Dang it on the eyebrow. It was intriguing and I’m sure he caught my gasp.
“Side by side is good. We’d make a great team,” Calum repeated.
“One secret,” I offered.
“What? Are we done with convalescing together?”
“I’ll tell you one secret. But not now, moron. Quit being an ass.”
He didn’t respond. He just started cleaning up and smiling the whole time.
Chapter Six …I am a free human being with an independent will.
We said goodbye without a single touch and both headed to our rooms before dinner.
I was already eating, somewhat starving today only because it had been days since I ate last any real food other than cake, when he walked into the dining hall and stopped behind me. I smelled the fresh scent of his particular cologne before he spoke and turned sideways to look standing above me.
My knees forced Calum to step back to keep from touching me, both of us avoiding that particular subject.
“You’re moving.” He didn’t have a bashful look about him as he announced he was telling me directives. He looked so sure of himself. I was sure there was more to this Hunter boy than his tough exterior he displayed. I looked back at the girls; they nodded largely together in unison, with big O mouths bobbing.
“If I wanted a new schedule, I’d have discussed this with your father.”
Calum grinned. “Oh, that can be arranged.”
He took my plate and headed to the end of the very same table and sat down not looking back. The dang man was so sure I would follow. I wanted to throw the plate at him. I reluctantly swallowed my thoughts and went down the length of the table to sit opposite of each other. “What do I owe this occasion since it’s apparent once again, I’m noticing, that the entire dining hall is watching us?”
“I told you, you’re lovelier than you give yourself credit. You’re hair alone is mesmerizing.”
Okay. So this Hyde boy likes to play dirty when he’s being watched and smooth operator when he’s alone with me. We’ll just see about that.
“Mesmerizing? My hair is a nuisance. I only keep it around for one reason."
“Well, I like it. Don’t change a thing,” Calum said curtly. “What reason?”
Okay, I’d expected him to ask, right? Wrong. “I like the way it feels on my neck when it’s cold.”
He considered that, noting it internally. I didn’t really think he would ask so I didn’t have a good fake answer ready.
“So, everyone, Maze that is, says you’ve never sat with another girl since she’s been here. Why is that?” I was feeling bold since he got me up so daringly and showcased me around the dining hall.
“Well, no one caught my eye before.”
“No one?” I tried raising the one eyebrow. I’d practiced in the mirror before dinner.
Calum noticed it. Score!
He followed raising the right, then the other making me laugh out loud. Maybe all boys practiced things like that in the mirror.
“YOU!” I hit his arm. Don’t know why I did that. Fabric, not skin.
“It does something to you, doesn’t it?” he asked. “The eyebrow thing.”
“You have no idea... what you are in for, moron.” I was feeling hot and flustered and remembered I’d not been allowed around boys before now. Fumbling words was so new to me.
“You like that word. I might just take offense if I didn’t like you. If you’re asking if I’ve noticed other girls before, well yes, I am male as you call it. But no, I’ve not wanted to ever get to know any of them before with much more than a few laughs. You’re different somehow.”
Yeah. Try way different. Like a different species as far as we are both concerned. “So, do you think you’ll still like me if you know all of my secrets?” Total chance talking here, but not revealing. And so not caring either.
“Are you really a man under that shirt?” Calum momentarily looked at my chest. Not in a vulgar way, but definitely playful and intentional. I looked around to see if others were still watching. Only Maze. And Derrick and Lee. They reminded me of a movie I once saw on my father’s TV. Batman and Robin. Simply because they were always together, I guess.
“No, I’m not really a man. This is the real thing under here.” I can embarrass him back, right. I felt like I was in one of my movies trying to come up with one- liners. Mostly, I'd only ever tried them on my bedroom mirror.
Calum didn’t look up, but grabbed a cheese puff from the plates of food and ate it. Then he tossed some carrots and meatballs all over the plate and popped them in after each swallow. I took my time tearing apart the yummy cheesy bread and dipping it in the olive oil in the center of the table. I didn’t think about the double dipping. Oops! I backed away from the oil.
“And you’re not here to break my…uh, spirit and then run away,” he asked.
Too close to the truth,I answered truthfully, “No, that’s not what I’m here for.” I looked down at my bread desperate for a subject change. And was he just about to say heart? “So, what else are you good at besides, weapons, chemistry, tutoring, good looks, and putting spells on me?” I asked perplexed by where the last comment’s point might have been leading too.
“My spell is working then?” a wide toothy grin played across his lips.
“I’d say not, moron!” I muttered with a chunk of bread going in my mouth and eyes raised but never looking up. I didn’t realize it yet, but my world was closing in on a too small bubble around me and this incredible smooth talking sarcasm filled Hunter Hyde boy. I forgot we were in a crowded dining hall. I forgot about this magnetic pull Calum had drawing me to him whether I wanted to or not. I forgot to be me.
He chuckled purposefully.
“Not cocky, are we?” Calum truly was enjoying this.
“Er, I bake a mean pizza," he offered. Where the crap did that come from?
“Seriously! That’s like the only thing I eat. Hence,” I looked down, “Italian bread. I think my mother was Italian and…” I stopped, feeling lame and giving way too much information. I totally didn’t just say that, did I?
