I swallowed past the lump in my throat and looked around, hoping Collin was nowhere nearby. I already screwed up, I didn’t need to screw up any more. “What’s your next class?”
“My next class doesn’t start for another hour,” he bit out.
“Good,” I nodded. “We need to get out of here. Do you know some place we can talk privately?”
“Why should I go anywhere with you?”
“Because Krista and Alex are in danger,” I said softly.
Chapter 2
“Talk,” Gavin finally said as we sat down at the lake on campus.
It was chilly out, but I barely noticed. I chewed on my nails nervously. “How much do you know about the gifted community?” I asked tentatively.
He looked at me with an annoyed expression. “Not much. My father and mother made it a point to keep me away from it. They’re kinda pissed I chose to come here. They aren’t gifted and wouldn’t understand why I felt the need to go here. They took me to several doctors, since I was twelve. They don’t understand, I’m not delusional. The shadows I see around the gifted aren’t in my head, they exist.”
“So, why did you come?” I asked as played with a blade of grass.
“I have a feeling you already know a lot more about me, than I know about you,” he said shortly. “I saw something one night, walking home from the shelter, that made me question my...my gift? I followed some of them back here and saw all these…shadows. I knew that this was where I belonged, but you already knew that, didn’t you?”
I shrugged. “I know that you work at a shelter, approximately 45 minutes away from here. I know that you have a heart for the children you encounter.”
“How?” he was still mad and annoyed.
“What if I told you we have already met…about 8 weeks into the future?” I muttered.
He gaped at me for a moment. “You’re a time shifter?” he asked incredulously.
I shook my head, my eyes wanting to fill with tears. “I wish.”
“But we met?” he asked suddenly softer. The anger he held towards me seemed to have dissipated.
“Yes,” I said looking away, willing my tears away. “I know you have a trident mark on your shoulder. I know you currently have six children you’ve been…watching over.”
“Five,” he said somewhat dazed.
I thought for a moment. Alex shouldn’t have his gift yet, so maybe he couldn’t read him.
“Alex isn’t one of them,” he said as if reading my thought. “He’s too young to be showing any signs of a gift.”
“Yet,” I said, then I turned and looked at him, grabbing his arms. I tugged on one of my long dark curls and looked into his eyes. “Do my features look familiar?” I asked softly.
He looked at me intensely before understanding dawned, and his eyes widened. “You’re related,” he said incredulously before a small frown marred his handsome features. “But he’s an only child, lives with his dad. Comes in…with bruises sometimes.”
“We share the same mother,” I sighed. “I didn’t even know about him, until-”
I was cut short as I saw Collin working his way towards us, with a purpose in his step. How the heck did he find me?
“Hey, beautiful,” Collin stated looking at us suspiciously. “You didn’t answer your phone when I texted and called.”
I looked down guiltily, pulling out my phone. “Sorry,” I murmured. “I had it on vibrate during class and I didn’t turn it back up. How’d you know to find me here?” I tried to say with a smile.
He sat down next to me and looked at Gavin suspiciously once more, before he said hesitantly, “I took a guess.” With a shrug, he turned to Gavin. “Hey man, you aren’t trying to take my girl, are you?” He offered a smile that never reached his eyes.
I looked at Gavin with pleading eyes.
Gavin chuckled. “Can’t blame a man for trying, but no, man,” he said smoothly. He was a great actor. “Blake let me know quite clearly she is taken. We had a break between classes, so I asked her if she could help me with our English Lit class.” I hadn’t even noticed that he had the book we were reading for English Lit class until he held it up. “She said she already read it and seemed to have a good grasp on it. She’s a smart one.”
I almost sighed with relief. I had indeed already read it twice now; once before I left my previous school, and then again when I started here the first time.
Collin leaned back, seemingly satisfied as he started to caress my back.
I tried not to flinch, and I saw that Gavin noticed and wanted to step in. I tried to convey with my eyes not to. He seemed to get the picture, although he was tense.
“She is a smart one,” Collin stated. “Have you eaten anything yet, babe?” he asked with feign concern. “I know you didn’t eat breakfast, and it is lunch time. Maybe we should go to the quad and all finish discussing this book. I hate English, but maybe I can be of some help.”
“Sounds good,” I tried to sound enthusiastic.
“Do you like him?” Collin asked the moment we got in the car.
“What?” I asked with genuine surprise. “No,” I said hastily. “I mean he’s a nice guy and all, but you’re my boyfriend…right?” I asked guilelessly as I made myself take his hand.
He seemed to relax somewhat. “I know starting a new school can be…scary and exciting. All these new guys around you now. Maybe you have second thoughts on our arrangement.”
I looked out the window, seeing an opportunity to put some distance between us. “You know, honey,” I tried to mollify his insecurities, “It is scary, but it’s not just this new school. I don’t know what happened last night. If the bump on my head might have affected my memories, but I vaguely remember us. I mean, I remember our mutual attraction in high school, but not our recent relationship. Maybe you should take me to the hospital,” I suggested.
“No need for that,” he said quickly, too quickly. “Let’s just hope your memory returns, and I can show you why we are so good together again.”
I didn’t know what to say without screaming out that he was a liar. Maybe I could use this time to figure out how I could help Will. After all, I already knew Mr. Young was a wolf among us, maybe Collin would introduce me to more of them. I wanted to be back with my guys, but the more we knew about our enemies, the better. How did the old saying go? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
I reached out for his hand, digging deep for my acting abilities once more. “If you say so, honey,” I murmured reticently. I couldn’t act too suspiciously, I was already in too deep.
We took the short drive back to the school’s quad. I didn’t wait for Collin to open the car door from me. I was eager to get away from him and go to the cafeteria. Gavin was already waiting in line at a popular sub shop.
“They have amazing subs here,” Collin informed me.
“Okay,” I agreed. A sub didn’t sound too bad.
*********
“So, you mean to tell me that Mr. Bennet was willing to essentially sell one of his daughters so she could support her sisters when he died? What about love?” Gavin asked the moment we sat down in the quad.