Muriel: What do you mean?
Me: Chay told me someone from the group is always around between classes. You and I have different classes next period, so do Chay and I. So who follows me to history? I don’t see Jen until I get to class, so it isn’t her.
Muriel: Chay.
I read her text and leaned back in my chair. Doubt bombarded me like a Kamikaze pilot. Why hadn’t he told me he followed me after calculus? Why didn’t he just walk with me to class?
When the torture of calculus was over, I gathered my things and told Muriel I’d see her at lunch. I was halfway to my next class when I turned and leaned against a locker. I saw him instantly, trailing six or seven people behind me.
“Don’t you want to carry my books?” I called. When he was closer, I asked, “Why didn’t you tell me it was you?”
“I was going to—”
“Really?” I crossed my arms.
“After Saturday, I wanted to tell you. I mean, I wanted to walk with you, not seven people behind. But then Saturday night happened and you were so angry with me, I decided it wasn’t the best time to bring it up.”
“Hmm.” I tapped my finger on my lower lip. “What about yesterday when you drove me to school? What about this morning when we were on the phone?”
“Okay, I know this is going to sound bad, but it’s the truth. I was going to tell you today. I follow you to all your classes. I always have. Even when you’re walking with Jen or Shayla. And I planned to tell you today because I don’t want to follow you. I want to walk next to you and hold your hand like Saturday at the movie and, yes, carry your books for you.” He leaned his shoulder against the locker next to me. We were so close that we brushed against each other.
“And I should believe you?”
“Well… yeah.” He looked shocked that I wouldn’t.
“Okay, fine.”
“You believe me? That easily after all the warnings I’ve given you?”
“Yes.” I pushed off the locker.
“Why?”
“Because my books are heavy. It will be nice not having to lug them from class to class.”
Chay laughed and took my bag from me. “So do I get to hold your hand?”
“Let’s see how the book thing works out first. Then I’ll let you know.”
He chuckled, a low rumbling deep in his chest that warmed me to the core, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Oh, I’m such a goner. He is so gonna break my heart.
After history was over, I walked into the hallway and turned left toward my next class. I jumped when I came face-to-face with Chay, who leaned against the wall next to the door.
“Hi. Give them to me.”
“Hi back.” I handed him my books, and we walked to my next class. When I sat down in my seat, he hooked the bag over the back. His hand grazed my back and arm as he walked away, leaving goose bumps on my skin and a fluttering deep in my belly.
“See you after class,” he murmured.
I smiled as he walked away.
“What’s going on?” Shayla asked with a crooked grin.
“Oh, he’s just walking me to and from classes. You know, I’m not supposed to be alone and all that crap.”
“Mm-hmm.” She winked at me.
And I’m pretty sure it has something to do with me falling hard for Chay.
***
The first one came at lunch. It started the same as always, but it wasn’t a bad one. Only Chay knew I was having it. I looked down at my plate so no one else could see my face. Chay reached for my hand, giving it a small squeeze.
Gray hands. Person in a black hoodie.
Just as quick as it came, it left, leaving me with an uncomfortable feeling that someone was making deals with the other side.
I concentrated on the image, trying to see who was in the black hoodie. Whoever it was, they’d just shaken hands with a demon. The last time I had a similar vision was when Lily jumped sides. I looked around the table. No one was wearing a black hoodie. Then it hit me.
Muriel is wearing black. Was it a hoodie?
“Where’s Muriel?”
It was unlike her not to tell me when she wasn’t going to be at lunch, when she was going to babysit, or when we weren’t going to drive to school together. And not only was she not telling me things, we didn’t talk as often. We always talked every day, usually more than once, and we always texted each other. But I couldn’t remember the last time we talked on the phone, and she rarely texted me.
Stop it! She would not turn.
“I don’t know,” Drew answered. “She didn’t mention missing lunch.”
“Yeah, she didn’t mention it to me either.” I chewed on my lower lip. “I guess I’ll find out at swim practice.”
I looked around the lunchroom for Lily. I held my breath, hoping she’d be wearing black. My eyes traveled over the long, rectangular tables filled with rowdy students until I found her. She sat at a table on the other side of the room, laughing with her new group of friends. She wore yellow.
Damn.
Muriel didn’t show for swim practice.