Silver is for Secrets by Laurie Faria Stolarz Read Free Book Online Page B

doing in your nightmare,” Drea suggests.
    “You know, like, was she running? Was she hiding? Was she doing anything unusual or significant?”
    “Wel ,” I grimace, “I didn‟t exactly see her in my nightmare.”
    “Um, what?” Drea‟s mouth fal s open.
    I sigh, completely frustrated with myself, with how I sound. “I know it doesn‟t make sense. But you have to trust me. I heard Clara‟s voice in my dream; I‟m sure of it.”
    “And what did my voice say?” Clara asks.
    “You told me not to tel anyone.” I wait a couple moments for her response, to see if the words from my nightmare might conjure up some memory—inspire her to tell me something significant. But she looks completely dumfounded—her mouth hanging open, as though waiting for me to finish my thought.
    “I told you not to tel anyone what? ” she asks.
    “That‟s just it,” I say. “I don‟t know.”
    “Wow,” she says, with a giggle, as though I‟m certifiably whacko. “That‟s real y weird. I don‟t know what to say.”
    “Look,” I say, leaning in closer, “something significant is going to happen to you
    —something that might be . . . not exactly good. So, if it‟s okay with you—even if it isn‟t okay with you—I‟m going to be looking out for you.”
    “Sounds great,” she beams. “I mean, it‟l be fun to hang out; it can get pretty dull around here.”
    “Onion ring, anyone?” Amber interrupts the awkward moment, smacking her tray down on the table. It‟s piled high with just about every artery-clogging snack the strip joint must be serving up today—fried clams, onion rings, a couple hot dogs, and four super-sized Chocoliciouses. “Couldn‟t decide what to eat, so I just figured I‟d order one of al my craves.” She sets the frappes down in front of us. “So what did I miss?”
    “Stacey was just trying to explain to Clara about her nightmares, how they come true.”
    “Yeah,” Amber says, pointing at Clara with an onion ring. “So, you gotta listen to her or else you‟l end up fertilizing dandelions.”
    “Amber—” I snap.
    “So much for the queen of ease.” Drea sighs.
    “Try one of these, wil you?” Amber says, completely oblivious to her lack of subtlety. She stuffs her mouth ful of fried clam. “They seem a little sandy to me.” Clara grabs one and starts chewing away. I can‟t tel if she‟s nervous or hungry or merely looking for a diversion.
    “So what do you think?” Amber asks.
    “About the clams?” Clara asks.
    “About everything.”
    “I vote not to think.” She grabs another clam strip.
    “Final y,” Amber says, “someone who sees things the same way I do.”
    “A scary thought,” Drea says, taking an onion ring.
    I dive in to the greasy treats as well. Perhaps we could all use a little thoughtless diversion—for at least a little while anyway.

ten
    When I get back to the cottage, Jacob is in the kitchen unpacking grocery bags.
    “Hi,” I say, shutting the door behind me.
    He pauses from unpacking, a bunch of fresh carrots dangling from his grip. “Are you al right?”
    I shrug.
    “Where is everybody?” he asks.
    “Amber and Drea decided to go for a swim, and I think I might have seen Chad and PJ playing volleyball with some of the frat guys from next door. How come you‟re not out, too?” I ask. “The water‟s seventy degrees—practically spa conditions.”
    “Didn‟t feel like it.” He comes around the side of the counter to greet me. He takes my hands, nuzzles his forehead against mine, and looks straight into my eyes—all of which under normal circumstances would turn my knees to absolute jel y. But today I‟m feeling oppressively rigid. “It‟s just you and me.”
    “Yeah,” I say, managing a smile.
    “What‟s wrong?”
    “Where do I begin?”
    “I take it you talked to Clara,” he says.
    “That‟s just a fraction of my freak-show morning.”
    “What do you mean?”
    I proceed to tell him about my accidental encounter with the