“Oh!” My face heated with embarrassment.
He wanted to know my name. Why hadn’t I figured that out on my own? Possibly because everyone else in this school had known me when I arrived. I wasn’t used to meeting someone who didn’t know my name.
“Sorry. I’m Chloe,” I said with a sheepish grin.
“Well, thank you again, Chloe. Guess I’ll see you in class soon.” He turned away from me and dialed the combination on his lock.
I stared at his back for a few seconds before turning away from him, my brows furrowed. Something about his arrival didn’t feel right. The day I’d started here, everyone knew who I was, and everyone went out of their way to say something to me.
How was it possible there was another new kid in school, and no one had bothered to mention him? Surely, Ellie or Gina or Nick would’ve seen this new kid or heard of him. But not a peep about it during lunch. And he hadn’t been in any of my morning classes. Unless he’d literally just gotten here when I’d found him at my locker.
Dazed, I entered Mr. Patterson’s class and went to my seat.
“Who was that guy you were talking to in the hallway?” Trent demanded.
I dropped my bag to the floor, still trying to clear the fog from my mind. “What?”
Trent rolled his eyes. “That guy in the hallway? Who is he?” He bit off each word like they were bitter on his tongue.
“Wait.” I turned in my seat to face him. “You skip classes all morning so you don’t have to see me, and the first thing you do say is to demand to know who I’m talking to?” I turned back in my seat so I was facing forward. “I don’t think so, Trent. That’s not how this works.”
From the corner of my eye, I could see him rubbing the back of his neck, a habit he had when he was annoyed, I’d learned.
“I wasn’t skipping classes so I wouldn’t have to see you. I had something to take care of,” Trent said quietly. “And that guy… he’s new around here. I was just wondering his name.”
“Then why don’t you ask him.” I nodded toward the front of the room where Isach stood. “I’m sure he could use a friend or two.”
Trent’s head jerked up at my words, and I immediately noticed the tightening of his jaw, the narrowing of his eyes, the darkening of his pupils, and the white of his knuckles as he clutched the edge of his desk.
What on earth was that all about? I watched him and Isach closely, each of them staring at the other, unflinching. I knew it wasn’t possible, but I swore I could feel the hatred brewing between them. Isach broke eye contact with Trent long enough to smile at me, and then take a seat near the window.
My jaw dropped, and I could feel the color drain from my face. That smile… Why hadn’t I made the connection sooner?
“Trent,” I whispered harshly, reaching for his arm, unable to tear my gaze from Isach. Bile rose in my throat, and sweat beaded on my brow.
But before Trent could answer, Mr. Patterson clapped his hands to get our attention. “All right. For the next thirty minutes, I want you quietly working on your final projects while I bring our newest student up to speed on the class.”
The room started to spin, and I closed my eyes against the vertigo. I took several deep breaths in an effort to clear my mind. “Trent?” My voice trembled.
“What?”
He was so close he startled me, and I gasped. I couldn’t miss the whiff of his cologne I’d gotten, though. It was a new kind that smelled incredible, and I found myself leaning closer.
“Can you stop sniffing me long enough to tell me what has you so upset?” he asked with amusement, his eyes twinkling.
I abruptly pulled away, mad at myself for sniffing him like a dog and even more mad that he’d noticed. “It’s him.” I subtly inclined my head toward the front of the room where Isach stood with Mr. Patterson. “He’s the guy I saw at the funeral right before…” I swallowed hard, refusing to repeat that awful experience.
Trent’s entire body tensed, and he was statue-like. I stared at him, wondering what he was thinking. Or if I’d somehow broken him.
After several moments, he said, “You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
“You need to stay away from him.” Trent faced me, and his eyes were darker than I’d ever seen them before.
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Promise me, Chloe.”
“Yeah, of course.” Like I wanted anything to do with the guy who could make me see horrible things—even if they were true. “Your eyes,” I whispered.
