Chapter 1

Well, damn. I’m doomed. Summer vacation chatter faded into background noise. My heart ricocheted out of nowhere when my eyes landed on the woman our principal had just introduced on stage. I gripped the sides of my seat, fighting the foolish urge to run down the aisle, check if this wasn’t a dream, sweep her off her feet, and kiss her. Okay, maybe that’s a bit too much. I wanna get closer, sure. But the sweeping and kissing part? Yeah, no, too soon. “I didn’t catch her name,” I whispered. “Paige,” my brother Sage replied. “Ugh. Shut up.” Rolling my eyes at the thought of my ex. He chuckled. “Ember Vale.” “Ember Vale,” I echoed and smiled. “Hazel. She’s hot.” His eyes fixed on the woman beside Ember. “Sixth year of teaching’s definitely a charm,” I said. “Is that even a thing?” He slouched in his seat. “It is now.” For the past five years, we dreaded the first day of summer work for this annual General Assembly. Apparently, jump-starting a brand-new school year meant sending teachers to their graves with long lists of reminders and speeches that dragged on for god knows how long. This year, however, was different. All thanks to Ember Vale and Hazel Rowan, who saved us from dying of intense boredom right then and there. Finally, our principal got the hint and brought the assembly to a close. Everyone scrambled and chattered their way to the exits, acting as if the thought of returning to their workrooms was just as exciting as meeting the new teachers on our team. Sage and I waited a few minutes before walking arm in arm to the Early Childhood Department. Suddenly, the sizzling summer air didn’t feel too hot anymore. Because Ember Vale was hotter than the California summer heat. Without question. We arrived at the building with lingering smiles. Adorning the walls were hand-painted coastal murals—watercolor ocean waves and marine silhouettes in OCP’s signature dark red and antique gold. Classrooms on the first and second floors rose around the central courtyard, their white-trimmed windows overlooking the play area. But even with its mini garden, custom cedar climbing structures, and swings, the courtyard looked dead. Sad and lifeless without the boys screaming at the top of their lungs, running across like wild animals in a jungle. We lingered for a moment before walking along the corridors, up the ramp, and into the faculty workroom. The office was quiet and empty. We were late, as usual. Olive smiled. “I don’t see the need to be too formal.” “Our sincerest apologies for being tardy,” Sage replied. “As is often the case,” I added. All of them shook their heads as they chuckled. Well, not all of them. Ember Vale did not even blink. “Well, then, let’s begin.” Olive suggested, her voice growing bubbly. “Two Truths and a Lie.” Sage and I sat back in our chairs. We were never huge fans of team games, but in our school, choice was an illusion. Awkward moments were simply an inevitable part of being a teacher. Specifically, a first-grade teacher at a prestigious all-boys school in Los Angeles. The only great thing about it today? It was the very first time I heard Ember speak. And I died. She had this cute accent I couldn’t quite figure out. And because I was close enough now, I took in every single detail. Brunette, wavy hair that fell a little past her shoulders and looked smooth to the touch. Her lips were thin with just a touch of nude lipstick. Though it would have been better if a smile had formed on them. But one thing stood out. Her eyes. Oh, my god. Her eyes. I was a sucker for green eyes, but hers seemed different in the way they gleamed. Long story short, this woman I barely even knew did strange things to my heart. What did I say? Doomed. So doomed that the details I could have gotten from the game remained a haze floating in the air. And whatever it was I said to participate were random passing thoughts to get my turn over with. Thankfully, Olive moved on to some reminders and a rundown of our schedule for the month shortly after. Once the meeting adjourned, Sage and I waited for them to retreat to the workroom and stayed where we were. The first day back was always a free day, anyway. “Hazel’s really hot,” my brother said as soon as we were alone. “She’s just so gorgeous, it’s not even legal.” “Who? Ember? You realize you have a girlfriend, right?” I looked at him. “Ex-girlfriend.” “Whoa. Good news? Bad?” “A bit of both.” “Good news, I guess.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Honestly, I don’t know why you stayed with her that long.” “Because I loved her?” “Right.” “And the sex was amazing,” I added. “Compared with Iris.” “Well,” I paused. “Yeah.” “That was high school. She was your first.” Sage shook his head. “Of course, sex with Paige was amazing.” “Should’ve gone home with me.” “No offense, but I’m sick of having you around all the time.” I rolled my eyes. “Dad misses you.” “I’ll visit soon. But for now, parties.” He winked. “Nope.” “Buzzkill.” With a smile on her face, Olive walked in on us after. “Auburn, my office. Now.” “Ooh. Responsibilities,” Sage teased as I trailed behind our team leader. “So much for the first day being a free day,” I murmured. Thinking she just wanted to catch up, I stepped into her office, beaming. “Closed-door m—” To my surprise, Ember sat across from Olive’s desk. She glanced at