The bell caught Katey off guard. She jumped in her chair and reflexively grabbed her bag and stood up. As soon as she stood up, Katey was face to face with Logan, their bodies inches apart.
Katey felt alarm grip her lungs again and she tried to catch her breath, but it was difficult under his stare. Logan smiled sweetly and tilted his head to the side, as if he was curious about something in her appearance. Katey gazed back, feeling herself frozen in place.
Darren’s usual “don’t miss me too much” snapped Katey out of the trance so she could walk around Logan to rush out the door.
Logan followed close on her heels like the wolves in her nightmare.
As they entered the bustling hallway, Logan came up alongside her. “Did you get any of my messages?”
Katey glanced up to him as if in a daze. “What?” she asked, hardly able to hear him over the din of student traffic. He repeated his question and she replied, “Yeah, I did. I’m sorry I didn’t call you back.”
“Are you feeling any better today?” he asked.
Katey blinked to clear her jumbled thoughts enough to answer. “Oh, yeah, I guess so.”
Logan peered at her curiously. “Is something wrong?”
Katey shook her head as they entered the senior hallway. “No, no… I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Anything I can help with?”
Katey mused over all the possible ways that he really could help, such as leave her alone, change her class schedule so she would have all new teachers and maybe give her bus fare so she could leave this town behind. “Not really,” she replied. “Just don’t expect me to be very talkative today, ok?”
Logan gave her an understanding nod. “Fair enough,” he said softly.
Katey ducked into her English class and darted to her seat, closely followed by Logan who sat behind her. She tried not to give Logan any attention, though she could sense he was leaning over his desk, his nose very close to her hair. It was disturbing and sent chills up her spine as she felt the loose hairs twitch with every breath he breathed against her. She could almost feel its heat against her neck.
Lily, mystified by the scene, tried to catch her friend’s eye but Katey stared blankly ahead as if Logan’s face was a gun and if she made any sudden moves, she would be shot. She never felt more undone.
When Mrs. Kimbrough walked in and shut the door behind her, Logan leaned back and Katey finally glanced to Lily, who looked just as confused as she was. Lily searched Katey’s eyes for an answer, but she had none to give. Lily would think she was crazy if Katey told her the whole story. And besides, Katey had no answer for herself, much less for her friend.
The class was supposed to begin reading The Odyssey that day but Mrs. Kimbrough’s throat was sore so she just put on a CD that read the story aloud.
Everyone took out their literature textbooks and followed along with the tape. About half way through the class, Lily tried to pass Katey a note, but Logan intercepted it and wrote his own addition before passing it forward.
L: What’s up with Logan today? He’s acting weird and so are you. What’s wrong?
LK: This is so boring. I’ve read The Odyssey a million times. Did you sleep ok last night despite not feeling well?
Katey gave them both a thumbs-up sign and continued to read on. She didn’t want to risk passing a reply back to Lily using the same piece of paper with Logan’s note all over. And she didn’t want to tell anything to Lily and run the risk of Logan seeing her response either.
The class read about half of the story of the Cyclops until the bell rang to go to third period. Katey definitely didn’t want to go to Dustin’s class. As if one Logan wasn’t enough, she would have two to watch out for.
Once again, Logan followed close behind Katey out Mrs. Kimbrough’s door and to Dustin’s. He leaned against the wall on the other side of the door and stared at Katey. She could feel his intense gaze upon her despite her efforts to ignore him. She couldn’t stand it anymore and turned to him with fierce intent.
“What the hell are you staring at?” Katey nearly shouted at him.
Logan’s expression of serenity faded. “What do you mean?” he asked, tilting his head to the side, taken aback by her question.
“You look at me like that a lot. And I feel like you’ve been staring at me since first period. What the hell are you staring at me like that for?”
He didn’t reply as quickly this time. He waited to see if her angry scowl would change, but it didn’t. His face softened and he seemed to take on an air of boldness.
“I’m looking at a very beautiful young lady,” he replied softly. Katey wouldn’t have heard him if the world didn’t seem to fade away just then. Her glare allayed and she froze in amazement. No one had ever said that to her before.
“What?” she asked softly, almost in a whisper of disbelief, wondering if she heard correctly. But he never repeated his answer.
Dustin came around the corner and unlocked his door, saying good morning to the both of them, but neither Katey nor Logan took their eyes off of each other. Katey savored the moment. All fear and anger that she held in her heart dissolved in that instant, leaving room for only peace between them.
They stood like that until everyone walked in the classroom and Logan was the first to break the gaze, bowing his head and gesturing his hand for her to enter before him. Katey stood, nonplussed for a moment, then shuffled in and sat down in her seat, not looking at anybody along the way. Logan followed behind and closed the door after him. Mr. Keith glanced between the two and raised his brow in curiosity.
Katey didn’t know what to feel in that moment. She had only dreamed of someone having the guts to say she was beautiful to her face. She had never even said those blessed words to herself let alone have them grace her ears from a man who had managed to get under her skin so completely.
