylar's rescue.  Relaxing as soon as she heard Kayla's voice, she honed in on her  conversation with Nick. Kayla didn't waste time and was not afraid to  speak her mind, especially when it came to Skylar's interests. "Where's  Mason?"

"He's around . . . somewhere."

"Are they all your friends?"

"The guy with the red trunks is my oldest brother. His name is Everett.  And the guy with yellow trunks, my second oldest brother, is Remus. I'm  the third one, and the guy that is missing, Mace -I mean Mason-is the  youngest. Then the rest of the people are Everett's friends."

Remus was Mason's brother? Great! What luck! Skylar was already off to a  crappy start, but for what? It wasn't as if she was interested in  hanging out with Mason anyway, and it didn't matter what she thought  about Remus or what Remus thought about her. Still, she didn't like the  way he continued to glare at her, as if he were expecting her to do  something horrible or turn into an alien or something. She couldn't  begin to guess what his problem was. Then she looked at the girls. Their  hands were all over the brothers. "Hmm, good friends I'm sure," she  mumbled.

Kayla nudged Skylar with her shoulder, gesturing for her to keep her  thoughts to herself. "So you have three brothers. Any sisters?"

"Nope."

"Do you go to school?"

"Nope."

"Oh. So do you work?"

"Kind of."

"Kind of? Okay, soooo do you do anything?" Kayla turned her head sideways in confusion.

"Nope. We inherited tons of money when our parents passed away, so we'll  never have to work a day in our lives. Well, not really," he explained  imperturbably. "We own businesses."

"I'm so sorry about your folks, but it must be nice not having to work, I  guess." Kayla nudged Skylar again when she rolled her eyes.

Strange and odd. Parents passed away? How? Funny, he didn't mention  Mason being a cop either. They kind of worked, but owned businesses? A  huge red flag. They looked too young to own their own businesses. They  were probably in their early twenties. Maybe if they inherited the  businesses, then that would be a different story.

As horrid thoughts circulated through her mind, Skylar decided it was  best to tune out their conversation. Speaking of parents reminded Skylar  of her dad. He had left them when she was only eight years old, and she  hadn't heard from him since. He might as well be dead, she thought.