"It was a brief second. My feelings for McKee completely vanished without a trace even quicker than they appeared. I was never drawn to him even a fraction of the way I was drawn to you.
"I couldn't even compare the differences in the way I felt about the two of you because there is no comparison to be made. My feelings for you surpassed any hint of attraction I thought I had toward him. My feelings for you surpassed anything I even thought possible."
I wanted to tell him I loved him so badly, but I couldn't in that moment. It wasn't the right time. He raised his head, shaking off the pain. Now he seemed to be pleased with what I had to say.
He grabbed my hand and walked me to my next class. He kissed me gently on the hand before I walked through the door. What a crazy morning.
"Class, turn your books to page one-forty-nine, and read quietly to yourself. We will have a short quiz on conjugations after you finish." Mrs. Inglewood seemed to be talking through a stopped-up nose. She wiped it with a tissue as she sat down in her squeaky chair.
I rolled my eyes. So stupid, I thought to myself. I was staring down at my economics book instead of my Spanish book. I had been so distracted by my conversation with Tallis that I didn't pay attention to which book I had grabbed.
I sheepishly raised my hand. I could hear the embarrassment in my voice. "Mrs. Inglewood?"
She sneezed loudly before her tone of annoyance answered me. "Yes, Aria?"
"I accidentally grabbed the wrong book. Can I run to my locker real quick?" My face beamed red as I heard some of the others snickering.
She huffed in aggravation. "Yes, but do it hurriedly, and don't make a habit of this."
I slid out of my chair and walked toward my locker. I noticed that my locker was open and someone's head was in it. It was Everett.
"What are you doing in my locker?" I spat.
My accusatory tone was abrupt and unexpected, causing him to spin around with a guilty look.
"Sorry. Just a routine check." He seemed like he was hiding something or covering something up.
"So you keep an eye on my locker for evil soul stealers?" I raised one eyebrow to show my disbelief for his answer.
He shifted his weight uncomfortably as he answered. "You never know where danger may be. It's usually right in front of you. It's just too hard to see because it's so perfectly camouflaged. You wouldn't notice it at a glance, but it becomes more obvious when you realize what you're looking for. For instance, there might be a scratch on the wall of your room that you didn't notice for years. Then one day, it suddenly stands out. And once you've seen it, you can't help but stare at it every time you're in the room."
I hate riddles. His answer insinuated there was something he knew that I
didn't. He made me squirm uncomfortably as I swapped my books. I'd never trusted Everett. He had always given me an uneasy feeling with his cruel and cold looks.
Then suddenly I grew angry when I thought I knew what he was talking about. "You better not be referring to Tallis. He's as good as anyone - better than most. I'm so sick of hearing about his bad blood."
His eyes twitched with heavy hesitation. His voice was riddled with regret. "It's not Tallis. He's chosen his light, and I trust that his intentions are pure. I wasn't referring to anything in particular. Like I said, just a routine check."
He walked by me hastily, probably feeling chastised, and I stared at him until he disappeared. When I turned back to my locker, I gasped out a breath of startle.
McKee was inches from me. I could hear my too-loud voice shriek slightly in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" I breathlessly asked.
"I felt something wrong. I was just coming to make sure you're okay. What are you doing out of class?"
He put his hand on my side. I didn't like his touch. It made me feel like I was doing something wrong. I wiggled away subtly as I responded.
"I had the wrong book. I had to explain the intentionally antagonistic remark that you made in front of Tallis." I flashed him a disapproving glare.
"Sorry. Old habits die hard. I just wanted him to know what was going on without me having to tell him. I'm sorry if he didn't take it so well."
He looked like he was trying to hide a smile. He was pleased with his instigative remark, and he had most likely hoped it would spark a fight between me and Tallis. He wasn't too pleased when I finished telling him what had happened though.
"Well, he was hurt when I explained why you were the way you were, but he was better when I told him how completely devoted to him I was. He understood, and I got to tell him how much I really do care for him. It actually worked out pretty well all the way around."
"You love him, don't you?" he asked, catching me off guard. "Don't deny it. I'm linked to your emotions. I don't really know what love feels like personally, but I do know that your feelings are strong."