He blinked, and his eyes were back to the blue I loved. I released my breath. “Sorry,” he said. “That happens when I feel threatened, or when someone I care about is threatened.”
I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or frightened. It’s not like I didn’t know Trent cared about me, but it was nice to hear him say it. The danger part, though? That scared me because he was right. First, Marc had messed with me, and then Isach altered my perception of reality in front of a cemetery full of people.
What else was he capable of doing?
CHAPTER NINETEEN:
Two Days
THAT NIGHT, EVERY TIME I CLOSED my eyes, I’d drift into nightmares about the upcoming party—all of us dying in the same way Rachel had, a mysterious killer showing up and wreaking havoc, the water running red with our blood. And then I woke up in a cold sweat after dreaming Aunt Beth had caught me in my lie.
Frustrated, I’d given up on sleep sometime around three a.m. By the time my alarm went off, I was so frazzled, I couldn’t concentrate. And by the time I arrived at school, my insomnia had vanished, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open. It took me six tries to get my locker combination right. At this rate, I’d be lucky to make it through class without falling asleep on my desk.
“Hey.” Isach took the seat next to me.
“Hi.” Smiling at him took a lot of effort, and it had nothing to do with me being bone tired. I glanced around the room for Trent. Please let him be here. No sign of him. Great.
“How’re you doing?” I asked. Maybe if I talked to him and pretended to be his friend, he wouldn’t play another mind trick on me.
Isach shrugged. “Fine. People around here are very nice.”
“Yes, they are.” I nodded. “I was the new kid not too long ago, so I know what that’s like.”
“Oh yeah?” He raised a brow as if he didn’t quite believe me. “That’s cool. It helps when a beautiful girl takes pity on you and shows you around.” He winked.
My skin crawled. Thankfully, Trent walked into the room. His long strides were as graceful as ever, but his expression was set in stone, his jaw tense.
He stopped in front of my desk, his gaze wavering between me and Isach and then finally coming to rest solely on me. “We need to talk.”
“Uh, okay.” I kept my gaze trained on him, even though for some unknown reason, I wanted to glance at Isach. Probably because I could feel his dagger-like stare. “Now? Or after class?” I asked.
“We need to do this now,” he insisted, his gaze never leaving mine.
I tilted my head in confusion and rose from my seat. The look in his eyes was fierce, and that worried me. As I followed him into the hall, my mind raced with a whole host of things that might be wrong.
“Look, I know you’re disgusted by what I am, but—”
“Excuse me?” I sputtered. “I never said I was disgusted with you.” Knowing he felt that way was like a sharp punch in the gut.
“You acted like it.”
My jaw dropped. Had I really acted that way? I replayed everything that had happened, every word we’d spoken since I learned the truth. I snapped my mouth closed. I couldn’t argue with him. He was right. I had acted that way, but it was because I was confused. Not because I thought he was disgusting.
“Well… I’m not,” I said with as much conviction as I could muster.
“But there’s too much you don’t know, and you need to let me explain,” he continued as if I hadn’t spok
en.
The tips of my ears burned with anger, and my heart thundered in my ears. I curled my hands into fists by my sides and scowled. Who did he think he was, talking over me like what I said didn’t matter? It mattered. A lot.
“I’m not disgusted by you,” I said again, my words clipped.
“No?” He crossed his arms, challenging me to prove him wrong.
“No.” I crossed my arms over my chest and mimicked his stance. I wouldn’t be taunted into doing or saying something simply because he thought he was right. “I’m not sure how I feel. I’m still trying to process it.”
“Then give me two days, Chloe. Two days to show you exactly who and what I am. And then, if you still can’t deal, I’ll disappear from your life forever. You have my word.”
The mere mention of him disappearing forever had my heart racing and my palms sweating. I didn’t want him to go away. I wanted him to not be a killer.
Before I could respond, a group of students came racing down the hallway, laughing. Trent guided me out of the way, his hold gentle as he backed me up until I was against the wall of lockers. He didn’t release me, though, and I didn’t fight him.
