Whispers and Wishes (Untouchable Book 4)

by Heather Long

  Being that noticed had never been on my bucket list. In calculus, the teacher made a big point of welcoming me back, which just drew more attention to me. Ian had already arranged to help me with notes, and he snagged my desk right up against his, only he put himself between me and the class.

  In French, I had to see Mathieu, and the depth of concern on his face just kind of hammered it home. Madame hugged me and pulled me out of the class after getting them started to make sure I was all right. And seriously, I should have seen it coming. Not fifteen minutes into French, and Diane showed up.

  When she pulled me out into the hallway, I met her steady stare and said, “I really don’t want to talk right now.”

  “I can understand that, and I’m sure this has been an overwhelming day already.”

  I neither agreed nor denied, instead, I just said, “I’m just trying to get caught up. I missed a lot.”

  “I’m sure, but I want you to come see me. For any reason. Even if it’s just that you want to get away from the noise and need some place quiet to be. Okay?”

  “Sure,” I said. It seemed the fastest way to get rid of her. I told Coop I needed to call one of those therapists, and I did. I got that. It was not going to be Diane. It was not going to be the student advocate, no matter what her degree was.

  It just couldn’t be.

  “Okay, go on back into class. I’m not going to keep you out here.”

  “Thanks.”

  “And Frankie?”

  Dammit.

  “It’s good to see you.”

  I nodded.

  The rest of class was kind of a blur. There weren’t notes per se, and it was mostly vocalization, but Madame didn’t call on me. Or maybe she did, and I didn’t notice. Coop was at the door when the bell rang, and he came in and grabbed my bag.

  I didn’t even ask him how he got there before the bell. Knowing the guys, they arranged all of this ahead of time. Exhaustion nibbled at me, but I sucked it up. Lit was moderately better. The kids must be getting over the novelty of staring at me, because other than a few side-eyes, they didn’t say anything.

  Lunch was off-campus, thankfully. Jake and Ian were stuck with their anger management session, so Coop and Archie took me to get sushi, which was hands down one of the easiest things to eat with only one hand.

  Back at school, study hall with Jake was probably the most peace I’d gotten all day.

  “You look like hell.”

  “You just know how to sweet talk a girl.” We weren’t even pretending to study. Jake took over a couple of the bigger chairs in the corner by the windows and dragged them closer so I could lean back in one and put my feet in his lap.

  “My girl, anyway.”

  I smiled.

  “Take a nap?”

  Fuck, that was tempting. But I didn’t know if it would help. My arm ached, my back ached, my head hurt, and honestly, I was so tired I thought if I went to sleep, I’d have a hard time getting back up.

  “Thirty minutes,” Jake pushed. “I’ll be right here, and I’ll make sure to wake you up.”

  He’d be right there and nothing would happen. This was also why I hadn’t taken my pain meds at lunch. I didn’t want them to make me too loopy. As it was, I had a feeling I’d pass out as soon as school was over.

  “Thirty minutes,” I agreed. While I didn’t think it’d be easy, I dropped right off.

  It seemed like I blinked and Jake nudged me awake. He offered me water, and then it was time to head to my TA period. He walked me all the way there and told me to hang out, he’d get me after.

  The teacher I assisted just told me to grab a seat in the back of the room and work on homework if I wanted. She wanted me to take it easy. I checked in with the guys. They’d been texting on and off. It was kind of weird, in a way.

  I hadn’t texted them most of the week. Even when some had been at school and I’d been at home. I just hadn’t been on my phone.

  There were a handful of messages from Cheryl—not hundreds. I hadn’t read the latest ones. Rachel sent a couple asking if I wanted to get together on Tuesday, or if she could just swing by and see me. One from Archie with the promise that Jeremy would have delivered the groceries before school was over and he was also dropping off dinner for us.

  Yeah, by lunch, there was no way I could go do the shopping, no matter how much I wanted to. Archie wouldn’t let me pay for the groceries either. I’d find a way to pay him back.

