To be honest with you

“I’m sorry,” she said, biting her lip as she focused on the road. “But I feel like we used to be such good friends—you, Jonathon, and me—and now you barely talk to us.” “I have other things on my mind,” I said. Like that girl I saw last night. Camille immediately raised her eyebrows. Her job was to guarantee I made it to the Marking of Change alive. If I was up to something, she was supposed to know and tell my father. “What happened last night?” Camille asked, and my throat tightened. She hadn’t seen the girl. She would’ve freaked out. “Nothing,” I said, and she squeezed the steering wheel. “Then why were you acting so strange?” “Camille—” “I’m concerned, Eric,” she said, and I groaned, lying backward in the seat. “You sound like my mother,” I said, and she shook her head. My mother was dead. I didn’t have to remind her of that. I gripped my hair and dug my nails into my scalp. “Sorry, Camille,” I muttered, searching for a complicated lie. “My father and Mindy are getting to me.” Personal information would distract the conversation away from last night. “I don’t enjoy having a stepfamily. I never have, and I never will. Especially a human one.” “Mindy and Noah have been around for two years, Eric.” Right. Noah. I had a stepbrother. “They aren’t even shades,” I said. “I can’t be myself in my own house.” “To be honest with you,” Camille hesitated, shaking her head. “That’s probably for the best.” I crossed my arms, but she was right. The Marking of Change was prophesized to happen on my eighteenth birthday. The battle was almost exactly a year from now, and I wasn’t even ready. On top of that, the Light wanted to know anything about me—my name, my identity, where I lived, where I went, what school I attended, anything—just as long as they could kill me before the prophetic battle. I was constantly hiding, even from myself, and the only time I had exposed myself, Abby died. Other than Camille and Pierce, she was the only shade I had known in both of my worlds. Now she was gone, and it was my fault. “Eric?” Camille leaned over to catch my eyes, and I realized we were parked in my driveway. I was home. I picked up my stuff and opened her car door. “Thanks for the ride, Camille,” I said, ducking outside. “Are you sure that you’re okay?” she asked, and I nodded. “Have a nice night off,” I said, shutting the door before she could continue the worst conversation of all time. “Shoman.” Her resonant voice shuddered through me. “Be careful. I love you.” She was my best friend, my sister, and my mother figure, yet she couldn’t trust me to be alone. “Love you, too.” I sent a message back, knowing our love was meant for siblings. We weren’t infatuated. That would practically be incest. The Scholar's Reincarnation Manga

Camille’s BMW backed out of the driveway as I burst through the front door. I shut it behind me and listened to Mindy laugh away at my father’s jokes in the kitchen. Our kitchen was on the second floor, next to my bedroom. It was perfect when I was hungry, torture when they were in it. I tiptoed upstairs, hoping to avoid the situation, but it was impossible. “Eric, you’re home,” Mindy said, still chuckling at whatever my father had said. Damn. My father raised his brow. “Why don’t you come prepare dinner with us?” Mindy smiled wide behind her bright red hair. “Noah should be home soon, and he’d just love to spend some time with you.” Noah, my stepbrother, was her ten-year-old brat. “No, thanks,” I said before she could suggest something dumber. I finished walking down the hallway and disappeared into my bedroom. Crashing onto my bed, I looked at the small, blue nightlight on my wall. Stupid thing. I closed my eyes, enjoying the silence. Nothing was better than a few hours alone in my bedroom, shunning myself from the family. “I’m home, Mom!” Noah’s high-pitched voice shattered the silence. “Hi, Noah,” Mindy screamed with enthusiasm. “How was school?” “It was great” Read Manga Online

Thud! Noah always dropped his backpack in the middle of the entrance hallway. My father cleared his throat. “Anything interesting happen?” “Yeah—” Noah spoke again, but I drowned him out with my stereo—hoping to drown my family out with him. My phone vibrated against my leg, and I jumped up, yanking it out of my jeans. Text from JStone: Hey, man. Bracke told my father we were flying tonight? My eyes glided over my phone’s screen, and I gaped at the text. I wanted to go out without Camille tonight, but not to see Jonathon. I wanted to see somebody else—the girl who caught my attention. “Eric.” My dad knocked on my bedroom door and opened it without permission. He walked in, tossed a dinner plate on my desk, and folded his arms. “I brought you dinner since you don’t want to join your family.” “Thanks,” I said, continuing to stare at Jonathon’s words. Now what? My dad rubbed his hands together. “How was school?” he asked, and I shrugged. “Okay.” “That’s good.” I nodded without meeting his eyes. I knew I was being rude, but I just didn’t care. “Are you going out with Jonathon tonight?” he asked. “Yeah,” I lied. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.” “That’s great,” he exclaimed, Mindy’s attitude rubbing off his tough exterior. “You boys better be careful, Eric.” “I always am.” Another lie. He left my room, and I was alone again. Mindy’s food suffocated my sense of smell, and I lifted my hand, using my abilities to carry the food through the air until it landed on my bed. I bit into my sloppy Joe and typed in my text. Text from EWelborn: Change of plans. The old man is forcing me to bond with Noah and Mindy tonight. I waited for a second, and my phone binged. Text from JStone: Dang. Well, plan on it soon, because I’m getting sick of hanging out with humans every night. Text from EWelborn: You’re telling me. I’m with the brat all night. Text from JStone: Have fun with that. Text from EWelborn: Ha. Yeah right. See you later, Jonathon. I flipped my phone over and powered it down. I might not be seeing Jonathon, but I told my father I was. Camille wouldn’t show up at the house, and I was free. At least I was doing something productive. I was still seeing someone; it was just someone they didn’t know about.