Captured.

~Chapter Eighteen~

Today. . . is going to be an awful day. I just know it! I am so freaking tired! Is it possible to sleep too much? Because I sure did!

Sighing, I slam my locker shut and rest my forehead against the cool sensation of the metal door.

Yeah, just a few minutes. . . I think to myself as I feel myself beginning to nod off.

“Morning,” Rory grumbles and I open my eyes to see has appeared besides me.

My mood immediately picks up as I stand up straighter, excited to share the news that Caleb and I have finally made the progress she so desired, only to feel my smile starting to retreat as I get a good look at her. 

She looks. . . dead. Her hair looks impressively dull. There are bags under the bags under her eyes and the side of her mouth is twitching just slightly.

“You. . . going to be okay there, Roar?” I ask.

She lets out what I can only describe as a hiss as she narrows her eyes at me.

“Do not. Do not, not, NOT! Call me by that dreaded name!” She growls as she grasps me by the shoulders. I can feel her talons digging into me through my shirt.

“Geez!” I cry, wriggling out of her hold. “Okay! Got it!” And then I proceed to rub my shoulders.

Ow.

“I’m sorry, Jenna!” She cries and I start bracing myself for the waterworks or something along those lines. “I’m just so freaking tired! I barely got a wink of sleep last night! I just managed to fall asleep around like three-four o’clock and I swear, like five seconds later, my alarms going off! And then there’s the stupid country club dance!” She screams and buries her face in her arms, leaning up against some random person’s locker.

“My mother cornered me in the kitchen this morning and I found out it’s actually this weekend!” She exclaims, and then starts banging her head against the hard metal. 

“I.” ‘Bang!’ “Need.” ‘Bang!’ “To find.” ‘Bang!’ “A dress.” ‘Bang!’ “ASAP!” ‘Bang!’ ‘Bang!’ ‘Smack!’ “Before my sad excuse of a mother shoves me into that horror show on ice of a dress!” She wails, finally turning to look at me, her lip quivering a bit.

“Then we’ll just go shopping.” I tell her, placing a hand on her shoulder and looking up in concern at her reddening forehead. “Calm down.”

“It’s not that simple, Jenna!” She screams at me as she goes back to shaking me once again. “That woman I’m supposed to call my mother is going to drive me mad!”

“Uh--” I start, as she thrashes me from to side to side. I think I can hear my brain rattling in my skull.

“Forget it!” She exclaims, releasing me so abruptly, I almost fall backwards onto the floor. “Excuse me while I go put my face on!” She wails.

“Ladies,” Caleb says striding into view with Ryan scowling in tow.

“AH!” She screams in aggravation, as she throws her hands up and storms her way through the two of them, pushing Ryan with incredible strength into a locker and makes her way around the corner.

“What’s her deal?” I hear Ryan asks. And is that just the slightest detection of concern I hear in his voice?

“I don’t know? Why don’t you go check?” I suggest, grinning at him.

“Hell, no--” He begins, glaring down at me.

“Ryan.” Caleb warns.

Sending a sour look Caleb’s way, he growls and trudges in the direction Rory just disappeared.