A Banshee's Wail (The Banshee Curse #1)

Chapter Seven

     Eventually, I got tired and stopped, realizing too late that I was on the opposite side of the track from the bleachers. Lyle was sitting by my stuff, watching me, and I realized that the swim team had finished practicing already. I started for him and my stuff, but ended up stopping and falling to the ground in the middle of the field. I was just too winded to continue moving.

     “Jemma?” Lyle exclaimed almost immediately.

     I raised my hand and gave him a thumbs up, letting him know I was fine. I was still gasping for breath, and my chest definitely felt like it was on fire. I'd say I was burning from the inside out, but it felt like I was burning on the outside too. I was burning both inside and out, yippee!

     A shadow fell over me and I squinted up at the figure above me. “You okay?” Lyle asked, staring down at me. I could just barely make out his lips curved up as he stared at me with an amused expression. I continued to gasp for breath, but decided that staring up at him would have to suffice as answer enough. He eventually laid down beside me. “So, you see Dr. Sterling yet today?” he asked after awhile.

     I'd finally caught my breath by now and groaned. “Ugh, don't remind me,” I muttered, throwing my arm over my eyes to shield them from the glaring sun.

     Lyle laughed. “She that bad?” he chuckled, grasping my free hand in his.

     I laced our fingers together and peeked over at him from under my arm. “She's the Devil in disguise,” I told him, closing my eyes again. “I'm guessing you've only ever been to see her once?”

     “Yeah,” he said, his voice sounding a little distant. He was probably remembering something I couldn't. “It was after Derrick and I had gotten here. They'd sent us, separately, to her to talk about how we felt about losing our parents.”

     I squeezed his hand a little. “I'm sorry,” I murmured. I shifted so that I was propped up on my elbow and leaning over him. “I didn't realize that was the only time you'd gone to see her.”

     He stared up at me and grinned. “Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong,” he pointed out, his eyes laughing at me. He tried to shrug, but since he was laying down, it was a little awkward. “Things happen, and I like to think they happen for a reason. If things hadn't happened the way they had, I wouldn't have met you and I certainly wouldn't have found out Dr. Sterling was the Devil in disguise. I mean, who knew?” He laughed when I glared at him.

     “You are so funny,” I exclaimed sarcastically, rolling my eyes at him.

     “You know you love my stupid, witty comments,” he said, sitting up and pulling me up with him. He kissed me and I laughed against his lips, pulling away.

     “Stupid, yes,” I agreed, grinning at him. “Witty, not so much.”

     “Hey,” he exclaimed as I jumped to my feet. “That's not nice.”

     I started for the bleachers, glancing back at him as he followed. “What isn't?” I asked, smiling at him innocently.

     I was at the bleachers now, about to reach for my water bottle, when he caught me around the waist. “Walking away from me when I'm not done with you,” he mumbled against my neck.

     I giggled. “Stop that, that tickles,” I told him, trying to push his head away.

     He tightened his grip on me. “Oh, does it?” he said, his voice filled with mischief. He nuzzled his nose into the crook of my neck and I laughed, trying to squirm free.

     “Lyle, stop,” I whined, laughing when his fingers joined in at my sides. Finally free from his grasp, I danced out of his reach. “Ha, now you can't tickle me.”