The Key

by Felicia Rogers

  Her lip protruded, her fingernail withdrew. “Why didn’t you ask me?”

  Because it’s better to keep you guessing, too. “I didn’t want to.”

  She narrowed her eyes and drew her hand into her lap. “So you called Maddie?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, I don’t like it. If we’re going to date, then you have to stay away from her. Being in the same room with that girl, and dating me, will totally ruin my rep and I won’t have it.”

  The waitress brought their sodas while Stephanie went on, and on, and on, explaining how often they needed to be seen together. How he would take her home and pick her up, how she expected him to stay for cheerleading practice, how they would eat together at the “special” table in the cafeteria. Tedious. He only half listened. Students went in and out of the diner. He studied each of them; he had to find that strange boy again. He needed to know who he was; then he could pass the information on to Serena. She knew all the Ancient Ones. If one of them was still around, then she would know.

  And that electrical surge in the school atrium had felt just like one of the Ancient Ones. A very, very strong one.

  Chapter 3

  Chase drove into the school parking lot, picked a spot, and cut the engine. The antique truck backfired, and kids in the immediate area leveled heated stares and mouthed vulgar curses in his direction.

  Sighing, he grabbed his backpack and walked inside. He went to his locker, kept the books he needed, and stored the rest. Homeroom was close by, and he entered and took the first available seat.

  Students filed in. A group of girls huddled together and he recognized two of them from yesterday’s math class.

  “Marley, pay up.” Stephanie held out her hand.

  Chase didn’t really want to listen. But her voice was too loud to be ignored.

  “What for?”

  “What for? Don’t you remember our little bet? I told you I could get Dougal to forget all about Maddie and I’ve already done it.”

  Only a true drama queen would want the entire homeroom to know all about people they didn’t know. Chase yawned and flicked through a textbook. It didn’t matter which one, just that he show no interest in her performance.

  “Impossible.”

  “Nope. Look there.”

  A guy dressed in all black plopped into an empty chair next to Stephanie. He leaned over and flicked her hair. “Hey, baby. How you doing?”

  Marley gawked, and Stephanie batted her lashes and twisted her face toward the newcomer. “I’m doing good. Are we still on for this afternoon?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it.”

  The Goth-dressed teen lifted Stephanie’s hand and kissed it. She fanned herself and twittered like a bird until the teacher called roll. And Chase sighed.

  ****

  Maddie hid behind her hair and forced herself not to watch Stephanie flirt with Dougal. Humiliating, how fast the witch had made him forget all about her. And betting with Marley — she needed a hole to hide in. For the rest of her life. Not that she blamed him, not when the choice was between the head cheerleader and the class dork.

  Their affections were stymied briefly when the homeroom teacher entered and called the roll. But thirty minutes later the bell rang and Maddie threw her heavy backpack on her shoulder. It was time to escape.

  The load lightened and she looked around. Dougal tugged at the top strap. “Let me carry that for you.”

  Maddie’s thoughts hovered between disbelief and dull anger. She opened her mouth to protest but Stephanie pushed in beside them. Through clenched teeth, she said, “Dougal, sweetie, what are you doing?”

  “I’m carrying Maddie’s books.” He said it as if it were the most natural, least questionable thing in the world — as if he hadn’t been flirting with Stephanie throughout homeroom.

  “Oh.” Stephanie tugged her purse strap higher on her shoulder as if preparing to strangle someone with it.

  Maddie grimaced. She didn’t want to be that someone, at least not in the middle of homeroom.

  “Stephanie, you go to class and I’ll meet you there.”

  Stephanie froze. If looks could kill, Dougal would have fried, and Maddie right beside him. “I— I—”

  Marley clutched her arm. “Come on.”

  They went, finally, but Stephanie made a point of showing what she thought of the arrangement. And instead of protesting, Maddie found herself tamely following Dougal to their next class. If it showed up Stephanie, whatever it was, she could be a fan.

  He walked directly to her seat and dropped her bag in the corner. “The school should really provide you a locker. That pack is heavy.”

