Part 31 (1/2)

Scott looked up, startled.

”I trust you're not too bored with our discussion.” Still coming out of the daze, Scott answered, ”Yes, sir.” The cla.s.s chuckled.

”What?”

”I mean, no, sir. I mean, yes, sir, I'm not too bored.”

”Good. Then do try to stay with us. Given your performance on last week's quiz, I think you'll find the investment well worth the effort.”

”Yes, sir,” Scott said, feeling his ears start to redden.

Mr. Patton returned to the theorem on the board, and Scott was grateful everyone redirected their attention to the front.

Everyone but Bonnie Eagleman.

Bonnie sat one row up and to the right. In the past she'd made every effort to let Scott know she was interested in him.

And, though flattered, Scott had made every effort to avoid her.

She was a good kid, just not his type. Now he felt her eyes on him, and she was probably grinning away with those braces.

It was irritating, and Scott was in no mood to deal with it. He'd just been chewed out by Patton and - after spending twenty minutes immersed in vengefulness - he realized he didn't have to put up with it. Ttocs certainly wouldn't.

”Hey,” he whispered, motioning for her to come a little closer.

She obeyed, her heart obviously atwitter.

”I've got a question.”

She waited eagerly.

”With all that metal in your mouth, when you sleep, does your head, like, point north?”

Bonnie's smile twitched slightly, then faded. The student in front snickered as Bonnie's cheeks turned crimson red and she looked back to the front.

It was one of Scott's better jabs, but he instantly regretted it.

He'd hurt her feelings. Actually, destroyed them was more like it. He hadn't meant to be cruel. He just wasn't thinking. Okay, okay, he was thinking, but more like the new Ttocs than Scott.

He frowned, trying to fight off the guilt and uneasiness.

What had happened? Being cruel wasn't his style. Not at all.

But it was Ttocs's style.

”So you think this stuff's, like, demonic?” Ryan asked.

Becka took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. The two were riding in Ryan's vintage Mustang and following Philip's Jeep up Highway 72.

”I don't know,” she finally said. ”You can't say everything is from the devil just because you don't understand it. That's stupid. I don't understand electricity, but that doesn't make it demonic.”

Ryan nodded. ”Even so, after all the stuff we've been through ... at the mansion, that so-called angel in Julie's room, Krissi's automatic writing ... and now whatever Philip claimed he saw ...”

Becka closed her eyes. Why did she always end up here, involved in something she didn't like? Pulled into the world of the supernatural?

She felt Ryan's hand take hers, and she looked at him. Emotions washed over her. She admired him so much - his honesty, his sensitivity ... and, of course, his looks didn't hurt, either.

Especially the way that thick black hair constantly fell into those gorgeous blue eyes.

He'd only been a Chris tian for a few weeks, but he'd been exposed to more spiritual warfare than most would have to face in a lifetime.

The thought didn't exactly thrill her.

”I'm sorry,” she said quietly.

”For what?”

”For you always being pulled into this sort of stuff.” Not missing a beat, he flashed her his killer grin. ”Seems a small price to pay for the company I get to keep.” Becka couldn't help but smile. Once again that wonderful warmth spread through her body. What was with this guy?

Couldn't he see that she was just your basic n.o.body with your basic n.o.body figure and looks? And let's not forget that wonderful n.o.body hair ... thin, mousy brown, and unable to hold a style for more than thirty seconds.

He squeezed her hand. She gratefully returned it. Apparently she was a somebody to him.

Up ahead, the Jeep slowed and pulled off the road.

”Looks like we're here,” Ryan said as he pulled in behind it.

The two climbed out of the Mustang and walked up to Philip and Krissi.

”It's pretty overgrown in there,” Philip said, motioning to the brush-covered logging road.

”How far is it?” Ryan asked.

”'Bout half a mile. Hop in and we'll four-wheel it.” Ryan and Becka climbed into the backseat. ”What happened to your convertible?” Ryan asked.

”It's in the shop,” Philip said. ”My dad's letting me borrow this.”

”Cool.”

Philip dropped the Jeep into four-wheel drive, and they started the tooth-rattling, bone-jarring journey up the road.

Before too much silence could fill the car, Ryan asked, ”It's still a little unclear to me. What exactly is it you two saw?”

”Philip saw it,” Krissi corrected. ”Not me.”