Free The Year of the Great Seventh by Teresa Orts Page B

I can explain.”
    “Don’t bother. You explained yourself quite clearly at my place!” I yelled back, nervously searching my purse for the car keys.
    Nate walked behind me, looking puzzled. He probably hadn’t anticipated my fury.
    “I know it’s difficult to understand, but it’s better you stay away from me.” Nate went on anyway. “I’m no good.”
    “What? Why did you come to my place, then?” I yelled, wiping away the tears that were rolling from my eyes.
    There was no one else in the parking lot, only empty cars in the dimness. Nate stopped following me and was standing between two cars.
    “I was going to tell you the truth, but…”
    “But what? You didn’t want your popular friends to see me with you, did you?” I yelled, rushing to get to my car. It wasn’t far away.
    Nate shouted angrily from behind. “Sophie, that’s not true. I don’t care what they say!”
    “What is it, then?” I screamed back, turning to look at him.
    Nate hesitated for a moment and then shouted with frustration. “I was… I was scared of telling you the truth!”
    I quickened my pace and Nate lapsed into silence. His lack of response was making me nervous. I turned to see whether he was following me. I couldn’t believe what my eyes were seeing.
    Nate was standing about five yards away from me. He was sputtering, looking almost thunderstruck. He was breathing loudly as though he was asphyxiating. His gaze was lost in the distance. He looked just like the day he attacked Ethan. A flashback of Nate punching Ethan raced through my mind. My heart hammered inside my chest.
    Nate’s black eyes were turning milkier. His hands balled into fists. The veins on his arms stood out. His entire body was shaking. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him. Nate’s shoulders heaved with each gasp.
    I mouthed soundlessly. “What’s happening to you?”
    He repeated something to himself. It sounded like “ Amatus, Ematus, Ametus .”
    My purse slipped from my hands and all my stuff scattered on the ground. I stood, unable to move, watching my cell phone hit the ground and observing the battery detaching from the back with the impact. The phone bounced and performed a perfect somersault before landing again. My keys, necklace, and some coins fell out of the purse as it hit the ground.
    Then I heard a loud noise. Nate had collapsed against a car and the side window was smashed.
    “Are you okay?” I yelled in panic.
    Nate leaned on the car to avoid falling flat on his face. He struggled to shake his head from side to side. “Don’t… get close… to me… Stay… where you…” and his voice faded.
    His eyes were closed as though he was trying to piece himself together.
    I didn’t understand why he was asking me to stay away. I observed him from a distance without knowing what to do.
    A puddle of blood formed beneath him.
    “Nate, your arm,” I stuttered.
    Nate opened his eyes and saw that blood was dripping from his arm. Then he shut his eyes, hinting that the cut on his arm wasn’t his biggest problem at the moment.
    His gasping was relenting, and the shivering was slowly ceasing. He was probably going to need some stitches, as he was bleeding a lot.
    “Let’s call an ambulance,” I suggested.
    “No… no… I’m okay,” Nate rushed to say, his hand clenched around his bleeding arm.
    “It’ll stop soon.” His reassurance was unconvincing.
    This situation was truly scaring me. I was worried about Nate. There was something really wrong with him.
    “Nate, enough… You need to tell me what’s going on,” I demanded as I bent down to gather my stuff.
    Surprisingly, Nate automatically nodded his head. “I know. I will. Is your car close?” he asked, leaning on the car and seemingly still in pain. “Can you take me home?” he followed, staring at the large blood stain that now covered most of his shirt.
    “Yeah. I’ll take you home.” I couldn’t leave him here in that condition. “Wait! But you need to tell