JOSH SHOT UP with a barely restrained cry. Someone jerked out of the way just in time to avoid a head-on collision. Josh heaved for breath, one hand grasping the cloth over his chest and the other one propping him up.
A small crowd formed a ring around him. Mrs. Barlo stood separate from the students, her walkie talkie in hand. She glanced between Josh and Mr. Willis. The other gym teacher crouched near Josh while Darren stood on Josh's other side, face taut.
"Davidson?" Mr. Willis placed a hand on Josh's shoulder. Josh fought the urge to flinch away from the touch. "How you feeling?"
He felt as if he'd been sprinting at full speed just to run into a brick wall. Adrenaline buzzed through his body, but no amount of extra energy could help him take in breaths deep enough to fill his lungs.
Instead of that, Josh said, "Like I hit the ground too hard."
Mr. Willis frowned. "You did hit the ground pretty hard, but..." He pressed his lips together and turned to Mrs. Barlo. A silent conversation passed between them. "You may have been out for a few seconds. Are you sure you're okay? I need you to be honest here with me."
Josh tensed. Out, as in knocked unconscious. Even if Mr. Willis wasn't sure, the possibility remained that the big-headed jerk knocked him out.
A realization slipped through his wounded pride, and Josh grew cold. He had never passed out before, and his daydreams had never made it seem like he had. What was going on?
"Davidson?" Mr. Willis said.
No, Josh wasn't sure he was okay, but his throat closed around the truth. Telling the teachers about the daydreams was one thing, but he could feel the pressure of twenty-some gazes fixed on him, aware of his every word. He didn't need all of his classmates knowing about his weird condition. Or that it could be making him lose his mind.
He gulped. "Yeah, I'm okay, honest. I don't think I passed out. I was just dazed maybe." Josh tried for a nonchalant grin, but a twisting in his chest almost turned it into a grimace.
Mr. Willis examined Josh, lips pressed together in disbelief. "Well, it's better to be safe than sorry, especially in cases that involve the head." He glanced at Mrs. Barlo for a second before settling his gaze on Darren. "Well, Gifford, mind helping our friend here to the nurse?"
Josh flinched and caught his protest just before it could burst from his lips. Darren taking him was a horrible idea, but he couldn't say that to Mr. Willis. When teachers looked at Darren Gifford, all they saw were his excellent grades and outstanding football achievements. Mr. Willis, being the football coach, was more blind than the others.
Meaning Mr. Willis wouldn't notice that something burned deep within Darren's eyes or that his tight smile held a dozen unspoken threats. Only Josh did. It felt like it was always only Josh.
Given what he had worked out with Darren, though, maybe that was for the best.
"Of course, Coach," Darren said.
"Thank you, Gifford. Here, let me help you, Davidson." Mr. Willis placed a hand on Josh's arm and guided him to his feet. "Take it slow if you need, and if you need to stop and have Gifford come back to us, do so."
"Okay."
After a parting pat on Josh's shoulder, Mr. Willis turned back to the others and clapped his hands. "Okay, class, time to get back to your places. Johnson, select another goalie."
Josh walked off without sparing a glance at Darren. Tom caught his eye, grinning.
"Great way to get out of class," he said when Josh approached.
Josh grinned mischievously. "I have my ways, huh?"
Tom looked like he wanted to say more, but Darren nudged Josh's shoulder. "Keep moving," he said, an edge creeping into his words now that he didn't have to pretend for the teachers.
Josh rolled his eyes and did just that, though he still heard Tom's muttered "Could use some better company, though." Darren, also hearing, grumbled some of his own choice words about Tom.
Darren trudged the entire way behind Josh, thankfully silent. Or perhaps sadly, as it left Josh alone with his thoughts.
What he had seen after the ball hit him wasn't like anything from before. It left the burning forest for another, calmer one. And he had never seen anyone else until that man. Who was he?
Josh shook his head at himself. It was all a fabrication of his mind. The man wasn't an actual person but his imagination, meaning he wasn't anyone.
So then why did that thought feel so wrong? Almost as if dismissing someone he should be grateful for.
His chest twisted again. He rubbed almost absently at his chest. It wasn't pain, or at least, he didn't think it was. More like a tingling sensation. Heart tingling sensations didn't sound good. Could that have been part of being hit in the head—
An abrupt shove against his back cut off his thoughts. He had a split second to zone into his surroundings before his hands shot forward to land on metal double doors, stopping his body before he collided with them. While he'd been lost in his thoughts, they'd reached the school's back entrance.
And Darren had finally let a storm come out.
Darren spun Josh around and threw him up against the doors. Anger and hatred flared in Darren's eyes as he glared down at him.
