Sparks Fly

Chapter Twenty-Three: A Deal with the Devil and a Graveyard

I'm back, a little late, but I'm here! Thank you so much for the increasing number of reads and votes! The love for this story never fails to amaze me.

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-VIVKELLER23
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Rain

There were so many emotions going through her after Teagan's gallant defense on her part. Joy that someone actually thought she was worth standing up for was the first. Disbelief that the person who chose to defend her was the most notorious flirt on campus came next.

She lost track of the order of emotions somewhere in the middle. Among them was embarrassment and pride. She was allowed to be proud of what she'd done to protect Gia, even if Gia preferred to twist the events to simply remember the bad times.

But the last and the strongest emotion she felt was shame. Because though no one else heard the true meaning between the words Teagan said, she did.

Perhaps the only reason Rain had been able to overlook the past to help Gia was because she knew what came after the man refused to listen to her rejection.

That was what Rain heard. She knew firsthand what it was like to be attacked by someone who didn't understand the meaning of no.

It wasn't something she was particularly proud of.

That was why she bolted, furiously swallowing up the ground as she strode away. It didn't matter where she was going, all that mattered was that she get away from the critical speculation and the pitying glances she knew would follow her once the truth got out.

That was how things usually played out. At first there was pity that she hadn't been able to fight off the man who hurt her. Then came the questions. Why had she been out that night at all? How come she didn't think to take someone along with her to offer some protection? Surely, if she knew the guy, she must have done something to invite his advances and then changed her mind?

And, though she had answers to each of those questions, it became harder to hold onto her innocence with every new attempt to turn the blame on anyone but the monster responsible.

But Teagan hadn't pitied her the day he saved her from Timothy. He'd been angry enough to want to murder the other man, but that anger had been for her rather than directed at her. He'd had questions, too. Yet, every single one of them had been asked to understand why she'd been forced into the situation. They hadn't been pointed questions to poke holes into her story, to try to find where she'd misstepped to encourage Jeffers.

Teagan Miller was like no one she'd ever met. So why was she constantly having to remind herself to stay on her toes around him?

"Rain, wait up!"

She closed her eyes. He also didn't take hints very well, did he? Anyone else would have given her the space she needed.

Teagan Miller wasn't like anyone else though.

"Hey." He cut her escape short. Just like that. One hand on her wrist tugged her with just enough force to make her stop and face him. Deep, impossibly gorgeous green and grey eyes stared down at her. "What's wrong?"

Everything? No, that wasn't the answer she was supposed to give. Rain forced a smile that never quite made it to her lips. "Nothing at all."

It wasn't a surprise to see that Teagan didn't buy the smooth lie. "You don't mean that. Which only makes me wonder why you're so set on lying in response to all of my questions," Teagan told her with a gentle smile that lacked his usual cockiness.