  She nodded and bit her lip.

  “I guess I should take my seat.”

  She nodded again and followed him with her eyes as he found a spot in the middle row.

  Stephanie plopped into the seat in front of him and crossed her arms over her chest. A pout covered her lips, and Dougal leaned forward and whispered in her ear. Maddie fought envy as she dragged out her textbook. For a few minutes there, it had seemed…

  “Miss?”

  She straightened in her chair and stared at the most gorgeous guy she’d ever seen. Blond hair hung two inches above the nape of his neck and feathered neatly across his forehead. His sapphire eyes twinkled like the sun glinting on the ocean. She gasped and stars swam before her vision. It was him! How had she sat down right beside him and never noticed?

  He snapped his fingers, grinning, and she shook her head. “Sorry? What did you say?”

  ****

  Chase studied the dazed girl. Brownish-red hair framed her face. A dusting of freckles peppered her cute button nose. She blinked and flashed eyes the deepest jade he’d ever seen. She shook her head and her hair swayed from side to side.

  Wow. Just… wow. He’d never complain about small towns again.

  He held out his hand. “I didn’t have an opportunity to introduce myself the last time we met. I’m Chase Donovan.”

  She grasped his hand awkwardly. “Madelyn Clevenger, or Maddie, as most people call me.”

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Nice to meet you, too.” He didn’t say more, just stared at her, and finally she asked, “Did you need something?”

  “Oh, yeah. Sorry.” He paused and heat rushed across his cheeks. Get a hold of yourself, Donovan. You’ve talked to pretty girls before. California girls, at that, the ones wearing bikinis. He cleared his throat. “Today’s my first day in this class and I thought maybe you could tell me about Mr. Holston.”

  “I guess so. What did you want to know?”

  “Well, I guess I mainly need to know how to get a book. Yesterday a teacher just flopped one on my desk in front of me and then stalked off. So I didn’t know whether I should make my presence known, or just wait for him to come to me.”

  “Hmm, I think I would just wait. Mr. Holston can be a tad eccentric.”

  “Okay.”

  “If you need a book before he gives you one, you can share mine. That is, if you want to.”

  Somewhere in Heaven, angels began to sing. He could feel the echo in his chest. “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  The teacher entered and Chase straightened. The man was bald on top with hair wrapping around the sides of his overly large head. He wore a plaid polyester jacket with matching bell bottoms. Chase cocked his brow and Maddie whispered, “See.”

  He looked away as Mr. Holston opened a ratty copy of Hamlet and began to explain the deeper meaning of the play. It seemed to take forever, not just the entire first class. Finally the bell rang and Mr. Holston yelled out their nightly reading assignment. Chase hurried to gather his books.

  “Thanks, Maddie.”

  “No problem. And just to be on the safe side, I would stop and tell Mr. Holston you’re new. He might not have noticed you.”

  He nodded and found his way to the front desk.

  ****

  Maddie watched Chase’s retreating form. A person wo
uld have to be blind not to notice Chase Donovan. Biceps flexed with every shift of his backpack. His jeans clung to him like a second skin and like a California surfer, his tan contrasted with his white shirt, which stretched taut over his broad chest.

  He turned and winked. Maddie blushed and quickly bent to finish the task of loading her backpack. For the first time, she was glad she didn’t have a locker. The longer it took, the more peeks at Chase she could steal. But she could only drag the chore out for so long, and then she had to leave. Bummer.

  In the hallway, throngs of people crowded around lockers and talked in loud voices. Maddie ignored them — hey, they’d ignored her since she’d arrived, and fair was fair — and continued to her next class. She took her seat in the back and stowed her books. When she looked up, Dougal waved. She lowered her eyes to her desk. Wrong hottie, and he’d chosen Stephanie.

  Others filed in and again she found herself staring at the back of Chase’s head. He peered back at her and her mouth went dry.

  “Hi,” he said, a smile tugging at his lips.

  “Hi,” she replied.

  “Fancy meeting you again so soon.”

  “Yeah,” she said, fighting her own smile.