me without saying a word. “Just a normal meeting,” Olive chuckled. I sat on the chair a few inches away from Ember. And there it was. Her scent. Citrus and roses and peonies, and all those other flowers I couldn’t name filled my lungs. But cigarette smoke lingered and blended with everything else. She wasn’t human. Because no cigarette-smoking person could have smelled that good. Olive cleared her throat, pulling me back to the present. “How’s your first day going, Ember?” “Uh, well,” Ember mumbled. I shifted in my seat. “You sound really thrilled.” She looked at me before turning her attention back to Olive. “Okay, then, let’s cut to the chase. Auburn will be your mentor this school year. That’s why she’s here.” Interesting. “My what now?” Ember asked. “Mentor. I’m going to be your mentor.” Olive smiled. “Every year, the principal taps seasoned faculty members to run the Mentoring Program. It’s designed to assist new teachers with their transition throughout the year.” Ember nodded. “Will she evaluate me?” “Absolutely not. This program is mainly a way to give new members someone to turn to. Auburn has been doing this for the past three years,” Olive answered, shifting her attention to me. “Am I right?” “I’m still part of the program, so maybe I’m not entirely useless,” I offered with a soft laugh. Olive chuckled. “She’s on her sixth year of teaching, and she’s a Skye. You’ll learn a lot from her.” “Margaret Skye. She’s a legend,” Ember replied, with no trace of emotion in her voice. I smiled at the memory of my mother. “She would’ve loved hearing that.” Ember nodded once again. “I can see the struggle,” Olive noted. “Getting a word out of you.” Ember touched the back of her neck. “Sorry.” “We have the whole school year to work on that.” I smiled. “Well. You can start today. Give her a tour with Sage and Hazel,” Olive suggested. “Okay,” I said, rising to my feet. “Not too fast. Ember, you may go.” Olive smiled. Without a single word, Ember was out the door. When she was gone, Olive smiled and sat back in her chair. “How are you and Sage?” “Thank you for looking out for us for the past two years. We’re fine.” “And your dad?” she asked. “He’s better now.” “That’s good to know. How was your break?” Olive chuckled. “Oh my god! I have lots to tell you!” Olive glanced at the clock. “Maybe we can catch up after work? My day’s packed.” “Ugh. We can’t even hang out like normal friends anymore. I miss those days.” “I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t turned down the offer.” I rolled my eyes. “You’re great at it. I just hate how busy you’ve become.” “Honestly? I hate it too. But now you have to get out of here and do your job.” “Yes, boss,” I mumbled, leaving the room. As usual, Sage was waiting for me on my swivel chair right in front of Olive’s office. “What’s with the grin?” I asked. “I heard we’re giving them the tour.” “Who told you?” “Hazel.” I squinted. “You were spying on them.” “I was not. I overheard them talking.” “Ember actually talks to people?” I whispered. “If by people you mean Hazel, then yes.” “Huh. Okay. Should we do this now?” He nodded. “They’re in there.” “I’ll talk to them,” I said, making my way to the lounge. I took deep breaths to compose myself before walking to where Ember and Hazel were. Once I was a few steps away, Ember turned in my direction. Just like that, her green eyes paralyzed me. I shifted and cleared my throat. “Teachers.” “Um. Yeah?” Hazel smiled back. “Ready for the tour?” “Right now?” “Unless you’re busy.” I laughed softly. Hazel looked at Ember. “Sure,” Ember mumbled. What do you know! That’s a new word. “I’ll let Sage know,” I said, heading back to my carrel. The two women approached us afterward, and Sage scrambled to walk beside Hazel, leaving me with Ember as we followed them out. An awkward silence settled between us, but as the warm air blew over, citrus and roses and peonies and cigarette smoke once more enveloped me. I was hooked. “You don’t really talk much, do you?” I tried, hoping to break the ice. Ember glanced at me and nodded. I grabbed Sage’s arm. “This is so fun. You can do all the talking.” He turned to us. “But you’re supposed to—” “All the talking.” “Right. Why don’t we start here? The infirmary.” He stretched his arm toward the clinic. Hazel smiled at me. “You’ll get used to the brooding and silent treatment.” “Sorry,” Ember mumbled. I looked at her. “It’s fine.” We toured the building—the classrooms, the playground, the open gym, the football field, and the offices. Sage handled the talking while Ember and Hazel absorbed the details. I opted for silence, taking the opportunity to observe Ember instead. She wasn’t mean or anything like that, but she was the most withdrawn person I had ever met. She would nod to let Sage know she was listening, a few “okays” or “yeahs” here and there, and an occasional glare at Hazel whenever she said something to push her buttons. That was it. I was supposed to feel frustrated. But to be honest, she intrigued me. Very much so. Right back where we started, the four of us stood in front of the infirmary. “That’s it.” Sage smiled. Just then, a man approached us, having clearly walked all the way from the grade school building. “Hi, Auburn. You look lovely as always,” he said, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. We all turned to