Autumn Storm (The Witchling #2)(41)

“Where are you from?” Autumn asked and sat on the bed.

“Mexico, originally. My family moved to Phoenix when I was six.” Sonya managed to talk while simultaneously typing with her thumbs on the phone.

Autumn’s gaze went to the pile of clothing on the bed beside her. Dawn had tried on a ton of outfits before stealing hers. She spotted one of her sweaters in the pile and limped forward to shake it free.

“What is this?” she asked, holding it up and peering at the stain on the dark sweater. “Ranch?”

Sonya looked up, startled. She was quiet for a moment. Autumn lowered the sweater to see Sonya laughing with her hands over her mouth.

“Omigod, you did not just…” she fell into the laughter, unable to talk.

Autumn slung the sweater in her dirty clothes hamper. She thought she’d liked Sonya, but now, she wasn’t so sure. Irritated, Autumn rifled through the clothing to find her other sweater that Dawn borrowed.

“Do you really not get it?” Sonya managed at last. Her mascara was blurred by tears from laughing.

“I get she ruined my sweater,” Autumn replied.

“It’ll come out,” Sonya assured her. “You know anything about the birds and the bees?”

Autumn stared at her.

Sonya began laughing again. “I love you, Autumn! You’re so sweet!”

“Are you serious?” Autumn asked, face skewing as she realized what Sonya was saying. “That’s disgusting. On my shirt?”

“Stay innocent. You’re adorable.”

Autumn flushed. She knew nothing about her pre-accident life. Was she even a virgin? She had no idea. Last night was the first kiss she recalled. Was it also her first kiss ever? Had she wasted that honor on a guy who slept with everyone?

It’d been worth it. At least he knew what he was doing.

“I gotta tell Dawn,” Sonya said. She rolled off the bed and tucked the phone away. She left the room.

Troubled, Autumn thought hard as she pulled on her boots. Did she have a boyfriend before her accident? If so, did he know what happened to her? She felt bad for the unknown guy waiting for her.

Really bad. Struck by the intensity of the emotion, she gazed at the wall. It felt like there was someone. If so, who? And where? He hadn’t been at the orphanage or the first school they put her in before transferring her here, to a place where no one knew her at all.

“Dawn!” The angry voice jarred her from her thoughts. Biji, the girl who made her feel happy on sight at the football game, shoved the door open. She planted her hands on her hips, dark eyes filled with anger. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Autumn answered. “Is everything okay?”

“No, it’s not. You tell her I saw her with Beck, and she better watch it! He’s too good for her. She’s a whore. I don’t even think her kid is his! How can it be when she-“

Autumn listened, astounded as the small girl went off. She learned more about Beck and Dawn in the five minute rant than she had interacting with them over the past three days. She had no idea Beck’s father was a billionaire or that Dawn had been a real model.

Biji took a deep breath at last and blew it out, calming. Autumn remained still, afraid of setting the fireball off again.

“You want to hang out?” Biji asked suddenly, focusing on her.

“Um, I’m kinda afraid to say no,” Autumn replied.

Biji grinned. “Beck said you’re cool and to take care of you.”

Autumn almost rolled her eyes. “Pretty sure he was messing with you.”

“No, he wouldn’t. He knows better.” Biji’s eyes narrowed.

Autumn laughed.

“Come on.” Biji left the room.

Autumn trailed. Biji walked past the stairwell and down the hall. Autumn followed. She found herself stopping outside one of the closed doors. It’s where she’d stayed once.

A prick of pain, and she stepped away quickly. After last night, she’d awoken with less discomfort than she’d ever felt. She didn’t want to ruin that.

“He said to give these to you,” Biji called from down the hall. “I’m looking for them.”

Autumn limped to the room with the open door. Biji was sifting through a worn, wooden jewelry box at odds with the modern and expensive clutter on her dresser. Autumn’s eyes stuck to the box.

It was hers. Or had been. Or would be?

“What’s wrong?” Biji asked.

“Nothing. It’s a pretty box.”

“Yeah.”

She thought the girl sounded sad. Biji finished her search and set it on the bed. Autumn’s gaze caught on the picture stuck to the top of the inside of the box.

The girl from the mirror stood beside Biji. They were grinning.

“Who is that?” Autumn asked in a hushed voice.

Biji followed her gaze. “My best friend.” She closed the box, tense. “She died over the summer.”

By going off the cliff. Autumn gazed at Biji, unable to decipher her own emotions. Biji’s best friend haunted Autumn since she’d woken up in the hospital in late summer. Was that why Autumn liked Biji so much on sight? Was that something the dark-haired girl told her?

Autumn recalled her late-night venture to the cliff and seeing the girl’s body in Miner’s Drop. Why did she feel like Biji was there that night? It made no sense.