AMALIA SAUNDERS, AGE 15, OCTOBER 21
Unknown Number: What time am I picking you up?
I stared in utter fascination at this seemingly random text message on my brand-new phone. It was the first incoming message I’d received after activating it this morning. Not even my sister had had time to text me back yet, but she’s busy; I get it. But this?
Is it supposed to be a joke? A wrong number? A silly prank?
I was still almost a year away from even being allowed to go out on dates, and now someone was asking when I could get picked up? That’s just crazy! Thinking about it more, I logically realized that the message was probably nothing more than a mistake, or at the very least, intended for someone else entirely.
In addition to my big sister, only a few of my friends have my number so far, and they were all pre-programmed; they wouldn’t come up as an unknown…
I miss the guys. Why did they have to move so far away?
They wouldn’t be doing this though, it’s not their brand of humor.
What harm could it do to reply? Even though I had paid for this phone myself with my babysitting money, my annoyingly tech-savvy friend—never mind, I don’t miss Skye!— still managed to put in safeguards, including having me show as “Unavailable” on other phones..
I continued to toy with the idea of responding and finding out who had sent this strange message. Should I text back and tell them that their message didn’t find their intended recipient? After much internal debate, I gave in to the little devil on my shoulder and replied:
Me: Does that line usually work for you?
I held my breath and hit the send button. After a few moments of silence, I switched to nibbling on my lower lip as I awaited his or her reply. Maybe there won’t be one?
Unknown Number: I might have the wrong number, but just in case, you aren’t by any chance expecting a text for details about a blind date for Homecoming, are you?
I liked how my mystery texter used full words and sentences instead of mangling the English language into something incomprehensible like so many other kids my age did. Intrigued, I responded:
Me: I don’t date. Overprotective family and I are in negotiations for when that can start.
Unknown Number: Should I be talking to you, or is this creepy? Are your OPP’s going to hunt me down?
I laughed over the image he inspired, especially since he assumed I was talking about my parents. Not even close. They didn’t care what I did as long as I didn’t outshine Moira. No, my true family consisted of my older sister Megara and those two guys I thought I was missing. Even though I’m still reconsidering my feelings on how much I miss them, they’ll always be my preferred family.
Meg says I can’t have my first date until I’m sixteen, but now that she’s taken on her first apprentice, maybe she’ll be less focused on me? But, there’s still Skye and Gabriel, who both insist that they should be the first ones to take me out. But they moved up north to Anders last summer, so it’s a hike for them. Maybe they’ll forget? It’s not like any of us ever entertained romantic thoughts about each other anyway. Besides, Gabriel has Cari now, and I can’t wait to meet her!
Unknown Number: If it helps at all, I’m a 15 y/o guy from IA
I might be on the sheltered side, but I’m far from stupid. I know that is something a predator might say in order to put his or her prey at ease. And yet, I found “his” seemingly openness refreshing, along with his willingness to share personal information with me. But as I said, I’m far from foolish and required a little more confirmable data from him. Annoying or not, Skye’s warnings weren’t wrong.
Me: Humor my caution and send me your area and zip codes?
I was impressed by the speed of his response. After a few keystrokes on my laptop, I confirmed his claim.
Me: You passed but are on probation for now :) I recently turned 15 myself. I’m a girl living far, far away from IA. I’m thinking you transposed two numbers on the phone number you were given. Provided you don’t ask too many personal questions, this shouldn’t be too creepy.
Unknown Number: Good to know you are truly a female, otherwise, this might have gotten awkward…
I muted the warning bells in my head over my importance of my gender and tested the waters by sending this message in response:
Me: No room for guy friends in your life? You aren’t hitting on me now, are you?
Unknown Number: Not today at any rate, but maybe one day in the future? And too many, remember, one of them made this chat possible. I think I’d like to get to know you better, can we do that without crossing the creepy line?
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Me: So, you want to be my techie-pen-pal or something?
I felt silly typing the words but couldn’t come up with a better name for what he seemed to be suggesting.
Unknown Number: Sounds dorky when you put it like that… bBut yeah, something along those lines.
Me: Could be fun. We can always block each other if things get out of control or weird…
Unknown Number: Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that! What should I call you 15 F from far, far away?
Well, heck! What should I tell him? I hadn’t been prepared for that. I should have been. Not wanting to make him wait too long, I typed out two letters that I’d be happy to answer to:
Me: AC?
Unknown Number: Are those initials? A tease to start spelling your name?
