Free Spectral by Shannon Duffy Page B

looked genuinely concerned and with the throbbing pain in my jaw, I didn’t think ice was such a bad idea. I closed my locker and followed him to the nurse’s room. “Something you wanna talk about?” he asked.
    “Not really,” I muttered as we walked by a group of kids in the hall. I saw Olivia in the crowd and she glared as we went by.
    “Why does she hate me so much?” I whispered.
    Chase followed my gaze. “Olivia? Well, she’s my ex and she doesn’t like me talking to any girls, I guess.”
    “For real? Your ex?” I just couldn’t imagine Chase with a girl like her. She seemed so snobby and he seemed so down to earth. I caught him glowering at her and I grabbed his arm. “Please don’t egg her on,” I begged as we turned down the hall toward the nurse’s office.
    “Don’t let her get to you. Olivia pretty much hates everyone except for her one girl posse.”
    “Amy?”
    He nodded. “Yep. Hatred’s funny. It eats at anything good left inside you like a cancer growing until all you have left is a black abyss of nothingness.” Chase opened the door to the nurse’s office and ushered me inside.
    “Deep…” I lifted my lip in disgust. “Unfortunately she’s still pretty, even though she’s a bitch.”
    “Not as cute as you.”
    I snorted. “Seriously, you need glasses. Have you seen me today?”
    “You’re just having a bad day, but underneath the war wounds you’re still pretty cute.”
    The nurse rushed over, obviously catching sight of my purpling jaw and escorted me to a chair. She crouched in front of me with a gasp. “What happened?”
    “Just fell, no big deal.”
    Chase leaned against the wall, looking as beautiful as ever with his blond hair perfectly styled, dressed in his usual athletic gear.
    The nurse placed an icepack against my jaw. “Okay young man. I’ll take it from here.”
    “You sure you’ll be okay?” Chase asked over his shoulder as he walked to the door.
    “Yeah. No surgery required,” I said with a laugh. “Thanks, Chase.”
    “No prob. See ya later.”
    Chase left and I closed my eyes, slumping back into my chair. I held the ice to my face as the nurse went back to her desk. It felt like a train had hit me. Still, the anxious feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away.
    My mind whirled. I desperately wanted to know the answers to my life and yet a part of me didn’t. But living in denial wasn’t helping either. I didn’t know how to get all the answers though. My parents wouldn’t tell me. Roman wasn’t coughing up much. He wouldn’t even tell me how he knew my name. I didn’t understand.
    A draft of air brushed over me and I sensed movement beside me. I opened my eyes and saw Roman standing beside me. I sat up.
    His lips formed a straight line. “Who did that to you?”
    “Nobody. I just fell.”
    He crouched down, removed the ice from my jaw, and leaned in for a better look. His eyes smoldered as he replaced the ice. “Don’t lie.”
    “It’s fine, really.”
    The nurse spoke up. “Excuse me. Roman, is it?” She gave him a steely glare. “You can’t be in here.”
    Roman groaned and put his palm up to the nurse, freezing her in place where she stood, mouth gaping.
    “Not again,” I moaned.
    “Jewel, listen to me.” His eyes bore into mine, hot and hypnotizing. “Just come with me for the day. I promise to bring you home.”
    “Come with you where?” I shook my head. “We’ve got school.”
    “They won’t miss us. I promise.”
    “Thought you couldn’t sustain it for long…”
    “Long enough.” He lifted a ribbon of hair away from my face. “Will you trust me?”
    I remembered him holding me the other night in my room, how good it felt and of how he trembled with obvious concern for me.
    I nodded.
    He held his hand palm up. I took it.
    ***
     
    I shivered against the thick falling rain, wishing I’d worn something more than a light t-shirt. Roman handed me his jacket and I hesitated a moment before giving in and wrapping