The Immortals by Mary Hallberg (chrysanthemum read aloud txt) 📗

Maybe if grandpa had given him some of the TNV he had access to back then, he would still be alive.

Elizabeth shrugged. “Well if your trip yesterday was any indication, security is pretty lax at the factory. But whatever, it’s not like they’re going to catch them anyway. Jacey, just lock your doors from now on, okay?”

Jacey was pushing down her cuticles and not looking at us. “Okay mom,” she mumbled. “So, what do you guys want to do for dinner?”

As far as I know, the break-in never made the news in The Necropolis or anywhere else. It was a little strange; Jacey was relatively well-known here, and almost all of the crimes in The Necropolis made the news simply because there weren’t that many. But I didn’t think much of it. There had been several break-ins over the past few months, so maybe the stations were just tired of covering them. Then again, maybe they were starting to become a little too common.

Now that we were well into October, the fall weather was turning even cooler. It was the perfect time to sit by the fire and roast marshmallows. So it wasn’t a surprise when the Cavanaghs held a barbecue on the first Saturday night of the month. They even invited Luke.

Both of us schmoozed and impressed Immortals by remembering almost all their names. Well, I remembered most of their names. Luke only addressed them after I whispered their names in his ear or said them out loud. I wasn’t sure how many of them were big enough egomaniacs to get offended if I didn’t recognize them, but remembering people’s names is a skill I’ve always prided myself in having.

I sat by the fire in between Jacey and Gage. Gage snuggled in close to me, even though it wasn’t that cold. He was close enough for me to smell his hair, and I relaxed into his arms. I knew everyone around the fire could see us, and a few even stared. But for the first time, I didn’t care.

Several hot dogs and dozens of burnt marshmallows later, Gage convinced Luke to play video games with him upstairs and I was left on a log with Jacey, who hadn’t quite given up on the marshmallows. She seemed like she had recovered from her not so devastating ordeal the previous week. Some people would be shaken after a break-in, even if nothing valuable was taken, but not the ever so resilient Jacey. After all, it wasn’t like she had gone to great lengths to get the TNV. All it seemed to have cost her was a few missed classes, and I got the feeling she could live with that.

“Luke and Gage seem to be getting along well,” she said, sticking another marshmallow on her stick.

“I know, I’m so relieved. I thought my entire family would hate him.”

“Why would they hate him?”

“Oh, I don’t know. My mom isn’t exactly crazy about...well...”

“Immortals? She probably sees past that. After all, you’re one of us now.” She stuck the stick in the dying fire. It popped and the smell of burning sugar wafted through the air. “And so is Gage, and he’s a pretty cool guy.”

“He’s amazing,” I said. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

“I’m really happy for you Kenzie.” She blew on the marshmallow. “Just be careful who you talk to this about.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

She nodded toward the edge of the campfire, where a mix of older and younger adults were whispering amongst themselves. “My great aunt was a pre-Immortal celebrity. Her family was really rich and I think her dad was an actor or something. She was about to start filming some movie when she got married, but it lasted less than three months. People were always trying to take pictures of them and whatnot, and getting into their business. My whole family blamed the media for ruining her marriage, and everyone who knew about it thought they just pretended to get married for publicity.” She nodded back toward a kid fighting to light up a marshmallow despite the dying fire. “People really like to gossip here, and they can turn even a really good thing into something ugly.”

I shivered. Suddenly it seemed a lot colder outside than it had before.

Luke had a photo shoot the next morning and had to leave early. A few minutes later, after Jacey flicked her last burnt marshmallow into the grass, I stood by the front door waiting for Gage to come downstairs. Luke, however, came first.

“Ready when you are,” he said, grabbing his jacket.

“I’m going to be a few minutes,” I said.

“Oh, I gotcha.” He puckered his lips and made obnoxious kissing noises. I slapped him on the arm and he opened the door. “I’ll be in the car.”

In the kitchen a few feet away, Matt stood against the wall, red plastic cup in hand. Paige had her arm linked in his and her head on his shoulder, but he was staring at the wall ahead of him. Occasionally she'd look up and whisper something in his ear, but he didn’t respond. A minute later, a blonde girl approached from his other side; she was sucking on a lollipop and her hair fell into her (probably acne free) face. She said something and laughed; this time, Matt actually laughed along with her. After she left, Paige turned her head up to his and whispered something else in his ear, but this time she looked annoyed. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her into a hug, but looked straight ahead at the wall as he continued to drink from his cup. They stood like that for a moment until Matt broke away and headed for the punch table for a refill.

He walked by me a minute later. “Leaving already?”

I nodded. “Luke has to be at work early tomorrow and he’s my ride.”

He looked at his feet. “Are you sure? Because I could give you a ride back later if