Me: Technically both, though not necessarily in the correct order for one version…
First and middle initials, but he doesn’t need to know that, at least not until I’m one hundred percent sure that he’s not some creeper! One of the girls in my homeroom just got banned from all technology until further notice. She invited some stranger into a private chat with some of her real-life friends because he followed her livestream. One of our mutual friends told her mom about it since the guy made her uncomfortable (weird accent, older male voice, no camera) and drama ensued. But this? This is just an anonymous texting conversation that I can stop at any time. I’m not bridging anyone else into it. No pictures, video, video chat, or excessive personal information. I can handle this! But first, I needed to know:
Me: What will I call you?
Unknown Number: EN
Following my example? I couldn’t help but wonder as I changed his “name” in my phone to EN. I decided to think of him as “Ian” at this point and was only mildly disappointed when giving him a name didn’t give me his phone number as well. At any rate, I felt secure that he was seeing the same issue and was comfortable in the anonymity Skye’s meddling had created. Of course, Meg and Gabriel had most likely also been involved, but it was easier to focus my annoyance on the uber-reserved Skye.
Me: And you, initials, or part of spelling your name?
EN: A bit of both as well, but I won’t tell you the correct order or if they pertain to first, middle, or last.
Me: I think we are going to have fun together, EN.
EN: And we’ll be on a first-name basis in no time
Me: I hope so. I look forward to being that comfortable with you someday.
I set my phone down, smiling, pleased to have had made a new friend out of nowhere. While I knew caution was the best way to proceed, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic. I’m just texting; he’s not even in California! Hopefully, no one would get too upset when I finally told them about EN. For now though, I wanted to keep him to myself.
DECEMBER 19
“Oh my gosh, she didn’t!” I don’t know why I should even pretend to be surprised by Skye’s stilted revelation. The bleeping Menace hit on him after he was nice enough to drive her here? Goodness, stuck in a car with her for that many hours would make anyone go crazy, but to have her come on to him like that? Ugh. Skye’s only seventeen! That’s not even legal! Unfortunately, our parents would quickly step in should any charges ever come against their precious daughter. Just like how she got away with hurting my Meggie. Evil, wretched woman!
“Next time, you should wait for Meg,” I taunted him. My big sister had offered to let Skye ride with her and our cousin Nique—Meggie loves to drive. Skye had made some excuse about needing to grab his aunt’s remaining inventory, but that seemed flimsy at best. Suddenly, a reason occurred to me, “Is Cari giving you trouble again?” Gabriel’s girlfriend loved to try to get my hermit-y friend out of his shell, but she didn’t have the right touch and made him retreat further into himself.
“That’s only the half of it, but don’t worry about me. I’ll be back for dinner, okay? I just need to have some alone time for a bit.”
“When isn’t that the case?” I teased but didn’t argue with him about his request. It was a part of who he was, and I loved that about him. Besides, I wasn’t ready to ask him about everything he’d done to my phone on his last visit anyway. I need to talk to Meggie about all of this first anyway.
“I should probably go get Aunt Ara’s stuff packed up so that we can go surfing.”
“Really?” I squealed out my excitement. I’ve been practicing ever since I could carry my own board, but I’ve never gotten to go with Skye before. What a great winter break this is going to be!
“Oh great, the lezzies are here,” The Menace’s whine carried up the stairs of our house.
Never mind. I clearly cursed myself with that one…
“It’s okay, you can go out through the kitchen, I’ll deal with my sisters.” I shooed Skye toward the “servants’ stairs”—not that we’ve ever had any or that I think of Skye that way!—which lead directly to the kitchen. He’d been through enough after the car ride he’d described, I wasn’t about to subject him to more of the same. Not if he was really going to take me to the beach. Okay, I wouldn’t do it to him in any case...
Just as I knew I needed to save Meg and Nique, I raced downstairs to rescue them from The Menace and her venom.
Skye returned in time for lunch and took me out for a few hours. By the time we returned, Nique and Meg were both at their wits end and ready to head back to Anders. Not on my watch! “You promised to stay for all of my break, please? I want to hear about Nique’s roommate and everything I’m missing out on while I’m stuck here,” I pouted, just loud enough for them to hear.
“We’ll be staying with Mama Lucia and Papa Marshall. You know I can’t sleep here.”
“Not safely,” I agreed, although I was still hurt that we weren’t going to get to spend as much time together as I’d hoped. “Can I come, too?”
“You may go for dinner, but I want you back home by bedtime,” Mom agreed regally. She never wanted me to go to the Sutton’s house! What had Meg threatened her with while I’d been out with Skye?
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Hi all, this story is part of a series but can be read on its own. The timeline runs concurrently with Claimed. Other stories in the series are available on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited (reading order if you need to know: Damaged, Forgotten, Claimed). This version of Mistaken is a beta edition looking for feedback while I complete the novel.
As always, The characters and storylines from The VAC Chronicles series are the intellectual property of Author Graceli Kaye. None of the novels, characters, or parts thereof may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed by any means, either printed or electronic, without the express written permission and cooperation of the author.