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swatted the back of his head. His chin-length hair fell over his eyes as he swiveled out of his stool and left the room. I couldn’t tell if he meant to be rude, or if he just had an obnoxious sense of humor, but I loved Krista for smacking him, and I loved Louise for saying nothing about it.
    “Come on, Maryah,” Louise urged. “Anthony moved your bags to the guest room.”
    “I’ll be in later,” Krista said.
    I followed Louise to a bedroom I hadn’t seen during our tour.
    “You should be comfortable in here.” Louise reached into her pocket. “And I want you to have this.” She examined my fingers then slid a silver ring onto my thumb. The round face had shimmering shades of blue, green, and amber. It was the eye of a peacock feather.
    I almost burned down her house and she was giving me a gift? “It’s beautiful, but I can’t accept it.”
    She squeezed my hand shut and pressed it against my chest. “It’s been passed down in your family for generations. It belongs to you.”
    “Was it my mother’s?”
    “Not exactly. It’s a long story—a very long story. But trust me, it’s a cherished possession, and it looks perfect on you.”
    She fluffed pillows as I held up my hand, admiring how the colors sparkled in the light. Then I did a double take. I could’ve sworn something squirmed under the curved glass, just behind the feather. Squinting, I turned the ring from side to side and opened my mouth to ask Louise to look at it, but she silenced me by saying, “Don’t light any candles.”
    My eyes were still playing tricks on me because of the shock and adrenaline rush from the fire. “No candles. I promise.”
    Louise left and I grabbed my pajamas then headed down the hallway to shower. I paused at Carson’s room when I heard him shouting.
    “Her first day here and she torched the place! How much more is everyone going to tolerate? It’s like you said, her being here is—”
    The sudden silence should have been my warning. Three long strides and I could’ve made it to the bathroom. Carson wouldn’t have known I’d been listening. But I was too stupefied to react. He cracked his door open and stuck his head out.
    So busted. “I was, um, on my way to…to the bathroom.”
    “Need a map? Or should I install a peephole in my door so you can watch while you listen?”
    I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. Carson hated me. Not only that, he was talking to someone else who didn’t like me. Was Anthony in his room? Was he on the phone? To top it off, he caught me eavesdropping on him. I was used to people ignoring me, but this was way worse. This made me want to cry, or puke, or run away, or all three. “I wasn’t listening. I didn’t hear anything. I—”
    “Go away, Sparky.”
    I pried my feet off the ground, forcing one to step in front of the other, until I was inside the bathroom with the door shut. I climbed in the shower and turned it as hot as it would go. My skin squeaked against the porcelain as I sat down and let the water beat down on me. The burn on my arm stung, but the emotional sting of humiliation was way worse. I hugged my knees to my chest and let the pain wash over me.
    No way could I ever move here. I wanted to go home.
    Except I didn’t know where home was anymore.

BLURRING THE LINE BETWEEN LOVE & HATE
     
    Nathaniel
     
    After he slammed the door, Carson pulled his sweatshirt off and threw it at the bed. “See, she’s a snoop!”
    I chuckled at the irony. At least she didn’t lose her sleuth abilities when she erased—well, not all of them.
    Carson moved so fast he was a blur. His hypersonic speed intensified when he was emotional. Barely a second passed, but he’d already pulled a suitcase from his closet and stuffed it with clothes. “I’m out. I’m coming to live with you guys in Colorado.”
    I leaned against his desk. “You’re needed here. Imagine what might have happened if you hadn’t been here during the fire.”
    “You and Anthony would