Free Ethon (The Other Worlds Series Book 2) by M.L. Greye

had been an inner one, but Olinia was sure the person had spoken it out loud as well. With one hand, she pulled out her earbuds just as a very familiar face joined her side.
    “Hi.” Porter’s smile was all honey and butter.
    Olinia didn’t have to force a smile in return. The man she had wanted to see all week had somehow managed to find her. Maybe he really was stalking her. “Hi, Porter.”
    “If you’re ditching class then you picked the right day to do it.” Both of his hands gripped hold of the strap to his book bag that was slung across one shoulder.
    “No, I saw the note too.” She silently focused her mind on his, trying to hear and see every thought that entered his head. It was time for her to learn some answers.
    They were almost to the parking lot. Porter was still grinning. “You going home now?”
    She nodded. It would be nice to have some time alone with Sazx before Legann finished school. There were some things she definitely wanted to ask him, like why he’d chosen to kiss her. To Porter, though, she said, “What about you? Are you going home?”
    “I can’t,” he replied. “I usually tutor over at DS after school. Since class got canceled, I’ll just go over early.”
    “DS?” Olinia blinked. “Is that a fun place to work?” The only thing she really knew about DS was what she had overheard from other students’ thoughts and what Legann’s new friend had told him. Sooner or later she needed to search it on the internet.
    “Depends.” He shrugged. “It just looks good on a resume. Plus, it’s an easy job that works with my schedule. The pay isn’t too bad either.”
    “How’d you get such a lucky job?”
    “I used to be a student there while I was in high school,” he answered. “When I graduated, the teachers asked me to stay on as a tutor.”
    Olinia nodded again. At least he wasn’t lying to her. The images in his mind accompanying his words were of him standing beside a middle-aged man at the front of some sort of classroom – all from Porter’s perspective, of course.
    “So, what subject do you tutor?” She asked. They were to the parking lot now. Porter came to a stop, and Olinia did the same.
    There was no hesitation in his answer. “Science.”
    “Really? Science?” Olinia furrowed her brow. “What are you majoring in?”
    “Bio Chem.” He began walking again, toward a nearby row of motorcycles and mopeds.
    “Oh.” Olinia unconsciously moved alongside him. “You don’t seem like the scientific type.”
    “I like it.” He shrugged, stopping again, and flashed her a smile. “Would you like a lift to your car?”
    Olinia realized that they both were now standing beside one of the motorcycles. Porter lifted a black helmet that matched the bike from the rear seat and extended it to her. He wanted her to go with him, but he half expected her to say no.
    She stared at the helmet for a moment, wondering what had happened to the car he’d driven the other night. Her house and Sazx could wait. She wasn’t ready to let Porter get away yet. He hadn’t really answered any of her questions. In fact, he’d only added more. She took the helmet. “My car’s not far. I don’t think I’ll be needing this.”
    Porter’s smile widened. “You never can be too careful.”
    He wasn’t planning on simply taking her to her car. First, he wanted to scare her a little on a quick ride. Olinia frowned. She felt like she was about to walk into a trap meant to capture her heart. Since that was extremely unlikely – she already had enough problems with Sazx – she decided to go with Porter.
    “Okay,” she said, buckling the helmet on. Part of her knew she was being an idiot for willfully going with the man who had trespassed at her home, but the idea of her being harmed by Porter was almost comical compared to what she’d survived. A small smile touched her lips. “Just don’t try to kill me.”
    “I would never,” he teased and hopped onto his vehicle.
    She