by Sarah Kleck
Felix went down and then kicked at Jared who, completely unimpressed by his wild flailing, slowly pulled him up by the hair before punching him in the face with a right and ramming a left into Felix’s stomach, making Felix double over coughing. Dignified and yet threatening, Jared kneeled over Felix, who was spitting blood. The ceiling light was flickering wildly. Bright, dark, bright, dark, bright . . .
Jared spoke slowly and clearly, emphasizing every single word. “Should you ever even as much as look at Evelyn again, you will be eating through a straw for the rest of your life. Do you understand?”
Felix avoided the murderous stare, but Jared roughly grabbed him by his hair and forced him to look into his eyes.
“Have. We. Understood. Each. Other?” he said through clenched teeth.
“Yes,” Felix said with difficulty.
“Good!” Jared let Felix’s hair go, slowly stood up, and turned around. When his eyes flitted across my torn blouse and my jeans at my knees, hatred flared up in his face again, but when he looked into my eyes his look softened. Hastily, I pulled up my jeans and wrapped the remains of my favorite blouse around my bare torso.
He extended his hand and I took it without hesitating. He carefully helped me up. “Are you okay?” he asked, deeply concerned.
I automatically reached for the back of my head. My hair was wet and warm at the spot where I had hit it against the floor.
“Just a flesh wound,” I said, “nothing more.”
“I’ll take you to the hospital, that’ll have to be stitched.” His tone made clear that objecting was futile.
He quickly took off his sweater and gave it to me, nodding. I was ashamed of how I probably looked and gratefully accepted the large dark-gray sweater and pulled it on. It was warm and smelled of . . . him. Jared put his arm around my shoulder to support me.
“Come,” he said tenderly, “I’ll take you away from here.”
I leaned against him and let him lead me. I was safe.
CHAPTER 11
Outside Felix’s room, Colin was busy keeping at bay the partyers who, attracted by the ruckus, wanted to sneak a peek into the room. When I finally stepped into the hallway supported by Jared, Colin turned toward us, looked me over, and clenched his hands into fists. Then he looked up from me to Jared.
“If you hadn’t already seen to that scumbag, I’d give him a little company about now,” Colin said and turned back to the gawkers, who stepped back. I must have been a miserable sight.
Jared led me past the curious onlookers, down the stairs, and out the door. I shrank back from the cold night air and leaned even closer against him. Although he was only wearing a T-shirt, he didn’t look the least bit cold.
“Evelyn, do you have any idea where Sally is?” Colin must have been right behind us. He seemed genuinely concerned.
“At home,” I said, and all of a sudden it made sense—the bitter coffee, Felix’s strange behavior when Sally didn’t show up. “She’s sick. I think Felix put something in her coffee so she wouldn’t come to our study group tonight.”
“What?” Colin burst out, enraged, about to turn around to give Felix a little company after all. Jared grabbed his arm and held him back.
“Better drive to Sally’s place and check how she’s doing!” His voice was firm. “Take the Ducati,” Jared called over his shoulder. “I’ll drive Evelyn in your Mustang.”
“Right,” Colin agreed, swinging himself onto the black motorcycle parked outside the entrance. Colin and Jared pulled their keys out from their jeans at the same time and tossed them to each other. Jared caught Colin’s car keys effortlessly in passing, led me to a dark-blue Mustang in the parking lot, opened the passenger door, and helped me get in. He carefully put the seatbelt on me and almost soundlessly closed the door. Then he raced around the car to get in on the driver’s side. The eight-cylinder engine started up with a penetrating roar, and we drove off.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Apart from that head wound, I mean,” Jared said as we turned onto a busier street.
“Yes,” I said, which caused him to examine me with a sideways glance.
“Honest,” I said, “I’m fine.” Judging by his look, he’d only believe me when he’d heard it from the doctor’s mouth.
Suddenly, the expression on Jared’s face darkened. “I can’t believe what that . . . ,” he said and inhaled deeply. “If I’d come even a second later . . .”
“But you didn’t,” I said as soon as I realized what he was getting at. I couldn’t drive out the thought either. If he’d indeed come a second later . . . Suddenly, I tasted bile in my mouth.
Before I knew what was going on, Jared had stopped the Mustang. He got out, ran around the car, and held the door open for me.
Oh yes. I realized what was about to happen. I got out as fast as I could, scrambled a few feet from the car, and threw up in some nearby bushes while Jared carefully brushed the hair out of my face and ran his other hand down my back.
This can’t be happening. I’m puking my guts out and he’s stroking my back!
When it was finally over and I’d emptied my stomach, Jared held a bottle of water out to me. Where on earth did he get that? I gratefully accepted it, thoroughly rinsed out my mouth, and washed my face while Jared went back to the car to give me some privacy.
“Shall we continue on?” he asked when I returned to the car.
“Yes,” I said, lowering my eyes. “Thank you.”
“That was the shock,” he explained. “Please don’t feel embarrassed about it.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said, now feeling even more embarrassed.
