Awaking (The Naturals, #1) (9 page)

Corbin glanced at her as he started down the street. “Creepy?”

Morgan took a bite of the bagel and chewed thoughtfully for a minute. “Just strange,” she said finally. “There are people who know me better than you do who don’t know what kind of bagel I like.”

“There are people you might be more familiar with, but, at this point, I doubt there’s anyone who knows you better,” Corbin corrected.

Morgan sighed. “Creepy.” But she smiled.

They drove in silence until Corbin pulled up beside Morgan’s car.

“So, what’ve you got going on today?”

Morgan shrugged. “I’m gonna go check on Ris, see how hungover she is. Then I’ve got to meet up at the school for some yearbook stuff. Might head out to the Daily Grind later. You?”

“Band practice in a bit. And then, yeah, maybe I’ll kick around the Daily Grind.”

“I didn’t tell you so you could stalk me.”

“You didn’t lie so I couldn’t.”

Morgan rolled her eyes. “Creepy.”

Corbin just smiled at her. Morgan got out of the car and closed the door behind her. Corbin immediately rolled the window down and leaned across the passenger seat toward her.

“Hey, Morgan?”

“Yeah?”

“Tell Clare—” He let the sentence fall, unfinished.

Morgan nodded, understanding. “I will.” She clicked the remote to unlock her car, opened the door, and slid into the driver’s seat. She glanced back at Corbin and he waved before he drove away.

Morgan drove the short distance to Ris’s house and parked in her usual spot out front. She went to the front door and knocked first, but no one answered, as she’d expected. Ms Perry had already gone to work for the day and Morgan suspected Ris was in no shape to be answering the door. Morgan hopped off the porch and jogged around to the attached garage. She entered the code and waited as the garage door opened, then she entered the house.

Morgan poked her head into Ris’s bedroom slowly, not quite sure what to expect. But when she looked in, Ris appeared to merely be asleep. Morgan was slightly surprised by this, as Ris was notoriously a morning person. Quietly, she made her way to Ris’s bedside. “Ris?” she asked, giving her friend’s shoulder a gentle nudge. When there was no response, she nudged a little harder.

Gradually, Ris stirred. When her eyes focused on Morgan, she looked confused.

Morgan smiled. “Hey, sleepy head. How you feeling?”

Ris rolled onto her side. “Tired,” she sighed.

Morgan nodded. “Do you feel thirsty? I could go get you some juice or something. Or are you queasy? I could make some food.”

Ris looked confused. “Am I sick?”

Morgan laughed. “I don’t know. But you did have a awful lot to drink last night.”

“Last night?” Ris asked.

“Yeah,” Morgan said. Ris had clearly drunk more than Morgan originally thought. “Remember, we went out with Corbin? To the party?”

“A little,” Ris whined. “Morgs, I’m sleepy.”

“Okay,” Morgan said slowly. “I guess I’ll let you sleep. You sure you don’t need anything?”

Ris grumbled incoherently.

“Call me later.”

Ris didn’t respond.

Morgan let herself out the same way she’d come in, making sure to close the garage door after her.

She would be the first to admit that her experience with people who were hungover was less than minimal; still, Morgan couldn’t shake the feeling that Ris’s behavior wasn’t quite typical. However, having nothing to compare it to, she decided to do the only thing she could: check on Ris later.

Morgan hadn’t anticipated her visit with Ris being so brief. Today was day one of the ad-selling campaign for the yearbook, but they weren’t supposed to meet at the school until nine o’clock. She sighed. “Guess I’ll be early,” she grumbled, putting her car in gear and heading toward the school.

A few minutes later, Morgan pulled into the small staff parking lot Mr. K had instructed everyone to park in. Hers was, not surprisingly, the only car in the lot. Morgan grabbed her purse and dug out the book she was glad she had foresight enough to bring.

“Guess it makes me psychic,” Morgan said quietly, smiling to herself.

She was still getting used to the idea that she really did have some kind of ability. While Kellen’s assertion that she possessed powers might not come as a surprise to many who knew her—or knew of her—the news shocked her.

If she was being honest with herself, she was glad that someone else was going through this with her. If she had her druthers, she certainly wouldn’t choose Corbin to be that person, but even that situation wasn’t as bad as it could be. After their mind-meld yesterday, Morgan had to admit that Corbin wasn’t really a bad guy. His mind might be a little dirty, but, she figured, what seventeen-year-old guy’s wasn’t?

