Let the Sky Fall (Sky Fall #1)(42)

“What happened?” my dad asks, gesturing to my rather pathetic, slumped position.

“I got shin splints pretty bad, so Audra had to help me in. I must have pushed myself too hard while we ran.”

My dad laughs—one of those huge belly laughs you’d expect to come from some six-foot-five guy with a beer gut, not a five-foot-nine skinny guy who wears preppy golf shirts every day. “That’s what you get for showing off.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

My mom snaps out of her Audra-staring stupor. “I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve really been introduced. I’m Carrie.”

She extends a hand for Audra to shake. Audra trips over my feet as she moves to take it.

“We should probably let him lie down,” she says when she recovers. Her cheeks are bright pink. “Which way to his room?”

I have to give her credit. Acting like she doesn’t know exactly which room is mine is a nice touch.

“Oh, um, I don’t know—Jack, maybe you should take him,” my mom says, biting her lip like she’s worried we might feel the uncontrollable urge to rip each other’s clothes off the second we get near a bed.

My dad laughs, runs a hand over the shiny part of his head—he proudly rocks the cul-de-sac of hair curving around his bald spot—and says, “Relax, Carrie.” He points down the hall. “It’s that way.”

“Thank you.” Audra flashes her half smile and drags me away.

“It’s the door on the left,” my mom adds, hot on our heels, determined to play chaperone every step of the way.

“I can lead her to my own bedroom,” I mutter.

Audra ignores us, kicking my half-closed door open and leading me to the unmade bed. She plops me down—not as gently as I’d like—and helps me lift my legs up, all while my mom “supervises” from the doorway.

Sheesh, one hot girl walks into the house and all trust vanishes.

“You okay?” Audra asks as I attempt to scoot into a more comfortable position. Mostly I just flail.

“Yeah.”

I want to say more, but my dad’s joined my mom at my bedroom door, and while he doesn’t have her look of nervous terror, he looks like when he’s watching the Discovery Channel.

Aren’t the mating habits of teenagers fascinating, honey?

I sigh.

“So, tell me again how this happened,” my mom says, adding to the awkwardness.

Her tone’s light—but I know she’s really saying, “I don’t believe your story. Let me pick holes in it.”

Audra answers before I can send her any sort of warning about the dangerous ground we’re on. “I’m teaching Vane to run faster. But I guess I pushed him too hard in the heat, because his legs cramped and he passed out.”

I think that sounds reasonable enough. It doesn’t satisfy my mom, though.

“Are you on the cross-country team?” She smiles when Audra nods. “Me too—when I was your age. What’s your best event?”

Uh-oh.

I try to think of something so I can jump in and answer for Audra, but for the life of me I can’t think of a single track event. Aren’t they all just . . . running?

But Audra doesn’t even blink as she says, “I’m equally good at them all.”

“She is,” I say. “She’s amazing.”

That comes out a bit gooier than I mean it to, and my cheeks burn. My whole head practically bursts into flames when I notice my parents. My mom’s grinning her my little boy is growing up smile and my dad looks like he wants to pat me on the back and call me “slugger.”

Parents: perfecting ways to humiliate their children since the dawn of time.

“Well, it’s very nice to meet you,” my mom whispers, her voice thick.

If she starts crying, I’m going to smother myself with my pillow.

Audra steps forward, offering a sturdy hand to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Vane talks about you guys all the time.”

My parents beam and I can’t help grinning. She sure knows how to charm the parental units.

“I wish I could say the same,” my mom says, shooting me a glare. “He told us he had a date, but you’re the first girl he’s brought home. He must really like you.”

“Mom,” I complain, ready to bean her with my pillow. Or maybe the bedside lamp. Especially when Audra blushes bright red.

“Well,” my dad jumps in, “thank you for bringing him home. And thank you for getting him outside. The only exercise Vane gets these days is with his thumbs on those video game controllers.”

“Dad,” I whine.

“I have no doubt you’ll whip him into shape in no time,” he adds, ignoring me.

“I certainly hope so,” Audra says quietly.

I’m sure my parents don’t catch the way her shoulders slump, or the hint of doubt that snuck into her tone. My eyes dart to the window. Watching for the storm.

The sky’s bright red and orange. A vivid desert sunset. But after all I’ve learned, I can’t help thinking it looks violent.

“Well, come on, I’ll show you out,” my dad says, draping his arm across Audra’s shoulders like she’s already part of the family.

Audra accepts his lead but glances at me before she leaves. “Get some rest.”