"What are you playing at, Davidson?" he snarled.
Josh's instincts prickled as an easy grin slid into place. After all the confusion, he welcomed this situation that he understood. Darren on a rampage. Himself the selected target. Josh could handle this. Had for almost a year, in fact. Aggroing a bully wasn't exactly fun, but it kept Darren away from others, and in that moment, it kept Josh from his thoughts.
He gave a small shrug as he fell into his part. "No idea what you're talking about."
"Oh really?" Darren growled.
Curling a fist around Josh's shirt, Darren yanked him forward. He placed a hand on Josh's forehead and shoved. There was a loud thud as he hit the metal head-first.
An irritating itch tickled the back of Josh's head, but other than that, he didn't feel much.
As Darren lowered his hand, Josh raised his eyebrows. "Ow?" he offered.
Darren's face grew red with rage as he took hold of Josh's shirt with his other hand as well and pushed him further into the door. "Tell me how a soccer ball could make you pass out but me hitting your head off a metal door doesn't even make you flinch," he spat. "Is this you trying to get me in trouble for McKinley?"
Josh had a feeling explaining his own confusion on the matter wouldn't help, so he instead pretended to think. "Nah, I'm just as confused as you are. I don't know. Maybe seeing your ugly face running my way scared the life out of me—"
A fist slammed against his cheek. The impact twisted him to the side, but all he felt was a slight sting.
Glancing back at Darren, Josh smirked and asked, "That make you feel any better? Because I think your coach gave you a place to be. You know, taking me to the nurse. Gotta get my head checked and all."
That earned him an uppercut. Darren didn't give him a chance to open his mouth again before delivering another punch.
"Maybe this won't hurt you," Darren growled, once more slamming Josh against the door, "but if I hit you hard enough, you might not have teeth to keep smiling with."
Josh's lips twitched even higher as he tried to keep laughter from his voice. Darren made this too easy. "And here I thought you loved my smile. Could have just said something."
With his eyes narrowed and lips pulled back into a snarl, Darren looked ready to murder. Josh couldn't entirely blame him. Multiple interactions had shown Darren that Josh couldn't be hurt, by him or most other things. Josh had also shown suspicion when he found Darren and Kurt, and if his morning hadn't been so crazy, he may have made it his mission to make Darren's day a little worse because he still didn't believe Kurt's excuse.
It really did look like Josh set Darren up to get in trouble. For once, the smart remarks didn't feel all that deserved. But considering all the guys Darren had likely beat up before Josh discovered his bullying ways... One day of being unnecessarily sarcastic to get his mind off his own troubles couldn't hurt.
Darren cocked his arm back, prepared to deliver another hit, but before he could, there were soft pats on the opposite side of the door. Darren jerked his hands away from Josh, though he sent him one last glare before they both looked toward the door.
The knob shifted down with a click, and a familiar brown-haired teenage girl pushed the door open. Her dark eyes peered out at them.
Josh snorted. Out of all the people, it was her. "Hey there, Hannah."
His childhood friend frowned instead of returning his greeting. "What's going on out here? I thought I heard something hit the door."
Darren patted Josh on the shoulder. "Josh stumbled into the door. Genius, right?" He laughed. "The guy passed out while playing soccer, and I was bringing him up to the nurse."
Josh fought against a cringe. He didn't know what was weirder—Darren laughing around him or Darren using his name.
"Oh really?" Hannah asked, inching herself further out the door. She studied Darren a moment longer before turning questioningly to Josh. "I don't think I've ever heard of you passing out."
A knowing note creeped into Hannah's words, and Josh bristled. Of course it would be Hannah to see so easily through Darren's deception. A small glimmer of pride in her intelligence drowned in a wave of unease. As much as he disliked Darren, Josh knew he was smart as well, which meant two bad things would come from this.
Hannah would demand to know more, and Darren would figure she knew more than she should. Either way, she could become a new target.
Josh forced a sheepish smile and nodded. "Yeah. Not sure what happened there. Hopefully the nurse can help us figure it out."
Believe me, he mentally pleaded. Or at least act like you do. Come on, Hannah.
"Yeah, hopefully," she agreed. She tucked a loose strand of curly hair behind her ear and glanced over her shoulder. "Well, I'm heading that way, so I can take him with me. Unless you want to stick around. You know, in case he loses his balance again."
Josh nearly groaned. Son of a gun. He may as well have handed her a shovel with how much she wanted to dig this hole.
A slight, challenging edge sneaked into Darren's smile, as if daring Hannah to say what she was really thinking. "I guess that works if you're really heading that way."