I stared out the window for the rest of the drive because I could no longer look Jared in the eye. When we finally arrived at the hospital, I got out before he could open the door for me. He registered me at the reception desk and described my injury. Then he led me up a staircase to the emergency room, where my name was called a few moments later.
“I’ll wait for you here,” he said as I got up from my chair. “Do you need anything?”
I shook my head and went to the treatment room, where a cheery, rotund nurse—probably in her midforties—received me.
“What’s wrong, girl?” she asked.
“I have a wound on the back of my head.”
“Let’s have a look.” I tilted my head forward to let her examine me.
“Hmm, I’m afraid it’ll have to be stitched,” she said. “Do you have any other injuries?”
“No, but . . . I just threw up and . . .” Could I really ask her for this? “Would you perhaps . . . have . . . a toothbrush for me?”
The nurse laughed. “Typical girl,” she said. “Loses a ton of blood, but the important thing is having fresh breath!”
Now I had to smile.
“Just wait a little. I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thank you,” I said and a few minutes later she returned with a bright red children’s toothbrush and a sample-size tube of strawberry-flavored toothpaste.
“If that’s your boyfriend out there, I can understand wanting the toothbrush,” she teased while handing over the toothbrush and toothpaste.
“No. He’s not . . . my boyfriend.”
“But he brought you here, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did. But . . .”
“Well, maybe he wants to be?” she said with a smile and winked at me. While she left the room to get a sterile suture kit, I walked over to the sink in the corner and thoroughly brushed my teeth. Twice. Then I washed my face again and was about to sit on the gurney when the nurse came back into the room with a silver-haired doctor.
“So, Miss . . . Lakewood,” the doctor read my name from the clipboard in his hands. “Let’s patch you up,” he said and went to work.
After disinfecting my wound and suturing it with six stitches, he hid it under a thick muslin
bandage. When he was done, I energetically jumped from the gurney and almost fell. Oops! My legs were wobblier than I’d thought. As soon as I’d recovered my balance, I shot a quick glance in the mirror over the sink and decided I looked like a . . . total ninny. No. I looked like a total ninny who’d attempted to disguise herself as a sultan! The bandage had to go. That much was for sure. Especially considering who was waiting for me. With the excuse of wanting to wash my hands one more time I waited until the doctor and the nice nurse were out the door, tore the ridiculous bandage from my head, and threw it in a trash can before I stepped into the hallway. As soon as Jared saw me, he jumped up from his chair and came toward me.
“So, how are you?” he asked, still highly concerned. “Did they have to stitch it?”
“Six stitches,” I said while he walked around me to inspect my treated injury.
“Didn’t they put a bandage on you?” he asked.
“You don’t need a bandage for something as little as this,” I said with feigned casualness.
Jared looked at me with raised eyebrows. “Ah,” was all he said but the suspicious twitch at the corner of his mouth told me he knew what had happened to my bandage.
“Well, come on, I’ll drive you home,” he said and led me, with an amused smirk, to the parking lot, where he held open the passenger door of the Mustang for me. I got in and watched him walk around the car. Although I felt awkward staring at him so obviously, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He’d saved me. Had he not been there, something terrible would have happened. No idea if I’d ever been able to get over it. Probably not. How could I have misjudged Felix so badly? If Jared hadn’t been there . . .
But he was there! He’d saved me, he’d . . . protected me!
I followed every one of his movements, breathed in his scent, noted every breath, every blink, every tensing and relaxing of his facial muscles. He was just so gorgeous. The more I observed him, the stronger my desire became to find out more about him. I wanted to know what music he listened to, what he liked to eat, which season he liked most, whether he had a happy childhood when his parents were still alive. I simply wanted to know everything about him.
Suddenly, it became clear to me that this was the time—me alone with him in the car—the opportunity to find out more about Jared. A one-time opportunity to finally ask all those questions that kept me awake at night. This time he couldn’t just take off as he always did. Unless, of course, he’d rather jump out of a moving vehicle than talk. But what should I ask him? What should I start with? A bit of small talk first? Or just go all in right away?
“Is there anything I can do for you?” Jared asked with a smile.
“I . . .” Damn! Of course he’d noticed I’d been staring at him the whole time. I breathed deeply and cleared my throat. I needed a firm voice for what I was about to say.
“Jared, really, thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” I said. At least, I didn’t sound as if I were about to burst into tears any moment. That was something.
“Not for that,” Jared said.
What? I felt stumped. “I shouldn’t . . . thank you for what you did?” Now I did sound as if I were about to cry.
He looked at me again. “I’m the one who’s grateful,” he said.
“You? But why?”
“Arriving there in time for you,” he said with a firm voice. He was grateful for having arrived there in time for me? The butterflies were let loose in my stomach.
Suddenly, I noticed Jared was turning onto the street where my residence was. Damn! I’d waited too long. I needed to stall.
“Why weren’t you at school much this week?” I said. It was the only thing I could think of.
“I had to settle a few things at home.”
