Chapter 1 The boy next door
Clara
Some people woke up to birds singing.
I woke up screaming.
The nightmare faded the second my eyes opened, but the fear stayed wrapped around my ribs like a vice. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I stared at the ceiling of my bedroom.
Same nightmare.
Dark hallways.
Running.
Being chased by something I could never quite see.
I rubbed my face and glanced at my clock.
4:17 a.m.
Great.
Another night ruined.
I sat up and reached for the book on my nightstand. Reading usually helped. Books were safer than dreams. In books, monsters could be defeated.
Real life wasn't always that simple.
A floorboard creaked outside my room.
My brother.
Eli.
I opened my bedroom door to find him standing there, messy brown hair sticking up in every direction.
His green eyes narrowed immediately.
"You had another nightmare."
It wasn't a question.
I rolled my eyes.
"No. I was practicing my screaming."
He crossed his arms.
"Smartass."
"Overprotective."
"Brat."
I smiled despite myself.
"Jerk."
His expression softened.
"You okay?"
I nodded.
He didn't look convinced.
Eli never looked convinced.
Ever since our parents started traveling more for work, he'd somehow decided he was responsible for keeping me alive.
It was annoying.
And kind of sweet.
Mostly annoying.
"I'm fine," I promised.
He studied me for another second before sighing.
"Come downstairs. Owen's here."
My heart immediately forgot how to function.
"Oh."
Eli smirked.
And suddenly I hated him.
"Interesting reaction."
"I hate you."
"You absolutely do not."
I did not.
Unfortunately.
Because Eli's best friend was Owen.
And Owen was my biggest problem.
Not because he was mean.
Not because he was annoying.
Not because he was a bad influence.
Actually, he was all of those things.
But he was also the most beautiful boy I'd ever seen.
Six foot two.
Black hair.
Blue eyes.
A smile capable of causing nationwide power outages.
And absolutely, completely off-limits.
I had been in love with him for three years.
Three years.
Three whole years.
And he still looked at me like I was Eli's annoying little sister.
Tragic.
I followed Eli downstairs.
The smell of coffee filled the kitchen.
And there he was.
Owen.
Leaning against the counter.
Black hoodie.
Messy hair.
Strong arms folded across his chest.
The second his eyes landed on me, something in his expression changed.
Concern.
"You okay?"
My heart betrayed me.
Again.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
His jaw tightened.
Because he knew.
He always knew.
The nightmares weren't exactly a secret.
"I'm just asking."
"I'm fine."
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he walked over and placed a hot chocolate in front of me.
Not coffee.
Hot chocolate.
My favorite.
Because of course he remembered.
The idiot.
The wonderful, stupid idiot.
"Thanks," I muttered.
His lips twitched.
"You're welcome, Bookworm."
Bookworm.
Another nickname he'd been using for years.
I hated how much I loved it.
Eli groaned dramatically.
"If you two keep staring at each other like that, I'm moving."
My face turned bright red.
Owen nearly choked on his coffee.
And for the first time all morning, I laughed.
Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.
I had no idea that everything was about to change.