The silence stretched between us, ticking by until the final bell rang. “Great. Now we’re both going to get detention again for being late,” I said.
Trent almost cracked a smile, but then that stupid scowl was firmly back in place. I hated to admit that I loved that scowl. It suited him. Even if it bugged me to no end.
“Good. That’s one hour less I have to worry about you being with Isach,” he said.
“What does he have to do with this?” Other than the whole mind-trick thing he’d pulled on me.
“Everything.” He dragged his hands down my arms until he found my hands and laced our fingers. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you. He’s much more dangerous than I am.”
An icy cold chill snaked down my spine, and I shivered. Trent tugged me closer, and I welcomed the comfort he offered.
“There’s something more dangerous than a vampire?” I whispered. I found that hard to believe, but his words lacked all traces of humor.
And if he was frightened, then I should be downright terrified. Then again, maybe that was exactly what Trent wanted—me scared so I’d run into his arms—exactly like I was right now.
“Chloe? Please. Will you allow me to explain?”
I’d never heard that kind of pleading in his voice before. I might not fully understand what Trent was, but I knew he wouldn’t manipulate me like this. I shifted my weight. My conversation with Ellie flitted through my mind. She was right. At the very least, I had to let him explain.
“Okay. You’ve got two days,” I said.
He graced me with a breathtaking smile, but it was cut short when Principal Donovan approached us. “Is there a reason you two aren’t in class?”
“No, sir,” Trent said. He released one of my hands and gave the other a squeeze. But he never once attempted to leave my side. He moved closer.
“Sorry, sir. We were discussing an urgent family matter.” I gave him a pathetic frown.
He studied us for a moment, then said, “Best be getting to class.”
“Yes, sir.” I turned and walked into class, earning a glare from my teacher and a questioning look from Isach. I ignored them and went to my desk.
Trent followed and took the empty seat behind me, making it impossible to concentrate on anything.
Abby attempted to get my attention, but I pretended not to notice her. But then she tossed a wadded-up sheet of paper at me, and I couldn’t ignore that.
I smoothed out the paper and read her note. Things ok with Trent? I nodded, folded the paper, and shoved it into my notebook before the teacher caught me with it. Then I attempted to focus on the problems written on the board, but all I could think about was the concern I’d heard in Trent’s voice and the pleading I’d seen in his eyes. He was really, truly worried about Isach.
Trent was by my side all morning, walking with me to my locker, and then escorting me to class. I knew he was doing it to keep Isach away from me, but he was also making it difficult for Abby or Ellie or anyone else to talk to me, too.
“Is the bodyguard act really necessary?” I asked as we made our way toward the cafeteria.
“As long as Isach is around, yes.”
I rolled my eyes, but secretly, I liked having him around. When he was, it was easy to forget he wasn’t human. “Well, I’m sitting with my friends. You can join me if you’d like.” I walked ahead of him. He didn’t follow.
“It’s almost Friday,” Ellie squealed as soon as I approached the table. “I know people are still mourning Rachel and Marc. I am, too, but tomorrow night’s party is in their honor, so it’s okay to be happy, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so.” I greeted everyone else as I took a seat.
Abby wasn’t there yet, and I was afraid she might have ditched. Even though she’d agreed to go to the sleepover tomorrow tonight, she still wasn’t her usual, bubbly self. I knew it would take time, but I hated seeing her so sad.
“I told my mom we were going to hang out in town for a bit, go see a movie or something so we’re covered for the party. We won’t be able to stay too late, though,” Ellie said.
“That’s okay,” Gina said. “The falls at dark have always kinda creeped me out anyway.” She shuddered. “Especially now…” She trailed off and looked away as if she were ashamed.
“Why does it creep you out?” I asked, snatching a potato chip off Ellie’s tray and popping it into my mouth.
Gina shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it’s a combination of things. Like the sound of the water and never knowing what might be in it. It’s not natural.”
