Shadowed (Unbound, Book 2)

Chapter Thirty Nine

           

Calin pulled into the school parking lot the next morning early enough to find a space in the front row. The plan had been to stop for coffee but when we arrived and I saw all the customers in Celestial Java, I told him I didn't want to go in. Besides, caffeine wouldn't do my jumping nerves any good.

Without the charms, my body felt like a live wire, almost too intense, which made me want to ask for them back. To be numb again. My dream hadn't been clear but deformed into blurred shapes and colors. It felt like everything around me was a part of me. It was both soothing and overwhelming. After I woke, the sensations hadn't gone away.

Had I jumped off the boat to dull that?

"Uh, maybe we should go back to the Manor?" Calin's voice pulled my out of my thoughts.

"What?" I looked up, almost surprised to find Calin there, I was so lost in thought. "Why?"

He pointed out the window and I followed with my eyes.

"I don't get it." I looked back to Calin.

"The last time everyone was grouped at the doors like this is when a prank was pulled." He looked away from the crowd to me. "Somebody screwed with the locks and classes had to be cancelled because no one could get in."

"So?"

"So you were blamed for the prank, Nora."

"That's ridiculous." I snorted and shook my head, undoing my seatbelt. "Look. That girl just went inside, so the doors can't be locked." I pointed to the main door and smiled back at him. "There's nothing to worry about."

He didn't smile. None of the tension left the clench of his jaw, but Calin unclasped his seatbelt and followed me out of the car. We met on the sidewalk and started down the stairs. The closer we came to everyone, the more tension Calin felt. It transferred to me until I found I was holding my breath and only the guidance of Calin's hand on my back kept me moving forward.

"Hey, Calin!"

"Hey," he called back to someone in the first group we passed, and then another from the second.

Everyone knew Calin, and everyone watched as we walked by them. A group of boys in letterman jackets and flopping hair stood to the right of the door, laughing. One of the boys broke free and ran over. He stopped in front of us and blocked our path.

"Hey, Calin," he said, smiling at this friends.

"Jeff." Calin nodded and narrowed his eyes, but his friend's cheer wasn't reciprocated.

Jeff looked to me, and his smile brightened. He held out his hand. "Nora, right?"

I glanced at Calin and back to Jeff, and then took his hand. "Yeah. Nora."

Jeff glanced at his buddies and then started to lean closer to me, but Calin put his hand on Jeff's chest to keep him from succeeding. But he still had my hand in his, so he pulled me closer instead. I fell into him, almost losing my balance.

Jeff asked in a mock whisper, "Lying about your memories to get in good with Calin and avoid taking the punishments for the pranks you pulled? Good act. Maybe you'd like to get in good with—"

Calin pulled me back and swung. His fist connected with Jeff's jaw and I cringed as a crunch echoed. The boy's friends stepped forward, but Calin didn't look away from Jeff, who was holding his jaw and spit the blood from his cut lip on the ground.

Jeff held his hand out behind him, and his friends stopped. He looked up slowly and smiled at Calin, his eyes darting to where Calin kept me behind him and then returning. "We've been friends a long time. You sure you want to do this? Over a girl? What about Duvessa?"