Morgan looked down at her open book and realized she wasn’t reading it. She took in a breath and tried to focus on the words in front of her, but to no avail. After a minute of trying to read, she gave up and stuffed the book back in her purse. As she did so, she noticed another car joining hers in the parking lot. She smiled. She recognized the car.

Morgan got out of her car and walked over to the other one as its occupant was climbing out. “Hey, Mr. K,” she said brightly.

Mr. K turned and smiled at Morgan. “Why does it not surprise me that you’re the first one here?”

“What can I say? I take my responsibility to the yearbook very seriously.” Morgan smiled.

“Since you’re here, why don’t you make yourself useful?” Mr. K held a clipboard out to Morgan. “Hold this, please.”

Morgan took the clipboard dutifully. “Anything else?” she asked as Mr. K leaned across the front seat of the car.

“Nope,” he said when he emerged, carrying a box. “Except, could you close the door?”

Morgan nodded and went to close the car’s door as Mr. K walked to the front of the car and placed the box on its hood. Once the door was closed, Morgan looked down at the clipboard she held. “Are these the selling assignments?”

Mr. K nodded. “And the teams. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do any creative editing on those. You’re grouped with Stew and McKenna.”

Morgan smiled. Last year he grouped her with two newbies and Lia Roderick. To say it had not gone well would be an understatement. “Finally realize I don’t play well with others?”

But Mr. K didn’t look amused. “You’re a leader, Morgan,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “I don’t think you realize it, but you are.”

Morgan shifted uncomfortably. “Um, thanks, I guess.”

Mr. K just looked at her for a moment before giving himself a shake. Then he smiled. “Anyway. How’s your summer been? Before you said it was busy. Anything more specific?”

Relieved by the subject change, Morgan shrugged and walked toward Mr. K. She leaned against his car. “Well, business, of course. And some reading. Ris and I went to a couple parties.”

“And… any college hunting?”

Morgan laughed. “That’s a very teachery question,” she accused.

He shrugged. “Well, I am a teacher.”

“I’ve looked at a few possibilities,” Morgan admitted.

Mr. K nodded and regarded Morgan for a moment. “Forgive me if I’m crossing a line, here, but—have you met someone?”

Immediately, Morgan felt herself blush, but she wasn’t entirely sure why. “No. Why?”

Mr. K shrugged. “You just seem a little different. A little happier. You’re kind of glowing.”

Morgan raised an eyebrow at him. “I didn’t think it was possible, Mr. K, but you just did it, you crossed the line into creeperdom.”

“It had to happen sooner or later.”

Morgan smiled at him. “Well, I haven’t met anyone,” she said. “I mean, I’ve made a couple new… friends, I guess, but not like that.” She demonstrated her distaste for the idea by giving a pronounced shiver. “But I’m… I’m learning some things about myself.”

For a moment, Mr. K just looked at her. Then he opened his mouth, but what he was about to say was lost when two cars pulled into the lot. He took a step away from Morgan and turned his attention to the new arrivals. Unsure what else to do, Morgan did the same.

Soon, the parking lot filled. McKenna arrived and started chatting with Morgan. When Lia Roderick arrived, she immediately reported to Mr. K and relieved him of his clipboard. Morgan watched as Lia took a pen and started scribbling on the pages. Morgan figured no good could come of this but kept her opinion to herself.

When everyone had arrived, Mr. K called for the staff’s attention. He went over the process for the day—a refresher on how to sell ads to local business owners. As he spoke, Lia circulated through the crowd, organizing groups and handing out location assignments. By the time Lia got to Morgan’s group, Mr. K had finished talking.

Lia handed the location slip to McKenna and moved on to the next group. When Morgan glanced at the sheet, she noticed that Mr. K’s typing had been crossed out and Lia had written something else in the margins.

McKenna seemed to notice this, too, and she didn’t look pleased. “Unbelievable,” she grumbled. “She crossed out all the places we’ve had ads with before and gave us all brand new places. If the fuehrer thinks we’re taking this assignment, she’s out of her mind…”

Morgan and Stew exchanged glances as McKenna stormed off after Lia. Then, in unison, they held their fists out toward each other. A quick game of rock-paper-scissors later, Morgan was on her way after McKenna.