him. Oh, I know. And you’re still bland. As always. “What do you want, Gideon?” I shrugged. “I’ve missed you over the break,” he said with a soft laugh. Look at all the fucks I give. Sage chuckled. “It’s not gonna happen. She’s not interested. She made that clear years ago.” Gideon sighed, turning his attention to Ember. “Is she…” Confused why he trailed off and was suddenly nervous, I looked at Ember. She was shooting him an icy glare. Too icy, I almost felt bad for the man I couldn't care less about. “That means shut up in Ember Vale,” Hazel smirked. Gideon swallowed and looked at me once more. “Let me take you out. One chance. Please?” I sighed. “How many times do I have to say no to you?” “Plea—” Ember scoffed, shaking her head. How does she do that? She doesn’t even need to talk. The rest of us stayed silent while Sage chuckled. “I think it’s time for you to leave.” Gideon grunted before walking away. “I’m not giving up just yet.” “Ugh,” I grunted in disgust. Hazel laughed. “What’s the deal with him?” “We all got in five years ago,” Sage explained. I nodded. “It’s been five years of turning him down.” “He’s persistent, I can give him that,” Hazel noted with a soft laugh. Sage turned to her. “She’s not interested in men. At all.” “Not even a little?” I shook my head. “Not a chance in hell.” The two of them laughed, and I turned my attention back to Ember. “How do you do that with that look?” Again, she just looked at me. “Right. There it is,” I mumbled. “She isn’t that bad, I promise,” Hazel winked. Ember cleared her throat. “Yeah.” I looked at her and smiled. “Sounds convincing.” She nodded, and then she turned away. And that was that. Our story ended before it even began. Okay. Not really. It was just the first day of work. I had time to try again. After work that day, Sage and I sat by the pool to catch up. We lived in our large, two-story house that overlooked the beach. It was near the school, classy, and the calmness of the waves brought at any time of day was priceless. We had more than we needed to survive. But with the demands that came with our profession, life was pretty lonely. With each year that passed, the expectations held of us only continued to grow. We used to think things would change after our first year of teaching, but it had been five long years and our lives had only gotten lonelier since. It was a good thing we were close, though. We were basically best friends. Because apart from Olive and our dad, we didn’t have anyone else. “Oh my god! Shut up!” He laughed. “Just saying.” Suddenly, the doorbell rang. A rarity. Considering nobody dropped by except Olive, and she was likely still at school. We looked at each other before he stood up to check who it was. Curious, I followed him to the front door, and as soon as I got there, I stopped in my tracks. “We saw this on the workroom’s bulletin board,” Hazel said, shoving an old piece of paper into Sage’s hand. Ember stood beside her, looking around with a blank expression on her face. As usual. “Ah! We completely forgot about this! This was from last year.” Sage beamed. “Oh,” Hazel frowned. “Are the rooms taken? We were looking for an apartment near the school. But we saw that. So.” Sage turned to me. “Uh…” “Um…” I played with the hem of my shirt. For the life of me, I couldn’t think straight. My mind jumped right into imagining Ember living with us. Walking around the house. Seeing how she looked in the morning. Maybe even swimming in the pool. Oh, my god. Could this summer get any hotter? Can you imagine her floating in the water with nothing but— “Auburn,” Sage brought me back to Earth. “Um. Uh. Yeah. That’s me.” Sage cleared his throat. “Could you… One second,” he excused us, dragging me away from the door. “Will you stop imagining stuff?” I chuckled, shaking my head. “Sorry. Yeah. We put that ad there for fun. For the summer break.” “I don’t see why we can’t offer them the rooms now. We could use some extra cash.” “Actually, we don’t need that.” I looked away, giving myself a moment to think. “And wouldn’t that be awkward? I mean, we work together. But they’re strangers. We’ll be living with total strangers.” “You agreed to this before the summer break.” “Because I didn’t want you to be alone.” I smiled. He squinted. “You’re a terrible liar.” Then he smirked. “It’s Ember, isn’t it? You’re afraid she’ll be up for the rebound thing.” “It’s not that. It’s just. Awkward,” I countered. “Come on. We need other people in our lives! Please?” I shook my head. “For all we know, they could be serial killers. Think about it. One minute you’re sleeping, the next you’re tied to a chair in the basement and nobody can hear you scr—” “Tell me you don’t want these hot serial killers running a knife down your throat,” he interrupted. “You know you do. And did I mention hot? Hot serial killers. Hottest in LA.” Oh. He has a point. But— “C’mon. We need to decide now,” he grunted. I turned back toward the door, catching a fleeting glimpse of Ember standing there in the fading summer light. “Um…” Sage impatiently waited for me to make up my mind. I knew he craved the company of other people, and I’d been thinking of ways to make it up to him for being away the whole summer. So I caved, promising myself I’d deal with the mess later. “Note to self: Hot serial killers. Hottest in LA,” I whispered.