“Next time I’ll buy.”
Granger’s grin was full on sexy when he looked at me and said, “So, there might be a next time?”
I shrugged, wondering where my ability to flirt had suddenly come from as I added innocently, “Well, if I get that job I might have some money of my own that I could be tempted to spend on you.”
"Well, if that’s the case and I’m able to get your company and more of these milkshakes, I might have to talk to the manager myself.”
I laughed out loud, and we both rose from the booth. The limited space put us standing extremely close to each other but not quite touching.
“Can I walk you back to your truck?” Granger asked. His offer didn’t surprise me. I’d noticed that about him at school. He was always opening doors for girls or waiting to sit at the table until Faith and I had taken our own seats. I found myself appreciating the qualities of a gentleman more and more as he walked me outside and to the space where I was parked. For now, the rain had turned into only a light drizzle.
“Thanks.” I said, looking up into his smiling face. His hands were occupied with his box of food, but I knew if they weren’t, he’d have opened the door for me. Instead, I slipped open the door myself and climbed up into the cab of the truck. Granger came around and leaned against the inside of the door.
“Thanks again for keeping me company while I waited for my order. I hope I didn’t hold you up.”
I shook my head, the loose tresses of my hair swirling around my face. “No, you didn’t, really. I was feeling a bit down about the job search. You cheered me up.”
One of Granger’s eyebrow lifted. “Was it me, or was it the milkshake that put that smile on your face?”
“Probably a little bit of both.”
He laughed out loud. I liked the sound. I knew he probably wanted to go and eat before his supper got cold, but I was enjoying the conversation and found myself reluctant to start the engine and pull away.
“I guess,” he said softly, taking a step closer to where I sat, “that for now, I’ll have to be satisfied with that answer.” Before I knew what was happening, he leaned in and softly kissed me on the cheek.
“Go straight home, okay, Pagan?”
I nodded, thinking it was an odd request, but not sure if I could speak to even comment.
Then Granger stepped back and used his elbow to shut the door to my truck before walking away.
I sat there for a minute, a little stunned by what had happened. If I’d had a phone, I would have called Faith and given her a play by play of the last thirty minutes to see if she could make heads or tails of it. I wasn’t sure what my feelings were about Granger, but I knew when he was around I felt - what was the word I was looking for?
Then it popped into my head.
Protected.
It seemed strange that it was the first word I thought of when someone as hot as Granger Panera was near me, but that’s how I felt. It was like nothing bad could happen with him there.
I started the truck’s engine intending to go straight home as I’d promised. I had nothing left to do in town and seeing the rain on my windshield was picking up again, there was no way I could do anything outside. My best choice was to go home and get started on my homework. I might be all mixed up in my feelings when it came to the guys I knew, but at least my work at school was something I could usually understand and completely handle.
Looking down at the floorboard where my backpack sat, I suddenly had a horrible thought. My bag had not seemed heavy at all when I'd left school, but I'd been preoccupied with how much my head hurt after the incident during gym to really think straight. I leaned over and unzipped my bag, quickly looking inside.
My history book, which I needed tonight, wasn't there.
I thought about the events of the afternoon, trying to figure out how I could have left the book at school. When I had gone to my locker after English class, I'd forgotten to turn in a pencil I'd borrowed, so I'd gone back to return it. I'd asked Faith to grab my book from my open locker and throw it in my bag because I knew I'd be pushed for time trying to get all the way across the school to gym class.
When I'd come back out, my locker was closed and my backpack was on the ground. I assumed Faith had put the book in there for me, but I should have checked. Obviously she hadn't heard me ask, or she would have done it. I needed my history book to complete my homework. There was always the chance that if I went back over to the school I wouldn't be able to get back inside this late in the afternoon, but I had to try.
The radio in my truck turned on easily with the push of a button, and I listened to several country songs as I drove across town. Out of habit, when I reached the school I drove around to the back of the building and parked in my assigned spot. It made sense actually, because if any door might still be unlocked, it would be the main one going into the gymnasium, especially if some type of practice was still going on. Unfortunately, the rain had picked up even more. I ran the entire way from my truck to the door of the school.
I was in luck. The back door opened easily. I slipped inside, out of the rain and hoped my luck would hold out so I could go all the way down the hall to where my locker was located.
There was no practice going on in the gymnasium. In fact, the school seemed unusually deserted. I only saw two other people as I cut across the back of the school, and they were both headed outside. I could only assume there must be away games this evening since the players on both basketball teams weren't around.
The lights throughout the halls were still turned on. I was glad. There was something eerie about being alone in a school.
I couldn't stop myself from shivering. It was probably simply from being wet and cold, but I sped up my steps all the same.
I looked up and saw one of the security cameras in the corner of the hall. There was no reassurance there. I knew they didn't work.
Faith had explained to me the cameras were all turned off. Most students didn't know the budget was cut last year, and there wasn't enough money to keep them running. The administration left the cameras up, hoping the equipment alone would fool enough students and still act as a deterrent to any behavior they didn't want happening in the halls.
Of course, the conversation had taken place after I told Faith what had happened with Granger and me on the way to registration. She assured me there was no footage for anyone to ever watch, so whatever strange thing I thought had happened that day wasn't caught on any camera.