Katey felt like that moment might have just changed everything for her. She couldn’t fathom how such a sentimental statement could obliterate all her fear and doubt about her relations with Logan and her teachers. She felt in that moment that perhaps all would turn out well and that there was nothing to fear from them at all, despite what she may think and what the truth may be in the end.
As the bell rang, Dustin passed out articles about social stratification and told the class to read silently until the bell rang. He assured that they wouldn’t have a quiz or anything; he just wanted them to read it because it pertained to what he was lecturing about.
Katey lazily read the article, trying to force herself to focus through the thick haze in her mind.
When class was nearly over, Katey saw something out of the corner of her eye. She glanced over and saw Logan trying to secretly pass her a note. Katey saw the nervous expression in his eyes as she swiped it away from him.
Katey,
I apologize for staring at you so much. You truly are beautiful, whether you believe it or not. I wish I knew what was going on in your head. I have a feeling there is something more there than your being sick. Can you please tell me what is really bothering you? Maybe I can help?
Your friend, Logan
Katey bit her nail nervously and tucked the note away into her bag along with the other from second period. She hardly knew how to reply to such a message. She knew she would have to at some point, but she just couldn’t find the words just then. Maybe she never would.
When the bell rang, Katey made a mad dash for the door. For once, Logan wasn’t on her heels and actually seemed to lag behind and get caught in the congested hallway. They were separated and Katey was a little relieved. She tried to act like she didn’t hear him calling after her as she hurried towards Ben’s classroom.
When Katey arrived in the classroom, Ben glanced up to her from his desk, but said nothing and his face betrayed nothing.
Mere seconds after Katey retreated to her desk and laid her head down onto her arms, Logan came to a screeching halt outside the classroom door and stepped inside.
Ben’s e
yes darted between the two of them. Logan turned to his teacher and saw him point to Katey questioningly. Logan shrugged and shook his head, unable to answer for her behavior.
Ben motioned the youth towards him. Logan squatted down next to Ben’s chair and they leaned their heads together in conference.
“What’s up?” Ben asked.
“Something is upsetting her, but I don’t know what,” Logan replied in a whisper.
“It might be advisable for you to leave her alone. If she’s upset, she doesn’t want to talk.”
“But I want to help.”
Ben shook his head and gave him a satirical smile. “She may not what your help. Just leave her alone and give her space.”
Logan didn’t like the idea, but nodded and guardedly walked to his desk. He watched Katey closely before sitting down in front of her and sighing in frustration. How could he get her to open up in time for after school?
***
The bell announced the beginning of lunch period. Logan was already gone and out the door and Ben was making his way back at his desk after handing out the homework assignments.
Katey walked out of the classroom into the busy hallway on her way to sign into internship, but she stopped at the glass doors that led outside to the bus ramp. Logan was waiting by the building where she had to sign in. She quickly turned and walked the other way.
If I went to lunch, he would catch me there too.
Katey felt she had nowhere to go to escape Logan. She decided to take her chances and wandered outside towards the senior hallway. God willing, Logan wouldn’t track her down. She wasn’t ready to face him yet. If he asked any more question, forcing her to tell more white lies, she’d scream.
Under the covered walkway, she saw Beth sitting against one of the poles, working through a box of saltine crackers and listening to loud music on her MP3 player that leaked through her earbuds.
Katey wordlessly approached her and sat down heavily next to Beth and sighed with exasperation.
Beth pulled out her ear buds, glanced to Katey and grimaced. “You look terrible,” she said. Katey could hear the heavy guitar and drum beats blaring through her ear buds.
“I feel terrible,” Katey replied, setting her bag in her lap.
“Cracker?” Beth offered out the opening to the box that held the snack.
Katey smiled and graciously took a piece to nibble on, even though she had no appetite.
“So what’s going on? I saw the way you and Logan were acting in first period.” Beth asked after taking a bite from her own cracker.
Katey groaned and held her head. “He’s making me so uncomfortable.”
“Why? Cause he’s hot and has all his classes with you? Or is he pressuring you for sex or something?”
Katey cocked an eyebrow at her friend. “Why does your mind seem to live in the gutter?” Beth shrugged and Katey continued. “No, he’s not doing anything like that. And his hotness doesn’t bother me as much as it did before.”
Beth pointed an eager finger in her face. “Finally! You admit that he’s hot!”
Katey playfully shoved her friend and laughed. “That’s not the point. It’s how he’s treating me that’s bothering me.”
“Is he beating you?”
“No.”
“Is he verbally abusing you?”
“No.”
“Is he emotionally abusing you?”
“If staring at me a lot, saying I’m beautiful and wanting to fix me like I’m some broken car counts as emotional abuse, then yes.”
“Why would any of those things make you feel abused? I’d give my right arm to have a man that treated me that way. Marry him!”
“But, I’m just not used to that. There’s got to be a reason why… I think he does want something from me.” Katey took another bite of her cracker, deep in thought. If her suspicions were right and the worst case scenario became the truth, Logan must have been buttering her up for that change thing he was talking with the teachers about the day before. But, she wasn’t about to say that in front of Beth.
