Secret of the Sevens by Lynn Lindquist

Author:Lynn Lindquist
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ya, ya novel, young adult, young adult novel, ya fiction, young adult fiction, secret of sevens, secrets of the sevens, secret society
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2015-04-15T04:00:00+00:00

Twenty-six

“You two. In my office. Now!”

Mom’s voice is calm, but not a relaxed calm. More like the calm-inside-the-eye-of-a-hurricane calm. My neck and back tense as I yank a T-shirt over my head and follow her through the house to her office.

Marcus and Juan are talking in the kitchen when we pass. Marcus takes one look at Mom and his eyebrows skyrocket. He looks sidelong at me and mouths, “What happened?”

Mom turns into her office and points to two chairs, which we sit in like soldiers. The click from her shutting the door sounds like the door of a death-row cell sliding into place.

She says nothing as she paces back and forth in front of us, rubbing her hands together. I know her. She’s mentally running through every child psychology seminar she’s ever attended to figure out how to handle this. Meanwhile, my brain wrestles to think of an excuse for why we were in my bedroom with the door locked.

“You can stop freaking out,” Laney blurts out. She looks her mom straight in the eyes. “I’m not hooking up with Talan.”

Mom’s shoulders relax some. Thank God one of us has a reputation for honesty.

“Start talking,” Mom says.

Laney leans forward in her chair. “I’m telling you the truth. Talan and I are friends, that’s all. I’m with Kollin, so lighten up already.”

Her mother leans her butt against the desk and studies us. “I know something is going on with you two.”

You’re right. It’s called the Society of Seven.

I shrug my shoulders and play dumb. “What are you talking about? Nothing’s going on.”

Mom’s fingers grip the edge of the desk as she stares us down. “I’ve noticed you two spending a lot more time together lately. And, well, it’s only natural that the two of you might be finding yourselves attracted to each other.”

When Laney rolls her eyes, Mom says, “Are you going to tell me I’m imagining this? Every time I turn around, you two are alone together, whispering and touching each other.”

“Right.” I choke out a laugh. “Now you’re definitely imagining things. Laney and I are spending time together because Professor Solomon assigned us to do a group project together. We’re hanging more, but it’s not romantic. We’re just friends.”

She gives me her yeah, right look.

I look her straight in the eyes and hold up my hand. “I swear to you, there’s nothing physical going on between us. If I’m lying, may I never play football again.”

She taps her fingers on the desk. “Then why was the door locked?”

“We were talking about some personal things, that’s all,” Laney insists.

Mom crosses her arms. “What could be so personal that you need that kind of privacy?” She waits for me to answer, but I flounder to come up with an excuse.

Laney blurts out, “You’re pretty nosy for someone who thinks it’s okay to keep secrets from other people.”

Mom flinches, then glances uncomfortably between Laney and me. There’s an awkward period of silence where I pretend that I have no idea what they’re talking about.

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