Free Forsaken by Sophia Sharp Page B

concentrated on the road ahead. Soon enough, he pulled up in front of her house. She got out of the car and thanked him for the drive.
    As he drove off, she realized something: She’d never given him directions to her home.

Chapter Eleven
    ~A Visit~
     
    The next day at school, Nora sat idly beside her friend Kelly. They were in second period science class, and the teacher was taking attendance. As names were being called out, followed by answers of “Yes” or “Here” from the students, Kelly told Nora about a new boy she had met. But Nora was only listening with half a mind. Mostly, she was thinking about what happened the day before. About everything that happened the day before.
    From learning about the dream world, to experiencing its wonders with Hunter, to that strangely quiet drive home – all the events swirled in her head. Mostly, though, her thoughts kept wandering back to what happened at the very end. After she saw that mysterious man, Hunter pulled them out of the dream world so very quickly. There was definitely something there…something he wasn’t telling her.
    “Nora?”
    Nora looked up and saw her teacher looking right at her. Everyone else in the class was staring at her, too. She realized the teacher must have said her name three or four times without it registering. She blushed.
    “Yes?” she asked meekly.
    “You’ve been requested in the principal’s office.”
    “Really?” Nora was confused. She’d never been in trouble –not counting Mrs. Millburn’s detention—before. What could this be about? “Do you know why?”
    Her teacher frowned. “They don’t tell me why, Nora, and I don’t concern myself. Get going, now, so you can be back before you miss all of today’s lecture.”
    “Yes, Mrs. Donnelley.” Nora looked at Kelly, who shrugged at her, and then walked out of the classroom into the hall.
    As she walked toward the office, questions popped into her head. What was this about? Could it be something to do with the detention she’d received in math? No, that had already been dealt with. Maybe it was something to do with what happened with Brady? She hoped not. She knew Hunter wouldn’t say anything, but could one of those guys have told on him? She might be in trouble, then.
    Not wanting to take any chances, Nora decided she would peek through the glass panel doors of the office before walking in. If any of the guys from Brady’s group were there, she would turn away and go straight back to class. She didn’t want to deal with them now.
    As she got closer to the office doors, she pressed herself against a wall and looked around the corner. She immediately recognized Principal Cole leaning against the counter. He was talking to two men. Their attention was diverted off to the side, so their heads were turned. But Nora would have recognized one of them from anywhere.
    It was the man from the dream.
    Nora’s vision blurred in panic. She became dizzy. She pulled back so she wouldn’t be seen and leaned heavily against the wall.
    The same man from the dream . She was certain of it. He wore the same dark clothes and had the same milky pale skin.
    She became acutely aware of her heart pounding loudly in her chest. Her breaths were short and ragged. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. Her entire body was signaling, Danger! Danger!
    She didn’t know what to do. What was that man doing here? How did he find her? She started to walk away. Slowly, at first, but then her pace quickened, until she broke out in a run.
    She had to find Hunter. He would know what to do.
    But she didn’t know where he was. She knew he’d be in class – she just didn’t know which one. She ran through the halls. How many classrooms were there? Dozens, at least, but she knew the teachers. She knew what subjects were being taught in which rooms for students in her grade.
    But she didn’t know Hunter’s schedule.
    Picking at random, she flung the door open to one classroom, interrupting the teacher