“Aliens.” Luke grinned. “It’s the aliens’ fault. They came down here and created weird things in nature just to mess with you.”
Nick laughed and threw a napkin at Luke. “Dude? Really?”
Tonya launched into a long, drawn out explanation of geology and erosion and how waterfalls form naturally as a result of the environment. By the time she was finished, the table had fallen silent, and everyone was staring at her.
She blushed. “What? I like science.”
“Nerds are hot,” Nick said.
Tonya rolled her eyes. “In your dreams, Nicky boy.”
I looked around the cafeteria again. Still no Abby. Maybe she was hiding out in a classroom so she wouldn’t have to answer questions about how she was doing. My gaze lingered on Trent—he was watching me intently.
“Hey, have any of you talked to the new kid?” Luke asked.
I perked up at the mention of Isach and tore my attention from Trent. Mostly, I was wondering why it had taken them a full day to bring it up. “I have,” I said.
“What’s he like?” Gina’s eyes lit up with interest. “He’s really cute.”
Despite Trent’s warnings, I couldn’t deny that Isach was attractive. “He seems nice enough. I only spoke to him a couple of times in between classes,” I said.
“Kinda weird he shows up days after all those deaths,” Tonya said quietly, but I’d heard her loud and clear.
I sliced a glance at her; she had her head down and was picking at her sandwich. I hadn’t even made the connection until she said something, but now I couldn’t shake the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Rachel, Marc, and a handful of others were murdered, and days later a new kid showed up in town? Had the police questioned Isach, too? Was that what Trent was trying to tell me? That Isach was a murderer?
“He can spike a volleyball like it’s no one’s business.” Nick laughed.
“Yeah, because that’s a skill everyone needs to have,” Ellie said with a sly smile.
The bell rang, and we parted ways to go to our classes. Ellie walked with me until we had to go in opposite directions to our lockers.
“Hey, can I ask you something?” She pulled me to the side.
“Yeah, what’s up?”
&n
bsp; “Do you think Nick likes Tonya?” Her voice dropped, and she wouldn’t look at me.
I replayed our recent conversation in my head. They had been flirting a little. “If there was something going on between them, we’d know about it. There are no secrets in this school, remember?” Well, except for one.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She sighed.
“Do you like Nick?”
Finally, Ellie looked up. Her cheeks were bright pink. “Yeah.”
I grinned. “Have you told him?”
Her eyes widened in horror. “What? No. I can’t tell him. What if he doesn’t like me back?”
“Do you want me to talk to him?” I had no idea what possessed me to say that. Getting involved in someone else’s relationship was a bad idea when I couldn’t even figure out my own. But Ellie looked so nervous, and her face lit up at my offer.
“You’d really do that for me?” she asked, her tone full of hope.
“Of course.”
She squealed with excitement. “Thank you so much, Chloe!”
I braced myself for a hug, but she didn’t give me one.
She did, however, do a little happy dance right there in the hallway. “I can’t wait for tomorrow night,” she said, then turned and rushed off.
Her excitement was infectious, and I was really looking forward to the party and sleepover. A night with friends was exactly what I needed. Mom would be happy I was making new friends and being sociable. I opened my locker and rummaged around for my history book.
“I have an idea.”
I gasped and spun around, coming face to face with Trent. “Will you please stop sneaking up on me like that?”
“Sorry.” He placed his palm flat on the locker and leaned down so his mouth was near my ear. “How about we skip our last two classes? Get a jump start on those two days?” His warm breath tickled my ear. “We can go to my house; then I’ll take you home.”
I’d gotten into trouble last time I’d skipped school, and I didn’t want a repeat performance, but Trent’s offer was tempting. And it was only two classes at the end of the day. It’s not like I’d get caught this time. I’d have to tell Abby, though. She’d be okay with covering for me, but I didn’t want to inconvenience her.
Eternal Curse: (The Cursed Series, Book 1) Page 15