True Colors (The Masks #1)(16)

“I’m not that person. Look, I’m really sorry, but I think you’ve made a mistake.”

“On Friday night, you came back to give me money and make sure I was okay. I’ve made no mistake. Seeing the way people react to the homeless is fascinating. I knew I’d find someone this way.”

“So you planted yourself here? Just looking for someone?”

He nodded. “I wanted it to be someone with means. Someone who could use their position in society to help people.”

“I don’t have any position. I’m not famous or anything.”

“But you don’t want for anything. You have money. I could see that you are loved by your family. You have no emotional baggage to speak of. You seem restless, but not unhappy. You have space in your life to help others.”

“How do you know I have money?”

He raised his eyebrows as if to say, are you kidding me.

I blushed and looked to the ground. “Besides, I’m a teenager, of course I have emotional baggage. You’ve read me all wrong.”

He snickered, seeing through my lie. “Caitlyn, I want you to use this power to help people. Don’t do what I did.”

“But...but Good Samaritan isn't one of my career choices." I practically whined.

He smiled. “This is your path now, you must accept it."

“I don’t—I don’t want to! How am I supposed to help people? Everyone has something to hide! Everyone has problems!"

"Focus on the ones who touch your heart. It may be one, it may be five. Spend time with them, peel back the layers. As you learn to control your vision, you'll know what to do." He pointed at my heart. "Ignoring this will only make you miserable. Trust me, I know.”

The deep shame and failure on his face made me want to cry.

“Help those around you, one person at a time, and you will have a full and happy life. You can do what I never did.”

Man, he wanted me to do this so badly, and I didn’t want to let him down, but this was a life-changer. Like massive. Huge. And damn it, I didn’t want it.

“I liked my life the way it was. I never asked for this. Please, don’t do this to me.”

“I can’t change it, Caitlyn. I’ve already told you that.”

“But...” I sighed, probably looking as desperate as I felt.

His eyes were warm with a compassionate smile as he squeezed my shoulder. “You can do this and you will be richer for it.”

Tears lined my lashes as he turned and shuffled down the alley. He looked weak, and the idea that his regret over being a selfish businessman may have been a lie flittered through my head, but I had seen his face. He had told me the truth. I walked out of the alley and leaned my head against the wall, feeling desperate, afraid, annoyed...everything I probably shouldn’t.

The urge to chase after the man and demand more was pretty strong, but I knew it was pointless. I was stuck with this gift now and there was nothing I could do about it. With a reluctant sigh, I realized that if I was going to do this then I should probably understand how it all worked. Like how did he get his power in the first place and how did he learn to control it?

I stepped back into the alley.

“Wait! I have a few more questions.” I looked in the direction he’d shuffled off, but he was gone. “Hello?”

Running further into the alley, I looked into doorways and searched for any other exits, but there were none. Had he seriously just vanished into thin air? I was basically at the dead end when I found him. He was lying on the ground, a serene smile perched on his lips. I knew it before I touched him, frantically hunting for a pulse. There was none. He had obviously waited around long enough for me to find him again. One last explanation before he left.

The tears I’d been blinking back hit me full force then. They dribbled down my face, dripping off my chin and landing on his dirty face. My insides shook as I drew in a quivering breath.

What was I supposed to do now?

I staggered to my feet and backed away from the body. I knew I needed to report his death, but I didn’t think I could handle talking to the police. My limbs were trembling as I headed out of the alley, hoping no one spotted me when I ducked back onto the sidewalk. I found the first pay phone I could and dialed 911. I gave the details swiftly then hung up before leaving my name and address. I didn’t want to use my cellphone in case they somehow traced the number. I felt bad, but I was in survival mode.

Scrambling for my keys, I walked as quickly as I could to my car. I was wrong about yesterday. It hadn’t been the worst day of my life. Today had.





Chapter 8




I didn't remember the drive home. My brain was too full to really focus, so it was probably a miracle that I made it in one piece. As I slammed the door shut, I noticed Dad’s car. I knew he was coming back from golf, but I had forgotten. I didn’t want to see him. Not because I didn’t love him, I just knew that if he gave me one of his tight squeezes and asked how his little Caity was doing, I’d lose the plot completely.

Opening the side gate, I decided to sneak around to the back of the house and get to my room via the laundry room. I was just ascending the stairs of the back deck when I spotted my neighbor. He was sitting on the back steps of his own deck, sipping on a Coke and looking content.