The Cemetery Boys Read Online Free Page A

eavesdrop, I found my footsteps slowing until I came to a stop on the sidewalk, wondering who else needed to have their prescription filled tonight.
    â€œNo good will come of fooling with the devil’s instruments! Now hand them to me!”
    I instantly recognized that shrill voice. I doubted there could be two voices in this town that sounded like that one. It could only be Martha. Still acting crazy, even though her audience was much smaller now than it had been in the Lakehouse Grill.
    â€œMom. No.” The moment I realized that it was Cara speaking, my insides flexed. She sounded more than a little annoyed with her mother. What was crazy old Martha demanding that she hand over, anyway? The “devil’s instruments”? Great. The girl I was attracted to was probably sacrificing goats or something.
    â€œWhere do you think you’re going this late? It’s the witching hour! It’s not safe, Cara!”
    The witching hour? Who said stuff like that?
    Suddenly, the front door to the house flung open and Cara burst outside, throwing her hands in the air in absolute frustration. “Just leave me alone!”
    I froze. She hadn’t seen me yet, but when she did, she’d know I’d been eavesdropping. It wasn’t like there was anything else I could have been doing outside their house in the middle of the night.
    Cara lifted her head and I was caught for sure. Only—she didn’t look all that surprised to see a strange boy standingthere in the dark. I was starting to think that’s just what people did around here. I was also starting to think that Cara was pissed, and I hoped it wasn’t directed at me. She jabbed a thumb back at her house as she descended the steps. “So you heard all that, I suppose?”
    â€œJust the part where she tried to save your soul and you basically told her to pop some pills.” I smiled at her, hoping she’d laugh, hoping she’d get my weirdness and be okay with it. Then I realized how mean what I’d said might have sounded and my smile slipped. I shook my head in apology. “Sorry. I shouldn’t joke about it. Not my business.”
    The corner of her mouth lifted in a small smile. She stepped onto the sidewalk next to me, and the streetlight glinted off the locket around her neck, held tight to her throat by a black satin ribbon. The locket was a silver heart, kept closed by what looked like wings. I tried to keep my gaze at eye level. Cara was about a foot shorter than me. So cute and petite that I easily could have picked her up and carried her around. I didn’t, of course, because how creepy would that have been?
    â€œIt’s okay. And yeah, you got the gist of it. How sad is it that my whole existence can be summed up by a stranger who overheard one argument with my mother?”
    Stranger. For a moment, I’d completely forgotten about the stalker outside my window. But it didn’t matter. This wasa far better way to spend my time.
    Stress was coming off Cara in waves, like heat. This wasn’t exactly how I’d pictured meeting her, and I felt a little guilty about how excited I was when she was standing here hurting.
    â€œI’m Stephen. You’re Cara, right? I heard your mom say it.” I gestured to the house with a nod and then smiled at Cara once again. “So now we’re not strangers.”
    â€œWell, I’m definitely stranger than you. Bet on it.” Her small smile spread into a full-on grin, lighting up her whole face. She looked so much prettier when she smiled. She tilted her head at me curiously. “You’re new around here. How new?”
    â€œNew enough. My dad grew up here. He and I moved into my grandmother’s house a block that way yesterday. Last night, really. Late.” I had no idea why I kept adding details to my reply. It wasn’t like she was quizzing me or anything. But the stupid just kept rolling out of my mouth like a red