“That explains the food but definitely not the hair, eyes, and cream colored skin.”
He just described my skin as cream. Did guys really do that? “Um, yeah, my mom’s side I guess. Enough about me, back to your repulsive features.” Yes, ice queen. No, not really meaning it. Yes, not letting this boy see. No, because he’s the first one to see through it. When he didn’t answer I asked, “How about your mom?”
Calum looked down, “She died when I was born.”
I stopped chewing my piece of bread, “So did mine.”
We just stared in mid chew, both of us, at each other. After a second, we continued eating quietly.
“She left me something. A letter. I kept it for years, but lost it a few years back. Don’t know why I told you that.” Calum watched his fork move his food around on his plate after saying such a thing uneased by his own admission.
“You miss her like I do mine even without knowing her,” I offered and looked down affirming our mutual feelings. We were both uncomfortable at the turn of conversation.
“Not really. I never knew her. She just left me with a lot of secrets behind.”
“Same here," he replied casually speaking telling me to change the subject.
“Any more talents? I’d liked to be forewarned before I’m in shock again. You seem to stop my heart a lot with the electricity thing ...or make it cringe...disgusting really.” Did I just say that? I raised my chin up knowing my eyes were moving into the pained looked my dad always said made me an open book.
“I do, do I?” he pressed.
Yep, I just said that. Dorkwad!
He leaned in closer to whisper, “I read a lot. Not really a talent. More a hobby.” He leaned in closer and we were practically leaning halfway over the table now, “now you know one of my secrets no one knows about me, tell me one of yours.”
His lips were so close, I could fe
el the warm air of his mouth hitting against mine. He took a drink of the mint tea and swallowed.
I thought, but not too carefully, “I’m deathly afraid that I shouldn’t be here…with you,” I muttered darkly. And before he could react, Derrick was beside him kicking his shins. We both sat up rather quickly and looked at him.
“Ya’ll want that room now?” He held up the sock he’d just whisked off by the smell of it, “Cause the whole room is talking about how the two of you are about to get it on right here on top of the table. And they are all eager to watch.” He didn’t look the least bit amused by his own humor.
We both blushed. I knew just what he meant now by the sock.
Calum looked at Derrick then around the room at everyone staring. This was such new territory for me. And way off my mission. At least I’ve done some searching, right?
Calum shifted as I did and we both stared blankly at each other. If I keep this going I can get information out of him. If I think like the spy that I am, I can do this without getting too involved. It is just I have a sneaking suspicion there is more to this than just a simple boy vs. girl episode here. Something else entirely is afire. For now, I will play along. Oh, the hardship.
“Um, I’ll see you in class tomorrow. And it’s your turn.” He raised the eyebrow, my own little secret goodbye just for me seemingly not embarrassed by his friend’s suggestion at marital bliss on the table in the dining area. I felt stupid for not getting the hints about dating, but aware of the current predicament. I walked away in my regular not faltered, I’m a badass chic mode that I always did. Bad A-Chic-A-Rella Princess! That my inner call name of sorts.
I walked back to Maze and sat long enough to say I’d see her upstairs in class. Liz was shaking her head.
“What?” I asked.
“Yesterday, you acted like you didn’t have a clue, but that PDA going on, on top of the table no less, was way not like anyone who doesn’t have a clue. What’s the story?”
“Don’t know what you mean? We were just talking,” I shrugged with insouciance spilling out of my words. Playing the just didn’t care attitude was better than the alternative. Ignorance.
“Um, how can you not know when a boy wants his tongue down your throat? You’re better at the flirting thing than you think.”
“My throat huh.” I grabbed my throat in a perfectly faked freak mode. It felt like floating on a cloud, but this sounded like I was piercing the cloud with my spear and daring it to provoke me. They had no idea how new this was to me.
“And egging that boy on is like rubbing your cricket legs together in a slow dance in case you were looking for a definition,” Maze rolled her eyes, then continued her antics, “But not to be confused with the louder song of the male cricket who calls to his honey and wards off the other males. Not that Calum’s not singing or anything, but his song is loud and clear.”
That is definitely what I was doing. I’m so in over my head.
“If you really are that naive, just please, if you do anything more than kissing, use protection. And please make him take you out on a date before you give it up.”
“Like what? And give what up?” I smiled deviously knowing this was dangerously out of line with decency.
“Oh, heck! I can’t do this.” Liz leapt up.
“Just tell him, okay.”
And I watched they both walked away. I really might need to go to the library tonight and google some of this. Too many things were happening fast on this train and I can’t seem to keep up with the engine. And I thought I knew all there was to know about boys. NOT!
Chapter Seven Do or do not do…
I found the story of my name again on some obsolete website after confirming that several sites matched up at least. I read it slowly for two reasons. I was looking for clues...and I wanted to hear the story of my name again. I’d sneaked in my father’s office for years and read it.
Aquat, who was also known as Orion, took Anat’s bow. She was so not happy with her hot Hunter of the sky, so she sent another to steal it back. The scorpion man “accidentally” killed Aqhat and the bow was lost.
