Anew

40

The next few weeks passed by easily. Scarlet got back into the groove of her “normal” life and started adjusting to her “I’m going to die” life. She and Gabriel had been diligently searching for any new information on the fountain’s whereabouts, and Heather had almost completely forgiven Gabriel for lying to Scarlet.

Things were going well.

Which was always a sure sign that something bad was about to happen.

It was a cold Friday in October and pumpkins decorated the entire town of Avalon.

Halloween was close and Heather was concerned about her costume.

“Do you think evil girl zombies wear jewelry? Because, without earrings on, I look like a boy. Maybe I should just be Cleopatra.”

They were at The Millhouse along with, what seemed like, everybody else in town. The chill of autumn had arrived and everyone wanted a cup of hot coffee.

“Weren’t you Cleopatra last year?” Scarlet looked out the window, waiting for Gabriel. He and Scarlet had plans to go to the movies.

“Yes.” Heather nodded. “And I was super sexy.” She tapped her chin, “I’m not sure how to make myself sexy as a dead girl.”

“Perplexing.” Scarlet nodded.

“Angie’s Halloween party is going to be so much fun! What are you going to be?”

“I’m going to be sleeping. Or eating ice cream. But definitely not dressed up at a Halloween party.”

Heather pouted. “Come on, Scarlet. You have to go.”

“No, I don’t.” Scarlet smiled. “Are you excited about your trip tomorrow?”

There was no school next week because of fall break and Heather had been looking forward to her family vacation all year.

Heather smiled. “Totally. I really need a beach vacation. What are you and Laura doing for fall break?”

Scarlet sighed. “Laura’s got a business trip in Europe or something all week. She left this morning.”

Heather nodded. “Laura travels a lot.”

“It’s what she does.”

Heather glanced out the window. “Look, there’s Marge the Bag Lady.”

“Don’t call her that, Heather. It’s mean.” Scarlet looked out the coffee house window at the homeless woman Heather was referring to.

“Okay, how about Marge the crazy lady who talks to shoes?” Heather said.

“She’s not crazy, she’s just…homeless…and probably…lonely.”

Scarlet’s heart squeezed in sympathy, and then began to beat wildly.

“And there’s Gabriel.” Heather nodded.

Looking outside Scarlet spied Gabriel walking down the street.

He walked a few steps past Marge, hesitated, and slowly turned around.

The girls watched as he said something to Marge, making her smile.

They talked for a minute before Marge laughed pleasantly. Scarlet had never seen Marge laugh before. Gabriel smiled.

Scarlet blinked.

It wasn’t Gabriel talking to a homeless woman on an icy day in downtown Avalon.

It was Tristan.

She’d never seen Tristan smile before. His dimples were deep and warm, and his eyes lit up. His smile was…beautiful.

The same Tristan who didn’t want Scarlet around and was unfriendly to her whenever she was at his cabin, was standing in the cold and making a homeless woman laugh.

Scarlet was happy and sad…and completely confused. “That’s Gabriel’s brother.”

Heather, who’d just taken a heavy gulp of hot tea, swallowed loudly. “That’s…Tristan?”

Scarlet nodded, her eyes still glued to the interaction outside the coffee shop window.

Heather set her cup down and examined him more closely. “How can you tell?”

Scarlet honestly didn’t know how she knew it was Tristan. She just…felt it. “I don’t know…but that’s definitely Tristan.”

She must be connected to him in some way…right?

Heather parted her lips, “Well, Tristan is hot.”

Scarlet pulled her eyes away from the window and looked at Heather with a jutted chin.

She shrugged. “What? He is.”

Scarlet shook her head.

“Get up.” Heather started cleaning up their small table and began gathering her things.

“What? Why?” Scarlet said, panic in her voice. She knew exactly why Heather was bustling. And she had no intention of cooperating.

“Because. I want to meet the mystery brother.”

Scarlet shook her head. “No way. Tristan hates me, Heather.”

She scrunched her face. “He doesn’t hate you, he’s just…rude to you. That’s all. He’s probably just a mean person by nature or something.”

Both girls looked out the window where Tristan was still talking to Marge.