  “This school is a lot different from my last two, in Texas and in California.”

  She gnawed on her lip. He wanted her to ask questions, didn’t he?

  When she didn’t say anything, he continued, “My dad retired from the military and I’ve been to dozens of schools, but this one is—”

  “Different. Yeah, you said that.”

  He opened his mouth, perhaps to explain what he meant, but the teacher interrupted. Mr. Sanders stood at the blackboard and worked mathematical equations, explaining each one in excruciating detail. When he finished, he listed their assignment.

  Maddie worked the problems. A shiver raced along her spine. She shifted her gaze to the left. Dougal’s dark eyes studied her. He lifted a brow and his lips twitched upward.

  Ignore him, just ignore him, she thought as she focused on the calculus problem. The answer evaded her and she looked at the example on the board. She gulped.

  Dougal still stared at her, his amber eyes glowing like a lit candle — the weirdest thing she’d ever seen in her life.

  Chapter 4

  On the opposite side of the room, a boy dressed in black ogled Maddie. The stare was so intense it was palpable, and Chase’s hackles rose. But he didn’t own Maddie and he hadn’t even asked if she had a boyfriend. He drew in a deep breath and focused on the calculator. Within a few minutes his heart rate calmed and the irritation passed.

  The bell rang, and he packed up his things and headed to French. Without the Goth and Maddie, the class passed quickly. Maybe that meant he didn’t handle distractions well.

  He shouldered his pack and headed to the lunchroom. Most of the tables were full, save one. Maddie sat alone, her hair falling forward and draping her face.

  He approached the table. “This seat taken?”

  She lifted her eyes and shook her head. For a moment Chase hesitated. She didn’t look overjoyed to see him. Maybe she wasn’t attracted to him… and maybe he was creating problems. Maybe he should get to know her first. Maybe he should stop overthinking everything and eat before the lunch period was over.

  Taking a deep breath, he set down his tray and took a seat. “Is the cafeteria always like this?”

  “Most of the time. It’s even worse on rainy days.”

  “I bet.” He took a bite of the hamburger and moaned.

  “Is it good?” she asked, a smile tugging the corner of her lips.

  He shrugged. “Let’s just say it’s not as bad as yesterday.”

  The conversation faltered and they ate in awkward silence. She fingered her burger wrapper. “Is Dougal staring at me?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “The guy dressed in black and sitting next to Stephanie, is he staring at me?”

  Chase looked in the direction she gestured. That guy, yeah. “I think so.”

  Maddie groaned and pushed her tray aside, burying her head on her folded arms. He almost patted her, but stopped himself.

  She glanced up. “I just don’t get it. He hangs out with Stephanie but he still watches and flirts with me.”

  “Oh,” he said, wadding his napkin.

  “I just don’t understand guys.” She blew air from her mouth.

  She had noticed that she was speaking with one, right? “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  She pursed her lips. “I don’t think so. Unless you can read minds.”

  “Afraid not.”

  The food on her tray grew cold. Determined to distract her from Dougal, Chase pulled out his schedule. “Do we have any other classes together?”

  Maddie secured a strand of hair behind her ear and flashed him a timid smile as she ran her finger over the list. “Yeah, fourth period and sixth.”

  How had he not noticed her in class the day before? He must have been out of it to miss someone like her. He folded the sheet of paper and shoved it in his back pocket. “Great. You can guide me there after lunch.”

  They left the lunchroom and traveled the crowded halls. Several people did a double take, watching them walk together. He ignored their scrutiny. Hey, she’d been attending Coal Creek High for several months. If they’d wanted to walk with her, they could have done it at any time. Now that he was here, though…

  “Here’s chemistry,” said Maddie.

  They both stretched a hand forward, and his collided with hers atop the doorknob. An electric shock rocketed through his body. The hairs on his arm stood on end and he swallowed. Maddie jerked away and rubbed her wrist.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Must have built up some static.”

