Free Cinder by Jessica Sorensen Page B

like I barely know you anymore.”
     
    “I’m the same as I’ve always been.” I maintain her gaze, wishing I had that book again so maybe I could figure out a way to bring my friend back. “I think you’re the one that’s changed.”
     
    “No, you’re different,” she replies. “In fact, you seem even crazier than when we first met.”
     
    I shake my head, knowing she’s trying to get a rise out of me. “Raven, why are you here? Other than to insult me. Did you just stop by to see Ian?”
     
    “Why would I want to see Ian?”
     
    “Um, because you’ve been letting him paint you.” I resist an eye roll at her feigned lack of remembering. “I know you’re his secret muse that sneaks into the house.”
     
    “Oh, I haven’t done that in a few weeks,” she says, discounting the truth. “I only came over here to see you.”
     
    My mouth sinks to a frown. “Why?”
     
    She grins. “Because we’re friends and I want to hang out.” Then she grabs my arm again and starts to drag me towards the front door. “I thought we could have some fun like we used to.”
     
    “You haven’t talked to me in weeks.” I plant my feet firmly on the floor, refusing to budge. “And now suddenly you want us to be friends again?”
     
    “So I was thinking we should go bowling tonight.” She tugs on my arm, ignoring me.
     
    “Bowling? Seriously? That’s why you came over here?” I refuse to move and walk into whatever trap is lying ahead of me.
     
    “Yeah, it’d be fun,” she says with a huge smile plastered on her face.
     
    “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” I ask.
     
    “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?” she retorts in a whiney sing-song. We stare each other down until she ultimately lets go of my arm and then stomps her foot against the floor. “Oh, come on, go bowling with me. Please? It’ll be fun.”
     
    “No way,” I say, retreating for the living room. “It would be weird and awkward like this whole conversation.”
     
    “What do you mean?” She tilts her head, confounded. “There’s nothing weird about this conversation. We’re just two best friends hanging out.”
     
    I stop backing away when I reach the doorway of the living room and then point at the front door. “No, we’re not and you should go.”
     
    Now, Ember, is that any way to speak to your best friend. Cameron’s voice reemerges in my head.
     
    How the hell do I get you out of my head? I say loudly inside my head.
     
    You don’t.
     
    I hate you.
     
    No you don’t. You want me, more than you’d like to admit.
     
    “Shut up.” I don’t mean to say it out loud, but it slips out.
     
    Raven gapes at me like I’ve lost it. “Em, are you okay?”
     
    I cross my arms over my chest. “Oh, like you already don’t know that I’m not okay. That nothing is okay.”
     
    She doesn’t know about me, Cameron hisses in my head . I already told you I’m not part of the Anamotti and that Reapers hate me and my family, and if you know what’s best for you, you won’t utter a word to her about me.
     
    Well, if that’s what you don’t want me to do, then it’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m not really planning on telling her, just making a threat. When I open my mouth, my jaw snaps shut of its own accord.
     
    I guess we’re going to do this the hard way then. He sighs, like he’s so disappointed . I really would rather not, but you give me no choice.
     
    Suddenly, my mouth turns upward into an enormous grin as I span my hands out to the sides of me. “I’d love to go bowling.” The voice belongs to me, but I’m not controlling it; I’m suddenly nothing more than a puppet, just like everyone else at school.
     
    Cameron, knock it off! I try to run towards the stairs and grab ahold of the railing, but my feet remain planted in place.
     
    No, you need to go with her. It’s important. He sounds serious, which is weird for him. It might help us figure some stuff out.
     
    Us? There