  Somehow.

  Ian mentioned he’d be over after he ran by his house. He just had to pick up a couple of things.

  Mondays were planning days.

  That was another bit of normal.

  The office runner arriving with a message to get me out of class wasn’t. The kid’s name was Robert, or maybe Robbie? I didn’t know him well. He was a senior, but we just never hung out. He carried my bag for me, and when I asked why I was going to the office, he shrugged.

  “They just said I needed to come give you a hand with your bag.”

  I fired off a message to the guys chat.

  Me: Got called to the office.

  I needed Jake to know I wouldn’t be in my TA class.

  Jake: Everything ok?

  Coop: What’s up?

  Archie: Why?

  Ian: I can cut out of here and meet you if you need me.

  Hopefully, it was just the principal or something wanting to talk to me. Though I’d really rather have skipped that.

  The last thing I expected when Robbie pushed open the door to the office was Mr. Standish standing there speaking to the principal in serious, hushed tones and my mother, eyes blazing as she whirled toward the door.

  Oh.

  Shit.

  I still had my phone in my hand and the message open. I just typed in one word with my thumb and hit send before I clicked it off.

  Bad News

  Frankie: Mom

  Jake: What?

  Coop: Where?

  Archie: …

  Ian: She’s not answering.

  One minute later…

  Jake: Getting out class.

  Ian: Already left class. Heading to the office.

  Coop: Right behind you.

  Archie: Tell me she’s there.

  Frankie: They want to check me out.

  Archie: Do not leave.

  Frankie: Wasn’t planning to.

  Ian: OMW

  Archie: Fuck it, I’m coming.

  Jake: Ditto.

  Chapter Nine

  Don’t Take Me for Granted

  “She’s all signed out, Ms. Curtis,” Mrs. Dearborn, the office administrator, stated with a quick smile in my direction. “Have a great rest of your day, Frankie.”

  Mom swept a furious look over me, then nodded. “Let’s go, Frankie. Now.”

  That tone sent ice down my spine. “I have stuff I have to do today.” Arguing wouldn’t go well, but with the audience, it might buy me some time.

  “We’ll take care of it,” Mr. Standish stated as he claimed my backpack where Robbie had set it down, then opened the door. “Let’s go.” His expression was far more neutral, but his eyes were practically frosty.

  Gut churning, I glanced at the office staff. Robbie had gone back to his homework and barely seemed to even notice the rest of the room. So the crackling tension was just us.

  Got it.

  I lifted my phone and scanned the messages, then typed one-handed as fast as I could.

  “Frankie,” Mom snapped.

  “Just letting Coop know I’m going.”

  Not that I planned on going far.

  She gave me the curtest of nods, and even dragging my feet, the guys weren’t in the office before we stepped out to between the public doors and finally out the front.

  A dark car idled near the curb with a driver.

  Ugh.

  “Why are you here?” I asked as soon as the main doors slammed shut.

  Mr. Standish took another couple of steps, but Mom wheeled on me. “Get in th
e car, Frankie. We’ll discuss that and everything else.”

  “I don’t want to go with you.” It took every ounce of courage I had to push those words out. Inside, I shook like a leaf shredded by a windstorm, but even when Mom glared at me, I didn’t back down.

  “I am still your mother.”

  “Really?” I raised my brows. “How was Europe?”

  “Busy,” she snapped. “And we’re jet-lagged, we flew straight back. Now stop being such a stubborn brat.”

  “Ladies,” Mr. Standish stated smoothly. “Shall we adjourn this discussion to the car?” There was another parent heading in our direction. Mom glanced at Mr. Standish, then me.

  “He’s right. We have a lot to discuss, Frankie. Get in the car and stop being stubborn.”

  “No.”

  She made it three steps before my answer sank in.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I said no. I’d also appreciate it, Mr. Standish, if you’d put my backpack down.” I wasn’t going to close the distance and take it if I could help it. Then again, if I had no other choice, I’d tackle that problem, too.