So my name derived from her. Calum happened to be a Hunter. And Orion means a lot more than I want to admit. A scorpion boy was involved. Did he exist? And what did the stars of each constellation each have a name? Did they play into this drama?
I lifted my shirt to see how the dots panned out across my stomach. Perfectly aligned to the constellation, Orion. I'd figured it out when I was young.
I sighed and felt my headache begin to fade as I looked up “PDA” and the “definition of real flirting” and what “kissing protection” means on my phone. I didn’t find all the answers I needed, but I did learn a few tips on what to say when flirting. I’m familiar with other devices used for protection in female and male relations, but would never dream of needing to use them anytime in the near future much less before I am married. I’m going to try out the flirting comments more on him out in the morning. Anything to get a little more information, right?
When Literature class got heated with discussion of Anne Rice’s Interview with Vampire and the good and evil of taking a murderers life vs. killing at will, I drowned out the madness and practiced my lines for later. Hearing the mention of Sookie and Tom Cruise and Edward Cullen all within the mix made my classic fiction buzz lose interest in the discussion. Using folklore as information to prove the right and wrong of vampirism was crazy in my eyes.
I had a few minutes before weapons class when I saw Dr. Quinn’s back to the gym wall obviously talking to someone. A solid flurry started in my stomach and began to itch up my spine as if I was touching something staticky. Whether I was being privy to a bodily warning of danger or just inheriting a new spy girl alert system, the flutter running around in my belly wasn’t going away, but getting stronger. In the back of my mind I also played out the conversation with my best friend Kassie back home of what she thought was to come in my life. She still thought I’d marry the shipyard’s son and live happily ever after. Never! I’m hoping she has answers for me and can turn out to be a terrible fortune teller all in one.
I decided to walk closer and find out who Quinn was talking too. I rounded the corner able to hear both voices talking knowing immediately who the disembodied voice belong to. Dr. Richard Green. Then another voice. A deep voice, young and smooth and buttery sounding, talking to the other man. Like it was natural for him to sound that sexy all the time, I noted. It reminded me of the proverbial calm and collected bad guy, so to speak. Was Dr. Green plotting against my father and this was about my brother? Or was this another twisted plot I was walking into? The fluttering feeling increased the closer I moved towards them as I searched for the deep timbre's identity. Look at me. I’ve turned into this guy magnet spy machine, not the killer instinct Val mole I was sent in for. I listened to all three.
“It’s all set.” That was Quinn’s voice.
No answer from Dr. Green who equaled his larger frame.
“Where is the princess?” That was sexy voice. Did they mean me?
“Still in hiding and fine,” Green acknowledged.
“And the brother?” Szar?
“In the rack.”
“I have nothing to go on for the girl. She’ll get nothing.” Dr. Quinn said.
“No matter. If she isn’t attainable for the set day, let it go. We have the son. She will be right where she should. The Were faction will give when they know we have her. She just needs to save his ass before the road is set.”
“And if they don’t?”
No answers were said aloud. They?
“When’s the reveal?”
“Soon.”
“Three months time. The birthday.”
And like that, they went in opposite directions. I just got the clue I needed. Good news and bad news. I know who the bad guy characters were in the fairy tale, but what is the reveal? My birthday? I’ll call father at lunch. I never got a chance to see the other face in the powwow. For no
w, it was time for weapons class.
The dark figure behind me stayed in the shadows, listening. After a few long seconds of waiting, he left and so did the spiraling dancing effect my body felt.
I walked in, sat my book down, and scanned for Calum while the warm feeling fluttered on and off again. Nowhere did I see Calum or the mysterious guy. Starting back across the empty gym to be sure I didn’t miss him, my eyes stopped abruptly. Dr. Green was there. He hadn’t left.
Hot all of the sudden, my spine tingled with warm pools of liquid all up and down it. My body really was acting weird being here.
I walked over to the sword’s rack that left me around twelve feet from where his back was turned. He was talking to…Calum. Not too odd, right? But I’ve not seen him out until today.
Calum cut his eyes to me apparently knowing I was there even without a sound. He didn’t react to my presence at all but circled around to have his father's back to me, then nodded to me. Again. And again. Then Dr. Green left without looking within the gym once or at me. And just like that, the painful flutter stopped. Fast. That was odd.
I sensed Calum’s fear rising. I was starting to think that it wasn’t just his fear I felt. It felt almost like I could feel his body quiver with the thought of impending danger. I sensed something. Something bad was about to happen.
I stood by the swords and waited. My blue long sleeve and matching yoga pants were picked specifically to be able to maneuver in for the fight of my life today. The long sleeves were to avoid all shocks. The yoga pants, flexibility. And getting a run in at lunch. My legs were aching for it.
He wore his usual gray Levis, but also a midnight moon blue shirt that I knew immediately would set off his eyes. I huge dimpled smile played across his lips after his father left. “Hello, beautiful!”
Well, well. This is him flirting. Mmm! “Hello, Mr. Hyde.”
“Mr. Hyde?” Calum echoed.
“Well, yeah. On the first day I met you, and didn’t know your name, I kind of named you several things, Mr. Hyde being one.”
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