  That hadn’t felt like static electricity. That felt like… he didn’t even know. But nor did he know what to think, much less say. Hey, that was weird. Let’s do it again. Yeah, right. So with a strange prickling feeling still in his thumb, he nodded and stood aside, allowing Maddie to enter first.

  ****

  Maddie massaged her tingling wrist as she entered the classroom. What had just happened? She’d thought Dougal’s bizarre glowing eyes had made her day weird. But that shock — that was worse, because it had been up close and personal. She needed time to think, but loud voices interrupted. Oh, great: Stephanie and her court.

  “Have you seen the other new guy?” Marley asked.

  “No. But I saw his truck. Yuck! And double yuck!” said Stephanie.

  “What kind is it?”

  A boy replied. “It’s an old pickup, like from the eighties. Ancient, man.”

  Marley added, “Yeah, but wait until you see him. He’s so dreamy, his body more than makes up for his vehicle.”

  Stephanie crossed her arms over her chest. “It doesn’t matter! I wouldn’t date a guy who drives an ugly truck.”

  Maddie’s heart thumped. They were discussing Chase. One glance at his brows drawn together and she knew he realized it, too. But seconds later his face relaxed and Maddie hid a smile. Why should he worry about what Stephanie and her crew said? Chase had to know he was awesome. And besides, Stephanie had set her sights on Dougal, right? She hadn’t even noticed Chase yesterday, because she’d been concentrating elsewhere.

  In the middle of another nasty comment, Marley’s jaw dropped.

  “What’s wrong with you?” asked Stephanie.

  Marley lifted her shaky finger. “Th-that ain’t natural.”

  Maddie gritted her teeth. It wasn’t natural that someone would want to walk with her? Oh, one of these days Stephanie and her crew would go too far.

  Stephanie stared at Chase and Maddie as they passed by. “What’s happening this week? Is it the coming of the apocalypse or something?”

  “That’s him,” whispered Marley, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

  “Him, who?”

  “The other new guy.”

  St
ephanie groaned.

  Maddie would’ve smiled if she hadn’t been distracted, but Dougal sat in her seat again. She stiffened as she prepared to approach.

  Maybe Chase sensed her discomfort, because he leaned down and whispered in her ear, his cool breath tickling her neck and sending shivers along her spine. “Is that your seat?”

  She nodded.

  “Do you want me to say something?”

  Grateful, she shook her head.

  Chase stopped at an empty stool and Maddie continued to her lab table. Dougal stood and held out his hand. “I hope you don’t mind that I saved your seat.”

  She slid across the warmed wood. Dougal bent forward and blew against her neck. His bronze eyes grew dark as he straightened and walked away to sit next to Stephanie.

  Chills raced along her body and she hugged her middle, hoping no one would notice. Finally the teacher entered. The lecture should have been a good distraction, but Maddie struggled to focus. Without wanting to, she kept glancing over to the other table, where Stephanie’s eye twitched and her head jerked while she rubbed her hand along Dougal’s thigh. He tweaked her nose and cooed. Her shoulders slumped, a lazy smile spreading over her mouth.

  Maddie drummed her fingers on the lab table. When next she glanced up, Dougal was watching. He blew her an air kiss. Heat flushed her face and she lowered her eyes, vowing not to look back up.

  The teacher listed instructions and her lab partner jotted them down. Chemicals mixed and the reaction complete, Maddie filled out their answer sheet and prayed the bell would ring soon. She couldn’t make it much longer. Jealousy was eating her alive.

  ****

  Dougal flirted with Stephanie then looked to see if Maddie watched. Her eyes darkened. Her pulse thumped against her neck. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. She did watch. The thrill of his effect on her tickled him, and brought some relief, too. Serena would be pleased and perhaps ease up on her continued harping.

  Stephanie squeezed his thigh, and he gritted his teeth. She reminded him of a girl from his childhood home. The Irish village had been filled with beautiful girls, but one had thought she was more perfect than the rest. And in truth, she had stood in stark contrast to the other girls, with her long blond hair and her skin unblemished by freckles. Her hands had been smooth and untouched by work, a lady’s hands.