“Just couldn’t sleep.”
“Nightmare?”
I slammed the metal door closed before the books and crap could tumble out. Giving the dial a spin, I looked at her. “Yeah.”
“You want to talk about it?”
I shook my head, swallowing hard.
No way. There’s no friggin’ way. I don’t even want to think about it.
“So, you and Drew. I didn’t see that one coming,” I said with a half grin.
She laughed. A tinkling sound that reminded me of a cross between my grandmother’s laugh and a pair of wind chimes blowing in the breeze.
Must be the sound of love… or lust. Maybe both. Whatever. I wonder if I sounded like that when I started dating Chay.
Muriel didn’t seem to notice the abrupt subject change. She dove right in with her tale of the knight in shining armor, Drew, asking the fair maiden, Muriel, out for their first date.
“He was so nervous. His voice cracked when he was trying to ask. It was so cute. We went to a movie and out to dinner. A classic, boring date, I guess, but it was really magical. We’re going bowling Saturday.”
“Bowling?” I looked at her with raised eyebrows. That didn’t sound very romantic for a second date.
“Yeah, it was my choice. Dinner afterward. You and Chay should come, too.”
“You don’t want us around. It’s only your second date.” I waved to a group of girls from the swim team as we walked by.
“No, it’ll be fun. We can do guys against the girls. We’ll kick their asses.”
“You ask Drew. If he wants us to come, I’ll ask Chay. But I don’t think he will. He’s gonna want you all to himself.” I winked and nudged her arm.
I was looking at Muriel as I talked. I didn’t see the janitor’s cart until I nearly ran into it.
“Whoa, Milayna. You best be watching where you’re going,” the janitor said with a smile. He grabbed my hand to steady me before I landed face-first in the mop bucket.
As soon as he touched me, I felt the electrical current that allowed me to read other people’s emotions flow through my nerve endings and zing to life. It poked around him, searching. I looked into the old janitor’s dull eyes, and the current followed. It seeped from my gaze to his and stopped moving. His feelings—the ones he felt strongest at that moment—moved across the bridge—fear, terror, evil, abhorrence. I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes to break the connection. He didn’t feel like that because of me. He wasn’t fearful of me… he was fearful for me.
When he spoke next, his voice was low and serious. “You never know who’s around the corner.” He squeezed my hand before letting go and smiling again.
“Thank you, Mr. Jenkins. I’ll keep better watch.”
“See that you do, child. See that you do.”
I turned the corner into chemistry and came toe-to-toe with Xavier. “Hey.” He moved to let me pass.
“Hey yourself.” I forced a smile.
“Are you ready for today?”
“Huh?” I was still thinking about what the janitor had said, and what I felt radiating from him.
“The lab? Did you get the homework done?”
“Oh, that. Yeah. You?”
“As much as I could. It’s hard keeping up with the labs without a partner.” He raised an eyebrow.
Nope. Ain’t gonna happen, buddy. Chay and I don’t need another partner.
“Yeah, I guess that would kind of suck.” I walked past him to my seat.
“It doesn’t look like Chay’s coming today. He’s usually here by now. Plus, he didn’t walk with you this morning.”
“He’s coming. He has a dentist’s appointment this morning.”
Stupid, Milayna. Now he’s gonna want to do the lab together.
“Gotta keep those teeth pearly white.”
I didn’t look up as I pulled my things out of my bag. “Something like that.”
“So do you want to do the lab together since he won’t be here?”
Ugh. When will you learn to keep your mouth shut?
“Um, Chay and I are partners, Xavier,” I said as nicely as I could without coming across as bitchy, which was exactly how I was feeling.
“Oh, I know. I just meant this time.”
Geez, how do I get out of this?
I sighed. “I guess.”
I can’t believe I’m agreeing. I don’t want to do the lab with him. Why can’t I say no? It’s just two little letters. N-O.
“Great.” Xavier grabbed his things from the desk behind me and sat in Chay’s seat. It felt like I was somehow betraying Chay.
Ugh, this feels so wrong.
Class started and Xavier and I began our lab assignment, the book open between us. Each time he’d reach over to turn the page or adjust a piece of equipment, I got a whiff of his cologne. The smell made me dizzy. And not the bad kind of dizzy. The he-smells-really-really-good kind. Which I guess was the bad kind of dizzy since I shouldn’t have been smelling anyone but Chay. So I spent the class hour trying not to inhale in Xavier’s direction.