Free Reverence by Shelly Crane

One

    Significance Chapter Four

    I woke up with a jackhammer in my spine. At first I thought it was just Kyle's crappy spare bed, but it wasn't. It was withdrawals. Withdrawals from my Maggie because I had imprinted. And her heart was banging around in my chest.
    I couldn't even make myself get out of bed. I just lay there and remembered everything from the night before. It was all real. The girl at the bus stop, her saving me from the jackass in the truck, her being beautiful and awesome, her touching me…she was mine.
    I jerked up out of bed with a renewed vigor, but quickly slowed a retreat as my back groaned and protested like an old person's. "Ah," I groaned to no one. "Holy hell."
    "Caleb?" I heard through the door. "Are you awake yet, boy?"
    "Yeah," I answered gruffly and ran a hand through my hair of spikes as Gran came inside the door and put her hands on her hips as she grinned at me. "What?" I asked in the most reserved voice I could to show that I was annoyed, but still be respectful.
    "You're bent over like an eighty year old and groaning and complaining through the walls. You still giddy that you imprinted?"
    "Of course I am, Gran," I said quietly. I blew a breath and leaned my elbows on my knees. "I will admit that the withdrawals suck, though."
    "That they do," she agreed and came to sit on the bed with me. "The sooner you get to her, the better you'll feel."
    "Yeah, but I don't want to scare her. If I run over there before a decent hour, she'll probably freak and kick me out."
    "I highly doubt that, boy." She lifted a piece of hair from next to my ear in her fingers. "Girls usually invite cute boys in , not throw them out."
    "Maybe, but I want to be absolutely sure that she's ready. I'll go, but I want her to have a minute to wake up and catch her breath first. Today is going to be really crazy for her."
    "Well, I'll leave you to get ready, I guess." She stood and looked down at me. "She'll have to get used to crazy if she's gonna be with us."
    I laughed. "Let's ease her into it, Gran."
    "If you say so," she cackled and made her way out.
    "Please, please, Gran. Take it easy on her."
    Her cackle was not reassuring as it got louder. As soon as she was gone, I threw my clothes on and went down the hall to bang on Kyle's door.
    He was my key to opening the door labeled 'Maggie'.
    "Kyle, I know you hear me banging away out here. Open the door, slacker."
    I heard his growl through the door, "I'll murder you and claim insanity if you don't scram."
    "Kyle, open up. What kind of weirdo locks his bedroom door anyway?"
    "The kind that has jerks staying over who steal girlfriends."
    I pressed my fingers into my eyes and took a deep breath as the pain in my back and legs got a little worse. "She wasn't your girlfriend."
    "Irrelevant!" he yelled, but I heard movement on the other side. He yanked the door open and glared at me. He was wearing nothing but plaid boxers and his hair was a serious mess. The pillow lines on his face completely disarmed his scowl. "What, Cuz? Wanna steal my wallet, too?"
    "Dude," I drawled and pushed him out of the way so I could enter. "What is wrong with you?"
    "I thought it was obvious," he said sarcastically and threw himself back on the bed and slammed the covers over his head.
    "It's not, actually." I pulled his desk chair over and straddled it, resting my arms along the back. I rubbed my eyes again, hoping to stave off the pain behind them a little. "I don't care who the girl was, if you imprinted on someone, I'd be happy for you."
    "Not if you were trying to date her, you wouldn't," he said, his voice muffled from the blanket.
    I yanked the blanket back and punched his leg lightly. "I told you it was a bad idea to even try."
    "Whatever," he muttered and stayed right where he was, arms wide and face turned away from me on the mattress.
    "Come on, man. I'm about to go get her. I need you to give me her address."
    "Not a chance." He turned his head to glare at me some more. "Why would I