Moon Phased: The Triple Claim novel Chapter 17

Chapter 13-1

Raven’s POV

Clai

Evan had come home, just as shocked as Cash was to see me there, right before their grandmother

announced that dinner was ready. As I sat next to their grandmother at the table, with Chance at the head beside me, and Cash directly across from me, I couldn’t help but sneak looks at both the brothers, as we sat there with our food in front of us, awkwardly quiet.

When Chance had left the living room earlier, leaving Cash and I alone, Cash was full of questions about

how I had gotten here, and I no longer at that point could blame Chance for my actions. Along with Cash’s questions, came deep concerns about my hand, and that, too, I knew was my own fault. In that little time that I got to spend alone with Cash, I realized that he was sincere and compassionate, and I felt bad about letting him down the way I had.

Breaking the awkward silence, Evan cleared his throat, before he asked me, “Raven, how was your first day

at Beaumont High?”

Lowering my fork to the plate, I swallowed the bite I had just taken, before I said to him, “It was okay.”

“Just, okay? Did something happen?” He now asks, and I looked up from my plate to Cash and then to Chance, who were both staring at me, as if they were waiting to see how I would answer their father’s

question.

Slowly, I turned to look at their father, wondering if he knew about the incident that happened after school

with Chase. My eyes then moved to the empty seat next to Cash, knowing that it belonged to Chase, now wondering where he was, and if he was being punished for his actions. I had to wonder if Evan was trying to get me to confirm what his son had done, but for some reason, I couldn’t throw Chase under the bus,

especially after I had done that to Chance with his grandmother, and I now have to feel the guilt for doing

1. it.

Shaking my head, I finally said to him, “No. Nothing happened. It was just your typical first day at a new

school.”

୮

“Well, I hope your peers were welcoming to you.” He now says, making me think back to just how welcoming Jessica had been to me, but I also didn’t want to tell him about her, because once again that

would affect Chase.

“Yes, they were very welcoming,” I said while I tried to keep the sarcasm out of my tone, as I turned to look across the table at Cash, remembering how nice he and Mazie were to me.

“That’s great to hear. I know this has to be hard on you, and the last thing you need to deal with is not feeling like you belong.” My head instantly turned to look at him as he said those words, sparking the memory of what Jessica had said to me this morning.

In all honesty, I didn’t belong here like she had said, nor did I want to. I was here just passing time, and

once this school year was over, I was out of here. But as I thought this, I felt Chance’s leg brush against my

own under the table, arid my eyes moved to look at him, staring at me with what looked like the look of

lunging in his eyes.

Quickly, I turned away from his gaze, staring down at my barely touched plate in front of me, wondering how on earth I was going to make it through this school year without falling for one of them, especially him. With his leg now pressed against my own, I closed my eyes, taking in its warmth, secretly loving the connection it was giving me with him, but that connection was short–lived, as the sound of the screen door slamming made me open my eyes, stealing that secret connection I was feeling with him.

I heard their voices before they came into view, making me stiffen, knowing that not only was Chase here,

but Jessica too. As the two of them made their way into the dining room, their eyes instantly met with

mine, as Chase asks, “What the hell is she doing here?”

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