Parallel Read Online Free PDF Page A

used to moving around, not getting too close to people. But this time was different. Her dad had decided to retire early so she could stay at one high school all four years. He’d made enough money to do so, and then some—he was an excellent investor. Mason plopped down next to her, and he immediately took off his hat and slid it onto her carefully prepared first-day-of-school hair. She jumped.
    “What are you doing?!” she hissed. Mason smiled, his blonde hair cut short, removing any risk of hat hair.
    “Well, that’s my hat, so now that it’s on you, you’re no longer the new kid,” he’d said, melting her heart. She’d laughed.
    “That doesn’t make any sense,” she’d said. Mason grinned.
    “Life rarely does.”
    Ava turned to Avalon and gave her a hug.
    “Thank you for helping me. For being brave and stepping outside of your comfort zone. The world can be a strange place. I don’t know where I would be right now if you hadn’t taken me in.” To her surprise, Ava’s eyes burned with tears. She was finally processing all that had happened, and a tidal wave of repressed fear, anger, and stress washed over her, leaving her exhausted. Avalon held her tight and wiped a tear away with gentle fingers when she pulled back.
    “Thanks for letting me have my first adventure. Without you, I wouldn’t know if I had it in me, but now, seeing your version of me, I know I’m a lot sturdier than I ever believed.”
    Hunter came back with the firewood and built up a roaring campfire. No one mentioned that he hadn’t brought back any meat, and Avalon and Ava shared their cold meat pies and apples with him as they warmed themselves by the flames. Ava noticed Hunter scooting closer to Avalon, but said nothing. Instead, she decided to do some digging.
    “So, Hunter, how long has your mom been sick?”
    Hunter’s expression closed immediately; his shoulders tensed. Avalon gently reached for his hand, and held it. He glanced down at her, giving her a weak smile before allowing his shoulders to relax. He stared into the fire.
    “My father and brother both died five years ago. They were killed in an accident—my family business is actually in the timber industry. They were loggers. But in that trade, when a tree falls the wrong way, or when someone’s just a little bit careless…well. It’s been me, my mother, and my sister on our own ever since. I took up hunting to keep us fed and to sell pelts, but nothing I do ever matters. My mother sits, listless, by the window every day. Her mind and spirit are gone and I’m going to get them back. Whatever that witch has for me, I will use it and I will cure her of this illness if it’s the last thing I do!”
    The group sat in silence, Avalon gently stroking Hunter’s hand as he worked to control his emotions. Somewhere in the distance George was snoring loudly, like the delicate unicorn he was. Ava couldn’t help herself.
    “You have a sister?”
    Hunter looked up with red eyes, and Avalon gave Ava a look of admonishment.
    “I tell you the sad story of my life, and all you ask is if I have a sister?”
    Ava shrugged.
    “You told me you didn’t hang around women enough to know how to treat them. Obviously that’s not true, is it?”
    “Well, maybe when you become more of a lady, I’ll treat you like one,” Hunter growled.
    “Now who’s the sexist?” Ava retorted.
    “I think we can all agree that helping Hunter’s mother transcends any disagreements we’ve had during our brief time together, don’t you?” Avalon said.
    Ava shrugged and stared at the fire. Really, there was nowhere else to look. Hunter sighed.
    “I’m sorry, Ava. I haven’t been the gentleman I should have been, even though you are quite rude and really, really annoying. Like really annoying. How did you get to be so annoying?”
    Completely out of character, Avalon raised her hand and bopped Hunter across the back of the head. His eyes widened in surprised, then turned