“Oh.” I had hoped for a better answer. Or, at least, one I could follow up on. But instead, Jared took the wind out of my sails, and valuable seconds passed. I needed more time. Since my brain was obviously in standby mode, I couldn’t think of even one somewhat sensible question. Anything I thought of would have left me looking like a complete idiot. I was so busy pushing words back and forth in my mind, I only realized we had already arrived when Jared was holding the door open for me. Double damn. He’d be gone in a minute.
“May I walk you to the door?” he asked. “Just to be on the safe side.” Was that concern or anger in his voice?
“Sure,” I said.
That should buy me a little time. I had to think of something. Ask him a question. Any question.
“Will you be at school tomorrow?” I asked as we walked side by side.
“I don’t know yet,” he said and breathed in deeply. “It depends.”
“On what?” I asked, but instead of giving me an answer, he simply stopped, turned to me, and looked deeply into my eyes. His face was so close to mine. The intensity of his gaze caused me to fall silent. While he looked at me, a parade of emotions flitted across his face. Then his expression became sad.
“Sleep well, Evelyn,” he said and exhaled lightly. Then he stroked my cheek so lightly with the back of his hand that I hardly felt it. I gasped. Although he had barely touched me, his fingers left a hot tingling on my skin. I shut my eyes, but he let his hand fall away. A second later, Jared turned and walked toward his car.
No! I couldn’t let him walk away this time. I had to know what it all meant and why he behaved so strangely toward me. He definitely owed me a few answers!
“Wait!” I desperately cried out and ran after him. I caught up with him after a few steps, and he stopped and turned toward me. All of a sudden, I forgot what I wanted to ask him—I didn’t even know anymore why I’d run after him. His stunning appearance left me in awe. He looked at me, and as before, I could see he was infinitely sad.
At that moment, I longed for nothing more than to see him happy. To make him happy.
I didn’t know what it was about. Maybe because we were alone and darkness hid us like a protective cloak from curious onlookers. Maybe it was because this feeling was even more intense than before. But I finally lost my last shred of self-control. I didn’t know why and I really didn’t care, but at that moment I gave in to my inner longing, threw my arms around Jared’s neck, and kissed him. For a second, he stood there motionless, then he wrapped his arms around me. One hand on my hip, the other on my back, he pulled me in and pressed my body so tightly against his I could feel his heart hammering wildly in his chest. He returned my kiss with a heartfelt sigh—long and intense. Then he withdrew and moved his lips along my neck while moaning with each breath, moving his hand along my back and pulling me even closer. Almost trembling I threw my head back and wrapped my arms even tighter around his neck. Every muscle in my body appeared to vibrate.
“Oh God, Evelyn,” he whispered into my ear. A second later I again felt his lips on mine and his tongue in my mouth. I had pictured countless times what it would be like to be so close to Jared . . . but reality made fantasy pale in comparison. It was so much better than I had ever dreamed. I attempted to pull him closer to me and prayed the moment would never end. But in the next second, he detached himself, pushed me gently away, and looked into my eyes. I wanted to melt into his arms, but he held me back with gentle pressure.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, full of pain, stroked my cheek one last time, got into his car, and drove off into the darkness.
CHAPTER 12
I stared at my alarm clock until its penetrating beeping finally released me from my almost-sleepless night. Although I fell asleep long after midnight, I’d lain awake a full two hours, staring alternately at the ceiling and the alarm, waiting for the damned thing to finally go off. Sighing deeply, I rose and went to the bathroom.
Last night’s feelings once again overwhelmed me. A mixture of longing, sadness, pain, and desperation—a debilitating cocktail of emotions. I had no idea what to do about it. Or even what would help me feel a litt
le better. All I knew was that Jared had created this turmoil of emotions inside me. The memory of that unbelievable kiss flared up in my thoughts. That was probably the best sensation I’d ever felt—followed immediately by one of the worst: rejection. Why had Jared left me there and disappeared? As much as I tried, I couldn’t understand it. How could something that felt so right be so wrong? Why, for Heaven’s sake, would he not explain it? I’d racked my brain all night over this. Did Jared not feel what I felt? Why didn’t he stay with me? I didn’t get it. Only one thing became painfully clear to me last night: I was totally hooked on loving Jared Calmburry and didn’t want to spend another day of my life without him.
I toyed with the thought of calling Sally to ask her how she felt but decided against it. If she was still sick from Felix’s treacherous attack, she would surely still be asleep now. So I decided to call her after my first lecture if she hadn’t shown up at school. Hopefully, she’d be a bit more rested by then.
When it was finally time to get going, I grabbed my bag and went out the door, but a sudden thought cut off my breath as if I were caught in a stranglehold. Felix! I tried to overcome my panic. What should I do if I saw him? How should I behave? What would he do? Attack me? Ignore me? Or would he try to talk to me? I trembled.
Twenty minutes had passed before I’d calmed myself down enough to enter the lecture hall, long after the lecture had already begun. I snuck in as inconspicuously as possible, sat at the very back and began to search row after row for Felix. Three times. He wasn’t there. I sighed with relief.