  Mom stared at me, her jaw tightening. The mom passing me nodded to all of us. Mr. Standish gave her a smile that didn’t touch his eyes. Mom shifted her weight.

  They were both dressed pretty casually. Well, casually for Mom anyway. Mr. Standish wore a button-down shirt sans tie or jacket. Though the slacks looked expensive. Mom, on the other hand, wore far too expensive tan slacks with a paler, almost eggshell-colored halter-top. Her hair was loose and tousled.

  Honestly, he looked more put together than her, but she sported more expensive jewelry than just her ring. As soon as the door closed on the other parent, Mom charged me.

  “I’m not kidding, Frankie. Get in the damn car. We need to talk. We need to do it somewhere privately. I refuse to air your tantrum for the rest of the world.”

  My tantrum?

  I almost laughed. “My tantrum?” I don’t know whether it was my tone or the hollow sound of my laughter, but she frowned. “Tantrum.” I lifted my splinted wrist. No way she could miss the bruise on my face. “You drop into the end of my school day to check me out of school without so much as a phone call in almost two weeks, and you want to talk about my tantrum?”

  Who was this woman, and what had she done with my mother? Granted, Mom had always had her issues, but once upon a time, I held onto the absolute certainty she cared about me. This stranger in front of me offered me no such illusions.

  “Oh don’t be so dramatic. You were the one who made the choice to stay, if you’d simply stopped pouting and moved with us, that wouldn’t have been an issue.”

  Stopped pouting.

  Her failure to communicate wouldn’t have been an issue.

  “You are so full of shit,” I said, staring at her. “Do you actually believe the crap you say, or are you just putting on a show for Mr. Standish?”

  Her hand flew and this time, I caught it before she connected. I had to drop my phone to do it, but I ignored it bouncing against the ground as I held her right wrist.

  Mom’s eyes widened, and Mr. Standish let out a whoosh of breath as he said, “Madeline.”

  She yanked her hand out of mine, and I backed up one step.

  The door behind me slammed open, and Ian slid up next to me. “Everything all right?”

  “No,” I said, and Mom’s eyes blazed. “It’s not. Could you get my backpack from Mr. Standish?”

  “Sure,” he said as the door slammed open before it had closed all the way. Coop fell in on my right. “You got her?”

  “Yep,” Coop said as Ian nodded then headed toward Mr. Standish.

  “Mr. Standish, I’ll take that,” Ian said, his tone absolutely polite. “We’ve been handling taking care of Frankie, and we’ve got it.”

  Mom swung her gaze from Ian to me and Coop. “You boys should be in class. This is none of your business.”

  “Sorry, Ms. Curtis,” Coop stated, edging slightly ahead of me. “We’ll just have to agree to disagree. Frankie is very much our business.”

  The doors popped open again, and I didn’t even have to look to know who had just arrived.

  “Wow, Edward. You figured out where the school was, you should get a cookie.”

  Archie strolled past me, pausing only long enough to recover my phone and pass it to Jake. After a studying look toward me, Archie focused on his father. Jake closed in on my left.

  With an impatient glare, Mom focused on me. “We need to talk.”

  “So talk,” I challenged her. “I’m standing right here.”

  I kept my attention on her. I didn’t doubt Jake or Coop would stop her from hitting me again, but I didn’t want to invite a mistake.

  “I’m not having this discussion with you in front of your school. Credit me with some class.”

  Jake snorted but said nothing. Ian had my backpack, and Archie was right in his father’s face. “First time for everything, right, Edward?”

  “Archie, stop being melodramatic. This is an issue between Madeline and Frankie, and doesn’t concern you.” Mr. Standish glared at Archie. “In fact, allow me to propose a compromise. There’s a park directly across the street, it’s not busy at the moment. We can adjourn the conversation there.”

  A muscle twitched in my eyelid. At least Ian had my backpack.

  “I’ll give the ladies a lift over there, and you boys can meet us there when classes are done.”

