“Hey, handsome.” I tugged on the sleeve of his suede jacket.
He glared at Xavier a few beats before he looked down at me and smiled. “Hey, beautiful.” He leaned down and kissed me—a wet, lip-smacking, toe-curling, tongue-dancing kiss. When he stood up, he looked at Xavier and smirked.
“Sit down, Chay,” He slid in the chair next to me, leaning over to kiss me again. “I thought we ended the jealous boyfriend routine,” I whispered.
“But he—”
“I had it under control. You trust me, right?”
“Yeah,” he grumbled.
“Then stop.”
“I will when he does.” I gave a frustrated sigh, and he grinned. I was a sucker for his smile. Full, lush lips over straight white teeth. It was a mouth made to kiss, and we put it to good use… a lot.
He’s aggravating. I wonder if I can switch seats so they can have their pissing contest without me.
Class started and I felt a kick under my seat. I ignored it. He kicked the bottom of my seat five times. Each time, I gripped my pencil a little harder and clenched my teeth. By the sixth kick, my nerves were strung so tight I broke my pencil in half.
“Knock it off,” I said over my shoulder. He handed me a piece of notebook paper. I grabbed it out of his hand, hoping he’d get a paper cut.
Can I see your calc. homework?
I wadded the note up and tossed it over my shoulder when the teacher wasn’t looking.
“I guess that’s a no.” There was a hint of amusement in his voice.
***
Gym. I hated it. Didn’t everyone? I was good at two things—swimming and softball. Other than those two, I sucked at sports. I couldn’t hit little pucks across the floor, I didn’t like white volleyballs flying toward my head, and I didn’t care if I managed to get the little yellow tennis ball over the net. Swimming and softball. That was it.
We were running track. That wasn’t too awful. I pretended it was a big softball diamond without the bases.
What made the class unbearable was Shayla. She used to be part of our group of demi-angels. Then she jumped ship and sided with Azazel to become an Evil. I couldn’t stand to look at her, much less share the same class with her. Not because I was scared. The sight of her, knowing where her allegiance stood, made me feel physically sick.
“Nice ring,” Shayla said as she passed me on the track.
I didn’t answer, just focused on my feet hitting the pavement, pushing myself to go faster, harder.
“It’s not over, you know. Azazel isn’t finished with you.” She looked over her shoulder. Her gaze met mine for a few seconds before she faced forward again.
Whatever.
I doubled over, holding my side. It felt like something was burrowing a hole inside me. Breathing hard, I walked to the side of the track out of the way of the other runners. Images scrolled through my mind. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose between my fingers. My head pounded like someone was using it for batting practice. My side burned, and it wasn’t from running.
Me. I can’t breathe. Hands are around my neck… choking me. Cutting off my airway. My chest burns, my head pounds. I’m clawing at the person’s arms. I hear laughter in the distance. My head swims… stars blink in front of my eyes…
The images vanished. I gasped for air, filling my lungs until they were stretched to capacity. I looked up, still squeezing my side with my hand. Shayla ran past, a knowing smile on her lips.
***
Chay was waiting outside the locker room door when I left gym class thirty minutes later. He immediately pulled me into a massive hug. I smiled against his shoulder, inhaling his scent. The smell of his cologne, fresh and outdoorsy, calmed me.
“What’s wrong?” He pulled back to look at me. I tried to pull him close again. Partly because being in his arms made me feel safe and loved, but mostly because I knew he’d see the truth in my eyes. He didn’t budge.
“Nothing’s wrong.” I was a terrible liar. He read me like a book, and I knew it. “Your Spidey-sense for danger must be on the fritz.” No one knew how or why he could sense when one of the group was in trouble, just that he could.
“Yeah, right. Now tell me what happened.”
“Just got winded running track is all. I’m fine.” I smiled up at him.
He blew out a breath of frustration. “Milayna…”
Ugh. He knows I’m lying. Why can’t I get the lying thing down? I can’t even pull off a teeny, tiny white lie.
“I’m fine. Really. I’d tell you if there was something wrong.”
Shayla walked out of the gym and brushed past us, shouldering me so hard I stumbled into Chay. I rubbed the back of my shoulder where she hit and shrugged at Chay. “I could do without her,” I said.
“Why don’t you have your dad talk to the counselor and rearrange your schedule? You know he would do it if you’d ask.”