Page 1 of Hidden Truths

prologue

CAL

6 YEARS AGO

Lookingaround the small garage that our band has called home for the past few years, I take a deep breath. The smell of motor oil and mildew fills my lungs as I commit it to memory.

“Dude, what the hell are you doing?”

I look over my shoulder to see two identical faces looking at me with a mixture of annoyance and confusion.

“I’m memorizing everything about the space so I can talk about it in our documentary,” I tell Ezra and Kai, my best friends.

“Don’t you think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself?” Kai teases as he starts loading our instruments into the back of the SUV he shares with his twin.

“I don’t know. I have a good feeling about today,” Ezra adds. He’s been in a really great mood for the past few days, and I decided it’s because he must have a sixth sense about our impending success story.

“See? Manifest with us, Malikai!” I shout and then cough from inhaling all the dust that’s being kicked up by the twins. Kai just glares with those piercing blue eyes and resumesdismantling Willa’s drum set. He hates when we use his government name, so naturally I do it whenever possible.

“Are you going to help us or just stand there?” Ezra asks as he starts folding my sister Bellamy’s keyboard stand.

“Careful with that!” Kai yells before running over and wrapping the keyboard in a blanket and then gently folding the stand. Ezra raises his eyebrows at his brother but says nothing.

“I’d be more worried about damaging Willa’s drums,” I mutter. Willa is part of our band and one of our best friends, but she’s also scary. The tiny blonde has no problem speaking her mind and cutting down grown men with a few choice words.

“So, no helping us, then?” Ezra asks again.

“I have to go pick up the girls,” I shrug, like I would help otherwise. Spoiler: I hate manual labor.

Kai sighs, wiping the sweat from his brow and causing his dark, curly hair to look even more messy. Girls love it.

“Just go get them and make sure they make it to the gig on time,” Kai mutters as he lifts Belle’s keyboard and gently places it in the back seat of the car.

“It’s in the woods. We’re not being paid. And we’re performing in front of a bunch of probably drunk high school graduates,” I point out.

“I thought you said this was our big break,” Ezra teases, taking Willa’s drum kit from Kai.

There’s a party in the woods of Summer Bay, our small Maine town, every summer. It’s always the night after graduation and it’s always packed with the current grads and returning alum. It’s a great way to get our music out there to our peers and then hopefully spread the word.

Kai, Ezra, and I all graduated two years ago. Willa and Belle just graduated last night. We formed our band, Shattered Halo, four years ago. It started as just something for the five of us to do together, since we all enjoyed music. We slowly learned thatwe all had a passion for it and tonight is the first time we’re performing in front of an audience that isn’t our parents.

I’m the lead singer and the face of the band. Kai plays guitar and Ezra plays bass. Willa kicks ass on the drums, which I was honestly pretty skeptical about considering her lack of height, but that girl will prove you wrong the minute you doubt her. Then my sister is on keys, but her real talent is in writing and composing. One of the songs we’re playing tonight is a Bellamy Griffin original.

“Go get the girls,” Kai grumps, obviously over me standing there and not helping.

“Aye aye, Captain,” I say and salute him before taking off to collect the rest of the band. I hear Kai grumble and Ezra chuckle as I run across the street to my house.

“You look nice. Where are you headed?”

My mom startles at my question, having not noticed me sitting on the couch.

“Callahan! Must you sulk like that?” she huffs at me. My mom looks just like my sister. Dark curls and deep blue eyes, but where Belle’s eyes have warmth, my mother’s are ice cold.

“I’m just waiting for Belle and Willa. I wasn’t trying to scare you.”

Mom runs her hands down her blue, knee-length dress, flattening out the non-existent wrinkles before bringing her eyes to mine.

“Your father and I have been invited to dinner with the future governor and his wife,” she replies, a bit of her inner snob showing with the lift of her nose.

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