  “Frankie’s not getting in that car with either of you,” Archie stated. “You’ve pretty much burned any trust you might have had with her. She doesn’t have to do a damn thing if she doesn’t want to.”

  “C’mon, Baby Girl, we can go if you want.” Jake put his hand on the small of my back, but made no other move to get me in motion.

  “You are all acting like we’re going to attack her,” Mom sounded disgusted. Really, I didn’t care.

  I shouldn’t care.

  Dammit. I really shouldn’t care.

  My heart pounded so loud, they had to hear it, but no one seemed distracted by it.

  “Let’s make this simpler,” Coop said, then cut a look at me. “Do you want to talk to your mom?”

  The answer was both a hesitant yes and a very firm no. Mom glared at me. “Fifteen minutes.” It split the difference. “And I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  Anger simmered in her eyes, and an ugly look passed over her face. “Fine. But I do not intend to have this conversation with an audience. We can go across the street to the park and meet there. Then your watchdogs will give us some air.”

  Watchdogs. “Stop being a bitch, Mom. You don’t get to set the terms because you’re suddenly in the mood to parent. Give it five minutes, you usually get past it really quick.”

  I felt more than caught Jake’s sharp look, but Coop nodded once. Mom? She just looked stunned.

  Good.

  “I’ll give you fifteen minutes after I get across the street, and the guys can stay for it if they want or they don’t have to, but you aren’t dictating the terms.”

  Not that I had a single doubt where they stood on it.

  “Fine.” She practically ground the word out between her teeth. “Then let’s go.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Coop said as Jake slid my phone into my back pocket.

  “Bubba, give me her backpack.” Jake caught it, then glanced at me. “I’m going to get my car, and then I’ll meet you over there.”

  I nodded. Archie smirked as he turned away from his father. “I’ll grab mine, too. Be five minutes, babe.”

  “Thanks, Archie.”

  “Always,” he murmured. The look in his eyes told me he wanted to give me a hug, or at the very least, catch my hand, but he did neither.

  “I’ll tag along and keep Coop company,” Ian volunteered. “As long as you don’t mind.” His gaze locked on mine, and I blew out a breath.

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh, for the love of Christ.” My mother spit out th
e words and wheeled on one heeled foot and stalked toward the waiting car.

  Well, score one for me.

  Maybe.

  I exhaled as Archie’s dad disappeared into his car and then it pulled away.

  “You all right?” Coop asked.

  “Not really,” I said flexing my left hand and trying to stop it from shaking. “Thanks for coming.”

  “No problem,” Ian said, and then held out his hand to me. “Come on, we’ll walk you over, or we can just ditch them and head out.”

  The offer made me smile. “I would love to. I really don’t even know if I should be talking to her.”

  Coop frowned. “Good point. Call Mr. Wittaker?”

  “Yeah,” I said tugging my phone out and eyeing Ian’s extended hand. “Sorry.”

  “Not a problem,” he replied, dropping it. It was still dark and overcast. “We’re ready when you are.”

  I nodded and hit Mr. Wittaker’s contact. When I got his voicemail, I left him a quick message about my mother arriving at the school and wanting to talk to me.

  After I put the phone back in my pocket, I walked with Coop and Ian toward the park. Mr. Standish’s car was already there, so was Jake.

  Archie pulled in as we crossed the street. I hadn’t meant to take so long, but I also didn’t care. I needed the time. The icy hot feeling under my skin hadn’t gone away.

  “The minute you want to be done, you say it,” Coop told me. “I don’t know what her plan was, but we’re not going to put up with any shady crap.”

  I smiled a little. “Shady crap?”

  “Showing up out of nowhere to check you out of school after being virtually unreachable for more than ten days?”

  “Right,” Ian agreed, catching my hand as we crossed the street, and I gripped his fingers probably tighter than he expected. The trembling inside seemed to be vibrating its way out. “You don’t owe her anything, okay?”