On her approach, Morgan heard McKenna’s and Lia’s raised voices. She sighed. This was getting ugly quickly.

“No, we’re not,” McKenna was saying. “We’re not gonna take a whole route of new places just so your group can have an easy day!”

“This is your assignment,” Lia insisted. “So go do it!”

“No!” McKenna yelled back.

“I’m telling you, go do this route.”

Morgan finally arrived and stepped next to McKenna, ready to back her play, but when she looked at McKenna, she saw the anger draining from her face.

“Okay,” McKenna said simply.

“Okay,” Lia echoed, sounding both surprised and pleased.

“Okay?” Morgan demanded. She looked from Lia to McKenna and back again. “No, it’s not okay.”

Lia sighed. “Morgan, I’m telling you—go do this route.”

“No,” Morgan snapped.

Lia looked slightly agitated. “But I’m telling you—”

“Shut up,” Morgan snapped. “Mr. K!”

“Really, it’s okay,” McKenna said. “Let’s just do the route.”

Morgan looked at McKenna incredulously. “Like hell. Mr. K!”

“What’s going on here?”

Morgan turned to see Miss Ellie Scotford approaching. “I have to talk to Mr. K,” Morgan said.

“Maybe I can help,” Miss Scotford said. “What seems to be the problem?”

Morgan looked at her doubtfully. “Lia took it upon herself to edit our route from the route Mr. K assigned us.”

Miss Scotford looked confused. “I don’t know why you’d see a need to do that, Lia.”

Lia’s mouth twitched but she said nothing.

“I think you should go to the routes Mr. Kment assigned you,” Miss Scotford said. “Is that clear?”

Morgan smirked at Lia. “Crystal.” She grabbed McKenna by the wrist and tugged her toward where Stew stood, not wanting to wait around for Lia to plead her case.

“What’s the word?” Stew asked.

“We’re on the original route,” Morgan reported. She turned to McKenna. “No thanks to you. What were you thinking, giving in to her?”

McKenna shook her head. “I don’t know—I just didn’t want to argue with her anymore.”

Morgan shot her a suspicious look but shrugged. “Anyway. Who’s driving?”

Chapter Eight

A few hours later, Morgan pulled into the Daily Grind’s parking lot. She invited Stew and McKenna to come out with her, but they both declined. Ris still hadn’t called or texted, so Morgan took that to mean she wouldn’t be ready for an outing yet.

When Morgan walked into the coffee house, the first thing she did was look to see who was working as barista. She smiled.

“Hey, Lucas,” she greeted as she approached the counter.

Lucas glanced up from the coffee filter he was filling. “Hey. I’ll be with you in a sec.”

“Take your time,” Morgan said. To pass the time, she read the menu board.

A minute later, Lucas approached the cash register. “What’re you thinking?”

“How’s the mango smoothie?”

Lucas pulled a face and shook his head.

“That bad?”

“No,” Lucas said. “It’s not bad. You just wouldn’t like it.”

Morgan smiled. “Really? And how would you know that?”

“I told you, it’s my special talent.”

Morgan laughed. “Ah, yes. How could I forget?”

Lucas raised an eyebrow. “Indeed. Did I not made you the perfect beverage last time you were here?”

“Yes, you did.”

“But now you doubt me?”

Morgan held her hands up. “Fine. Barista’s choice.”

“Hot or cold?”

Morgan just shrugged.

Lucas smiled. “Challenge accepted.” And he set to work.

Morgan watched him for a few moments. “Why do you even have a menu board if you insist on choosing people’s drinks for them?”

“It’s for when I’m not here,” Lucas called, not looking up from the task at hand.

Morgan laughed. She heard the tinny bell over the door tinkle and turned to see who had walked in. A girl she didn’t recognize crossed the room and took a seat across from a guy who was deeply engrossed in something on his laptop.

Morgan felt disappointed and it took her a moment to figure out why: She expected it to be Corbin. When she realized this, she immediately hated herself a little.

The bell tinkled again as Lucas was ringing her drink up. Morgan made a conscious decision not to turn around this time.

Lucas, however, did look up at the new patron, and he gave the person the chin raise guys give when they recognize someone. Then he turned his attention back to Morgan and gave her the total for her drink.

Morgan began digging through her purse for her wallet, but before she could find it, someone was gently pushing her to the side.

“Hey,” Morgan began to object until she caught sight of the perpetrator. “I should’ve known.”