“Well, if he does, would it be that bad to give it to him? I mean, don’t let him rape you or anything, but you know, a little romping around might do you good.”
Katey turned to Beth in disbelief. “Beth!”
Beth laughed and shrugged. “Well, it would!”
Katey ribbed her friend and they laughed together, but it wasn’t enough to ease the tension in her heart. She sat and talked the entire lunch period with Beth there on the sidewalk and for just a moment, she was able to forget her troubles.
Chapter 13
After lunch, Katey parted ways with Beth and started down the hall towards Dustin’s classroom. She had finally finished grading the papers from the day before so all there was left to do was put them into the computer, but Katey wasn’t sure what to expect from her teacher.
It was surprising to Katey that they had only spoke a few words to each other the whole class period. Dustin was probably still contemplating his side of the argument that he, Darren, Ben, and Logan had yesterday afternoon. But Dustin wasn’t really acting like something top-secret was going down like Darren was. It was puzzling to see him so reticent.
On the way to sixth period, Katey fortunately was able avoided Logan through the crowded bus ramp. In sixth period, her teacher hadn’t ascribed any assignments so Katey decided to go ahead and do some research for the project for her human geography class. She didn’t know how Logan’s research and project ethics were or how timely he could complete a project once he was assigned it.
The research distracted her for a good bit of the time, but her mind occasionally drifted to other thoughts.
Her memory taunted her with what Darren said over the phone in first period regarding something after school. As she watched the clock on the wall, seeing the minute hand get closer and closer to the hour mark, she grew more nervous and her guts twisted beneath her skin uncomfortably. If she were part of what was going to take place, then she’d know soon enough. There was little she could do to ready herself or keep calm under such circumstances.
When the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, it was the moment of truth: would she see Logan again or would he leave her alone? In a way, Katey wanted to see him again. It hurt to be away from him so long, but she knew that with his presence would come all the conflicting emotions that she couldn’t fight or suppress.
She made it safely to her locker and Logan was still nowhere in sight. Such absence only intensified her anxiety, mingled with a twinge of disappointment that he wasn’t waiting for her like he had done before.
As she walked down the hall towards the back parking lot, Katey finally spotted Logan leaning against the white painted concrete wall not too far from the glass double doors that led outside.
He sighted Katey almost instantly as she stepped into view.
As soon as Katey and Logan locked eyes, she saw that he had a determined and intimidating look about him. Both of them froze. Katey’s hands shook at her sides as she watched him, anticipating his next move.
Looking into Logan’s eyes brought back the horrifying memory of her nightmare and terror gripped her heart once more. Fear and anger welled up inside her and all the longing she had for Logan’s presence faded just as quickly. All she wanted was to get away. There was something animal-like in his eyes, as if he were a predator that spotted his prey and Katey was that prey.
Logan made the first move, pushing himself off the wall and taking a few steps towards Katey. Primal instincts kicked in and Katey burst into a full run down the long hallway in the opposite direction.
Logan’s eyes flashed gold and he shuddered at the sight of Katey running away. At first, he fought the urge to follow, gritting his teeth angrily against it, but it was no use. Unable to contain himself, he ran after her. He at least had the sense of self to keep his speed manageable.
Katey shot passed the attendance office on the right and the media room on the left, trying to
trick Logan by feigning towards the cafeteria, but instead quickly looped around the office and ran towards the little inlet that held the student and faculty wall of fame, library and doors to the outside car rider drop-off area.
With Katey’s traction boots she was able to switch courses on the smooth tiled floor much easier than Logan could in his old weathered boots.
When Katey glanced behind her, he was trying to catch himself against the brick wall to turn.
“Katey, wait!” he called after her, but Katey ignored his pleas.
She kicked open the doors that led outside and bypassed the crowd by jumping on and off the marble benches and red brick blocks that were set in a line to the front parking lot. Students and administrators shouted at Katey as she ran down to the left towards the senior building.
Katey ducked and weaved through the mass of bodies waiting under the covered sidewalk and glanced behind her again to see where Logan was. He had gotten caught up in the multitude of car riders, which gave Katey a few seconds to decide where to hide.
She could take a left and go back into the main building to where they had started or she could go straight and run along the bus ramp, but Katey knew the vice-principal and other discipline administrators monitored the bus riders would likely be there so she would obviously get caught for her reckless running if she tried to make it to her car using that route. Her only other option was to try and hide in a teacher’s classroom on the senior hallway.
She was running out of time. Logan was making his way up the sidewalk at an alarming speed. Katey dove for the red doors to the right and ran into the empty senior building.
Katey didn’t even make it half way down the hall before Logan was right behind her.
He grabbed Katey around the waist and bound her to his body, her arms pinned to her sides and legs struggling and kicking wildly between his. Katey felt an unimaginable fear wash over her like it had the day before at lunch and her eyes began shedding frightened tears.
The Enigma (The Loup-Garou Series Book 1) Page 16