Silent Orchids (The Age of Alandria: Book One) by Morgan Wylie

it was just a dream. I don’t know why I said that. Still tweaked, I guess.”
    “Kaeleigh?” Finn prodded. “Is there something you want to talk about?”
    Kaeleigh thought for a moment and skirted his question with another one. “Why did you think there was a ‘bad guy’ in it? I don’t remember telling you there was someone else in it.” She stared intently at him, gauging his reaction. 
    “Oh, um, I guess you didn’t. Aren’t there always bad guys in dreams like that though? I just assumed. So I was right then?” he asked while once again looking back down at his paper. 
    Odd response. And he squirmed. I can’t remember the last time I saw Finn off his game.  
    She would have just believed him had he not looked back at the paper that way, like he was avoiding looking her in the eye. That was unlike Finn. But why?
    “You’re acting kind of strange, ya know?” she threw out just to see if she could make him squirm again. This would be kinda fun if it didn’t also freak me out. Sighing, Kaeleigh added, “I do have something I want to talk about, but let’s wait until we’re at The Station so I can clue Chel in too. She’ll want to know. There’s something that I haven’t told you guys.”

 
    Chapter Eleven
    They waited for Chel in their usual booth in the corner between the wall and the front windows. The Station was a combination coffee, bakery, and fresh flower shop. Kaeleigh loved it. The colors consisted of comforting earth tones. It had a real natural vibe with leathers, sticks, and branches, in just the right proportions, juxtaposed with iron and things reminiscent of early steam engines. The flower “shop” took up the back section of the store even having its own entrance creating the illusion that it had its own space. The amazing floral fragrances permeated throughout the little café. It was hip, but relaxing and warm at the same time, especially on these crisp fall mornings when the sun was blanketing their booth with warmth through the window. It felt like a haven, safe from the threat of the winter that lurked around the next corner.
    Kaeleigh closed her eyes trying to saturate her body with every last drop of sunshine. She could almost feel its energy penetrate her body as her skin began to tingle. Kaeleigh imagined her skin shimmering with the intense infusion of light: a myriad of colors seeping into her pores. Energizing. Relaxing. Home.
    She heard Finn subtly clear his throat and realized that she must have drawn attention to herself. He knew she didn’t like to draw attention. When Kaeleigh opened her eyes she was suddenly self-conscious. Her cheeks heated up and she apologized for drifting off. Finn’s eyes were wider than normal and he opened his mouth to say something when he was suddenly interrupted by Chel fluttering her way through the front door like she was brought in on a whirlwind. 
    Kaeleigh had to laugh out loud as her friend tried to unwrap one of three scarfs that got tangled not only around her neck but under and around her arms too. Chel had an olive-green stocking hat on, a brown peacoat over dirty-looking skinny jeans (that of course she paid to look dirty), and flats, which, although brown, were still cute. Chel had added a yellow scarf and a purple scarf entwined with olive green along with her plain brown one. She was quite the sight, but then again Kaeleigh guessed she was too with her green long-sleeved-T, short dark jean skirt over multicolored striped thick tights and purple dragon-printed Cons with pink laces. Not to mention, of course, her favorite purple scarf that Chel had knitted her a couple Christmases ago—it was a little uneven, but it was the thought that counted and Kaeleigh loved it. It was Chel’s first and last knitted project. 
    Then there was Finn, pretty much always in black; black shirt, black jeans, black jacket, and when he didn’t wear black he at least wore something dark, but Kaeleigh had to admit it worked for him. They