Page 128

No.

The reply, once again, comes immediately.

I slam the notebook closed and shove it roughly into my bag. I stand up, and the entire class turns their attention to me as the chair drags over the stone floor.

I swallow and quickly excuse myself from class. My heart pounds painfully hard, and my lungs struggle to expand, the air feeling light and thin. I walk through the corridors, trying to find somewhere to go where I’ll be able to breathe. Everything is spinning, and I stop to lean against the wall, concentrating on breathing. A soft touch slides over my shoulder, and I whip around. I reach back, seeing if something is crawling on me because there is nothing and no one behind me. The touch was faint, but it was definitely there.

“Hello?” I ask into the void. There is no answer, and I’m about to turn away again when something moves in front of me. It’s barely visible, but I can see the slight shift in the air around it when it moves. I take a deep breath and take a small stepforward. Very slowly, I lift my trembling hand, reaching out to touch. A hard mass of muscle meets my fingertips. My throat closes, killing my scream, leaving nothing but quiet whimpers between shallow breaths. I want to pull my hand away, but I am frozen in place, feeling the warmth of the… something beneath my fingers. My hair is brushed behind my ear. It’s a gentle gesture, but I still flinch.

“I will not hurt you.” A soft voice carries to me, surrounding me like the gentlest of winds. It is a deep male voice, and I can tell it is warped from the power humming faintly against my skin.

I frown, watching and waiting for its next move. Hearing him speak eases some of my terror. It almost humanizes the apparition, and it helps that there is no anger in the voice. The feeling of malice I had when I was being watched earlier is completely absent now.

The being slowly moves his hand and brushes his fingertips along the back of my wrist. I tilt my head, trying to see more of him. All I can make out is that he is taller than even Uriel and broader than him, too, muscle packed onto a powerful frame. I brush my fingers along his chest, trying to understand it. An elemental avatar like this is not something many can achieve, and having enough control over it so that they are able to talk via the embodiment is very impressive. Why don’t I feel the overwhelming urge to run? Why am I lost to curiosity?

My phone chimes in my bag, and I jump slightly. The form, which appears to be made of wind, disappears, leaving only the echo of a breeze in its wake.

I look around and then hurry into the women’s bathroom, locking the door behind me. I close my eyes and press my head against the door, taking deep breaths.

“Fuck.”

Less than five minutes later, there is a soft knock at the door. “Babe?” Connor’s voice is muffled through the door. “Alice texted me.”

“I’m okay, Con. Just not feeling well.” I pause for a long moment. “I’ll see you later?”

Connor pauses for a second, trying to sort through the heavy meaning between my words. “I’ll just wait here.”

I sigh heavily, realizing that he’s not going to leave. I quickly splash water on my face before opening the door. Connor is leaning against the door frame, his concerned eyes sliding over me.

I walk into him and bury my face against his chest. Connor wraps his arms around me, holding me close. “I got you, babe.”

After a long moment, I tip my head back and look up at him. “I’m okay.”

“It’s okay not to be,” Connor whispers, cupping my cheeks.

I smile and kiss him softly, delving deep within myself to find some truth in the words I’m about to say to my angel boyfriend so that he can’t taste my lie.

“I’m okay, promise.”

Connor exhales in relief, and I take a moment to enjoy the small achievement. The fucked up achievement of successfully lying to my boyfriend. Nice.

“Do you want to cut and go to my house?” he asks, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

I shake my head, knowing the anxiety he will feel cutting a class. “You need to go to class.”

Connor presses his forehead to mine. “I need to be where my girlfriend needs me.”

My heart flutters at the care he’s giving me, the love he never fails to show me. My thoughts scramble, trying to figure out how I can reciprocate and take care of him. He needs to go to class.

“Con—”

“Okay, well, come with me,” he interrupts, obviously knowing I’m about to object again to him skipping school.

“You want me to come with you to your senior class?” I ask, quirking a brow.

Connor shrugs. “Why not? You’ll probably outperform us all.”

“Con, I’m okay. Go to class, and I’ll see you later. Honestly?—”