Part 7 (2/2)

Brooke shrugged, but didn't look at me. ”Whatever.”

I wondered if Laurel would be going. I hadn't spoken to her since the police carted me off in the hall, and we hadn't bothered exchanging numbers. Fingers crossed, she would be there. I could do with a cheerful face whose company I could relax in.

I just hoped that after I'd been caught out in my blatant lie that she'd still want to talk to me.

Chapter.

10.

Music blasted from the sports hall, banners strung out front welcoming the new influx of students. Small cl.u.s.ters of students hung out on the gra.s.s outside, chatting to each other. A group of guys threw a football around and yelled at one another, distracted only by the girls walking around in heels and short skirts.

Despite the balmy evening, I'd opted for a long sleeve top in floaty chiffon, and another pair of jeans. I needed to keep my arms covered because, while the cuts from the previous night were now scars, they were still visible. I never felt comfortable showing off my legs.

The three girls walking with me didn't have any of my inhibitions. Brooke wore a skin-tight short dress, while Kayla rocked a pair of low slung skinny-fit jeans with a top that exposed her stomach, and Erin sported a strappy cami that left little to the imagination, and a flippy, short skirt. I felt like a total frump walking beside them. The only benefit I could think of was that at least I didn't need to worry about any of the guys checking me out.

The image of Riley in my room that afternoon jumped into my head. I remembered the way he had leaned into me, his dark hair falling into his eyes. How the corner of his lip had lifted in a smirk, and how he'd asked me if I really wanted him to leave.

A pleasurable s.h.i.+ver ran through me.

I didn't care if the guys weren't checking me out. There was only one person I wanted to be noticed by.

I pushed all thoughts of Riley to the back of my mind. It wasn't as though he was going to be here. A strange part of me was disappointed, as if the evening was a waste unless I saw him. I had to remember how shaken I was the last time I'd been in his company. How he'd threatened me ...

Or warned me.

Either way, I couldn't help feeling like I should be worried. I should want to stay well away from both him and anyone else to do with the carnival. But then why was my soul drawn to him?

We entered the hall. Banners were strung across the walls and balloons had been tied in cl.u.s.ters to every pillar and post. On stage, a small band rocked out. A few people danced, but most stood around in groups. A bigger crowd had gathered around the front of the stage, and they jumped up and down in time to the music. A bar was set up on the opposite side of the room, serving non-alcoholic drinks. Of course.

We got our drinks and hung out on the outskirts of the dancers. Though it felt safer being the middle of the group, I had the feeling everyone else was doing the same as me, our gazes constantly drifting over the shoulders of our companions to see who else was here. A group of guys spotted us and headed over.

”Hey, Brooke,” the leader of the gang said. He wore a big, loose sleeved s.h.i.+rt. Subtly, he lifted his arm and flashed what was hidden up his sleeve. A silver flask. ”You guys want some of this?”

Brooke's face brightened. ”Sure!”

Sneakily, he poured a shot of clear liquid, vodka, I a.s.sumed, into each of our drinks. The addition would do little to me. Alcohol didn't affect me. I hoped I wouldn't be holding the hair back from the faces of any of my new friends later that evening.

I spotted a familiar face. She wore a bow in her hair, bright red lipstick that looked cla.s.sy on her, and a cute dress with a flared skirt.

”I'm just going to talk to someone.” I excused myself from the others.

”Hey, Laurel,” I said, shouting in her ear to get her attention over the band.

She turned with a smile which faltered when she realized who was speaking to her. ”Oh, hey, Beth.”

”Look, I wanted to apologize for not telling you the truth about what happened at the carnival earlier.”

She shrugged. ”Forget it. It's none of my business.”

”I don't want you to think I'm some kind of pathological liar.”

This at least elicited a small smile. ”Not a pathological liar, but someone who can predict the future?”

She said it with no trace of irony in her voice, and something tightened inside me. What did she know?

A scream cut through the ba.s.s and guitars of the band. The singer fell silent first, followed by the guitarist and the final crash and bang of the drummer. Voices rose in concern, and students started moving around us, toward the place the scream had originated from. Laurel and I glanced at one another and followed the crowd to find out what was going on.

The students created a circle around a girl lying on the floor. Her body twisted and jerked, her eyes rolled in her head.

”Jesus!” I breathed. ”Is she okay?”

Then, before I could think anything else, a number of the older students, Dana and Flynn included, swept in.

”Shouldn't someone call an ambulance?” I said, looking to Laurel, but she stood, transfixed on the scene in front of us. Her hand formed a fist at her mouth, her eyes wide and worried. She appeared more concerned than anyone else in the room, yet she didn't make any move toward the fitting girl.

Dana crouched beside the girl, waiting until the fit had finished, and then Flynn swept her up in his arms. As he lifted her, I noticed something fall from her fingers. The slip of metal dropped to the floor, and as the group moved forward, someone kicked it, sending it sliding in my direction. I don't know what made me do it, but I darted forward and picked the item off the floor, slipping it into the pocket of my jeans. Together, the older students walked from the hall, carrying the girl with them.

I realized the other girls, Brooke, Erin, and Kayla, were standing back around me again. We glanced uneasily at each other.

”Did she have a fit?” said Kayla. ”Epilepsy, perhaps.”

Brooke shrugged. ”Or maybe she took something she shouldn't have? Perhaps her drink was spiked?”

The girls eyed their own cups nervously.

I noticed Laurel was particularly quiet, her line of sight still trained on the door where Dana and Flynn had carried the girl from the room.

Digging the item I'd picked up from my pocket, I glanced down. It was a silver necklace with some kind of pendant on the chain. I would have to try to find the girl and return it to her, though I was sure she had other things to worry about right now. I didn't want to go chasing after the group, waving the necklace around. I had attracted enough attention to myself already, and I didn't intend on creating any more. It was better if I slipped the jewelry back to her unnoticed.

I twisted the pendant in my fingers and frowned. The pendant was a silver circle with a star in the middle. I had seen a symbol similar to that before. The last time I'd come across it, magic had been involved.

Cold clutched at my heart.

”What have you got there?”

I turned at the sound of Laurel's voice, quickly closing my fingers around the pendant.

”Oh, it's nothing.”

She laughed. ”Don't be silly. I saw you pick something off the floor.”

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