“Or,” Heather said, still looking out the window, “he’s just a really sweet guy with a big heart who happens to…somewhat dislike you.”

Scarlet shook her head again, confused. How could Tristan be so warm to a stranger on the street, but so cold and distant to his own brother’s girlfriend? “We’re not going to meet Tristan, Heather. I don’t want to talk to him.”

Heather bit her lip for a second. “Okay,” she said, then moved toward the front door.

“Wh-where are you going?” Scarlet called out.

Heather shrugged. “I want to meet the mystery twin. So, you can either stay there like a cowardly schoolgirl, or you can come along and keep me from saying inappropriate things to the newest hunk in town.” Heather wagged her eyebrows.

“Come on, Heather.”

“What’s it gonna be, Scarlet?”

Scarlet hesitated, frustrated with her boy-crazy friend. She didn’t want to talk to Tristan.

But she also didn’t want her best friend to meet Tristan and start prying. Who knew what Tristan would reveal about Scarlet? Or Gabriel.

“You’re such a bully,” Scarlet said with a sigh as she rose to meet Heather. “You’re lucky I love you.”

Heather’s smile grew. “I know. Now, let’s go chat with Tristan, the hot twin.”

Scarlet’s heart kicked a beat as they left the coffee shop and walked toward Tristan.

Actually, her heart pounded harder and harder as she neared him.

She tried not to over-analyze that too much.

“Tristan!” Heather called out, as if she and Tristan were old pals from grade school or something.

Tristan turned around and looked at Heather curiously. His eyes saw Scarlet, and immediate darkness crossed his face.

Great.

Heather bounced over to Tristan and Marge. “Hi. Marge.” Heather said, waving to the lady who’d lived on Main Street for as long as Scarlet could remember.

Marge gave a toothless smile and nodded as Scarlet slowly walked up beside Heather.

“Hi Marge,” Scarlet said softly.

“Sweet girls,” Marge said, clapping her hands together and cooing. “Sweet girls!” She looked at Tristan. “You, dear boy, are kind. But my boots have been misbehaving. I must get back to them.” Marge stood up from the ground and shuffled away, cackling as she went.

Tristan, Heather, and Scarlet watched as she left, her cackling turning into an off-pitch song as she disappeared around a corner.

Tristan turned to look at Scarlet, holding her eyes with his for a brief moment before looking at Heather.

“I’m Heather.” Heather stuck her hand out.

Tristan took her hand. “Tristan.”

“I know. You’re Gabriel’s secret twin brother.” Heather batted her lashes.

Scarlet rolled her eyes.

“I’m Scarlet’s B-F-F,” Heather explained as their handshake ended. She looked at his eyes. “Wow. You have really green eyes. How is that possible? Gabriel has brown eyes. Aren’t you two supposed to be, like, identical twins?”

Tristan gave a small smile and said with mock seriousness, “Would you believe some crazy woman shot me with a magical arrow and forever altered my eye color?”

Heather’s eyes grew wide as Scarlet looked at Tristan with her mouth falling open.

What was he doing?

Tristan glanced at Scarlet, but made no expression.

Heather nodded and mimicked his sarcastic tone, “I would believe that. And would you believe that I saw you in the warehouse district hanging out with a shady dude a few weeks ago?” She raised a challenging eyebrow.

Tristan’s smile tightened.

“I would believe that.”

“Well, this looks friendly,” Gabriel said, appearing at Scarlet’s side and putting a halt to the very uncomfortable tension filling up between Heather and Tristan. “What’s going on?” He looked at Tristan and cocked his head to the side.

Tristan looked at his twin. “Nothing.”

“Well, in that case,” Gabriel gave Scarlet a kiss on the cheek. “We need to get going if we want to get to the movie on time.”

Scarlet looked at him and smiled.

Movies. Right.

“Okay, well, this has been fun.” Not. Scarlet turned to Heather, deliberately not looking at Tristan. “See you later?”

She gave Heather a quick hug goodbye and watched as Tristan turned and walked away without a word during their embrace.

Yep. He hates me.

As he walked away, Scarlet’s pounding heart began to subside.