Ninja Girl: The Nine Wiles
Page 24
Until she couldn't take another step.
Then she breathed.
In for five. Hold for ten. Out for twelve.
She couldn't forgive him. But she couldn't walk away either.
Time relaxed, became peaceful, as it had when she first jumped into his car. The clouds, piled up heavy and gray, stopped their drift across the sky. The pigeons stopped their cooing, and the leaves of the math building's tree had stopped turning in the cold breeze. Ash turned back to face him. Her new backpack, bought by her dad two days ago, slipped off her shoulder and began its long journey to the concrete.
He was turning away from her, mid-breath, his long leg extended in a step, his scowl returning and more grim than ever. She drank him in this way, watching his profile, holding him with her eyes.
She ran toward him, pushing through air thick as molasses, gaining speed.
He didn't react – she would be long gone before he reacted.
Ten feet from him, she grand pliéd, bending her knees in preparation, and launched herself in a grand jeté unlike any ever seen in Miss Claudine's class. She flung her body into a somersault, one arm extended for balance, her legs arching up behind her, her eyes locked on Drake's profile.
The distance between them closed to nothing, and this time, her aim was perfect.
In her heart's center a deep anger raged at him, but stronger than that was a gentle warmth that refused to die. There was so much that she and Drake could never have, so many ways they could never be together. And yet, she could not give him up.
She passed over him, her body inverted, and her lips brushed his. She knew it would be over like the wing-beat of a butterfly and she would be gone before he could notice – this would be just a flicker in his perception, a ghost of an image. He would wonder what exactly had happened, and whether or not he had imagined it.
She didn't know when or where they would cross paths again, or what the circumstances would be. She would get the page back, or she wouldn't. She would shed his blood, or she wouldn't. Or he would shed hers. Whatever happened, this moment would always belong to her and her alone. Maybe it would carry her through whatever pain was to come.
So for now, she kissed him, and tried to stay right here, to hold on to this time and place for as long as she could.
THE END
AFTERWORD
So many people helped bring this book into the world. My sincere gratitude goes to Carmen Bernier-Grand, Jodi Dahlke, Mureall Hebert, Genevieve Nine, Clark Parsons, and the writers at the Legion of Plume for their feedback and encouragement.
A special shout-out and cosmic hug to Steph.
And a truckload of good karma to you for taking a chance on this novel. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review online. There is no better writing fuel than an encouraging review – that’s the best way to ensure that book two is finished soon.
If you would like to hear personally when the Ninja Girl sequel is available, click HERE and I'll send you an email.
Thank you for reading!
– S. W. White