Before Hannah could meet that challenge, Josh stepped forward, placing himself between her and Darren. "Then I guess that I'll be going with Hannah," he said. "Just let Mr. Willis know when you get back to the field."
It took Darren a moment longer than it should have to pull his focus away from Hannah. Josh tensed and took a small step closer to her. Darren wouldn't attack her, and as much as Josh knew that, he couldn't shake the instincts placing him between the two.
Light. It was everywhere. Consuming his senses and setting his insides ablaze. He took a sharp breath as energy flooded his being.
And deep down, he felt it stitch back together. That place that had ripped open when he fought to simply stay alive.
"And now," the man whispered, though light still made it impossible to see, "you can begin to heal."
Thank you.
"Josh?"
He knelt on one knee, ragged breaths ripping through him as his heart fought to catch up. Sweat coated the back of his neck. At some point he'd stumbled toward the door and taken hold of the door handle. Its edges dug into his palm.
"Josh?" Hannah repeated. "What's wrong?"
The buzz in his ears almost drowned out her voice. Adrenaline pumped through his system, begging him to move while confusion and fear held him paralyzed to the ground. He fought to gulp with his dry mouth.
"Davidson, are you okay?" There was a sliver of worry in Darren's voice, but beneath that was an underlying suspicion.
Gritting his teeth, Josh forced himself to his feet. "Yeah, I'm fine. A little light headed, I guess."
No, he wasn't fine, and as he stood up straight, the world swayed. He tightened his grip on the door handle. Exhaustion creeped through his limbs, chasing away the energy that had filled him only moments before.
He placed a hand on his temple. "I think... I think I need to get to the nurse."
Darren opened his mouth as if to say something, but he clamped it shut and nodded. "Got it. I'll let Coach know someone else got you there." With one last glance in Hannah's direction, he turned and walked back the way they'd come.
"Do you need help walking?" Hannah asked. Other questions danced in her eyes, and Josh had a horrible feeling an interrogation was soon approaching, but for now, her care won out.
"No, I think I've—" He cut off, shock stilling his body. His hand froze over the door handle, having loosened enough to feel the change in the metal.
He had to be crazy. There was no way he was feeling this right. But when he glanced down, he couldn't deny what he saw. His fingers fit perfectly into dips pressed into the metal.
Those hadn't been there before.
The bond. It's growing!
Josh's system jolted to a start again, his heart hammering in his chest. "I can walk on my own," he said. "Let's head to the nurse."
He didn't give Hannah time to question him. He pulled the door open and slipped inside, pausing only long enough to see she followed, meaning she didn't get to see the newly dented handle.
He continued into the school, fighting to keep a normal pace instead of sprinting ahead.
Josh had heard a voice, tone normal despite the way it sounded no louder than a whisper. He had heard that voice before. Young and excited, almost like a boy had been nearby speaking. Nothing like the previous times he had heard the voice. The first time had been a desperate plea for his parents, and the second time quiet words to a man.
He had heard the voice from his daydreams.
Fun facts: I had actually planned at some points to make Hannah Josh's sister, but I tossed the idea in the trash because I liked other ideas for them more.
So what do you guys think? Confused about why Josh is just letting himself get hurt? Wondering why Josh wasn't really affected by anything Darren did? Well, you'll find out in the next chapter! Also, did you think Josh was being too much a butt to Darren? Just curious. As for the other questions like how Josh dented the metal... That'll be answered later 😏
Let me know your thoughts of the chapter down below, and if you enjoyed, don't forget to comment. Or even join my Patron, which can be found in my bio. The lowest tier only costs $1 a month and gives you access to my discord, where you can get chapter previews. Both tiers also allow a chapter shout-out, so... Let's get to this chapter's shout-out!
Patron: SongofLightandShadow , Book: Relativity
Summary:
Reece is a Deviant. Basically human, save for purple hair and the ability to bend electric currents to her will. There are thousands of others like her, all with unique abilities of their own. But if there's anything that history has proven over and over again, it's that the world doesn't react well to those who are different.
Due to recent encounters with so-called violent Deviants, the government of the recently established Union is working to write laws outlawing their very existence.
But there are Deviants who fight back, some who use their own kind as weapons. Even if those weapons are barely more than children. Reece is one of these weapons. Her mission to escape and free her adopted family from a Deviant bent on the massacre of humans will drive her straight into the heart of enemy territory. York will be the first city to enact the new laws against her species, and the clock is ticking away.
Relying on her wits and supernatural abilities, Reece has twenty-four hours to complete her mission and catch a train outside of the city before the extinction of her kind begins.
This isn't a revolution. This is a rescue mission.