Then she'd rolled her eyes and informed me that if I ever again felt the need to disappear around secluded corners to experience a romantic moment with any boy in the school, I'd be perfectly safe from any unwanted viewers. She was quick to make sure I knew she still maintained school was not the place to have a first kiss with anyone, especially a guy as hot as Granger Panera.
I heartily agreed, and thankfully, that had ended the conversation.
The rain pounded on the roof of the school bringing me back from my memories. I hoped the storm wasn't about to get too bad. I didn't have far to drive home, but I did still have to get from the building back to my truck, and I hadn't grabbed an umbrella or raincoat, preferring to simply make a run for it when I entered the building.
Finally reaching my locker, I quickly put in the combination. I felt a sense of satisfaction as the door swung open on my first try.
Inside the metal cubicle was the book I needed. I slipped it out and into the crook of my arm and then slammed the locker shut. The sound was loud and echoed in the halls. Surprised, I heard another locker shut somewhere nearby. The idea that someone else was near shouldn't have made me nervous - after all, I was in a school, but I found myself suddenly in a hurry to leave.
I'd only taken a few steps when a loud clap of thunder shook the school. The storm was definitely overhead now. I began to move quickly, but not fast enough. The lights overhead blinked. Before I could make it any further down the hall, the entire school was plunged into darkness.
It took more than a
moment for my eyes to adjust to the loss of light. Further down the hall I could see one emergency exit sign glowing in the otherwise pitch black of the halls. I knew it wasn't where I'd entered, but I didn't care. If I could make it to the door, I was going to leave that way, even if it meant running through the rain to get to my truck. Barely able to see, I began the walk toward the glowing beacon. I mentally cursed not having a cell phone. Even if I hadn't wanted to call anyone, I could have used the light from the phone to see where I was going.
I took a few more steps when another round of thunder shook the building. When the noise died down, the quiet seemed even heavier than before. My ears strained to hear any noise that might be out of place when a sound from behind me made me freeze.
My heart picked up its beat. Goosebumps broke out on my arms. I could hear someone breathing.
There was someone in the building with me.
Still in the darkness, I reached out my hand and found the edge of the lockers that ran down the center of the hall. I slipped behind them so that I was no longer standing out in the open.
My back pressed against the cold, metal wall as I strained to listen.
The noise had stopped.
I wanted to believe I was being ridiculous. It was crazy to be scared of something simply because I couldn't see. Whoever was there was probably the same person I'd heard at the lockers earlier. He was probably as scared as I was right now.
But I knew it wasn't true.
Whoever or whatever was with me in the darkness was what I always felt near me. It was my secret fear. It was familiar, and I knew it wasn’t there to be my friend.
The metal from the lockers felt cool against my head as I leaned back against it. I had to think. I couldn’t doubt myself. This feeling of being watched wasn’t my imagination. I wasn’t paranoid. Something was in this building with me, and I didn't believe it was another student. I couldn't stay where I was and wait for it to find me.
The exit sign still seemed too far away. My heart was beating so fast now I wasn't sure if I could even make it to the door. If only the lights would come back on, then I could see to make a run for the nearest way out of the building.
Of course, if there wasn't anything out there, then I was being ridiculous. But if I was right, and the evil I felt was real, then staying in one place was making it easy for whatever was there to find me.
I decided to make a run for it.
The minute I started to move, answering footsteps echoed behind me. Unable to stand not knowing, I braved one quick look over my shoulder. It was still too dark to see clearly, but there was something there, and it was moving fast.
Then, without warning, the hall was flooded with light.
The unexpected brightness was blinding. I stumbled but then caught my balance as I dared to glance over my shoulder again.
I couldn't believe it.
There was nothing there.
The hall was empty.
But I didn't stop running.
Seconds later I made it to the exit. My hand reached out for the metal bar that would open the door and free me from the building. At the exact same moment, a face appeared out of nowhere and pressed against the glass.
My screams echoed through the halls of the school.
"Sweetheart, don't scream. It's me. Let me inside. It's locked from out here, and I'm going to get struck by lightning if you don't open the door for me, love."
Keller's voice was muffled, but I could still understand him through the glass door.
I'd ceased screaming, but I couldn't stop my hands from shaking. I didn't know what Keller was doing outside the school in the middle of a storm, but I had never been so glad to see anyone in my life.
I dropped the book I was holding, threw open the door, and threw myself straight into his arms.
Keller's shirt was soaked from the rain and water dripped from his hair and onto my trembling hands that now circled his neck. My own clothes were getting wet, but that didn't stop me from burrowing my face into his chest and holding him tighter.
"Well hello to you, too, love," Keller responded, his arms tightening around me.
For a brief second I stayed where I was, enjoying the security of his arms. Knowing he probably thought I was acting insane, I eased back from his hold and looked up into his surprised face.
"I, uhm, I, well, I thought there was someone following me," I stammered, my eyes looking back down the hall.
Keller moved, shifting me slightly behind him.
I was more than a little surprised when he didn't even question me for details. His eyes were focused and alert as they scanned the halls looking for anyone else who might be in the building.
We both stood there in silence, but it soon became obvious that if someone had been there, they were gone now.
"Maybe it was another student in the building that frightened you," Keller remarked
Remembering the slam of the locker that I'd heard, I nodded slowly. "Maybe, but I, uhm, I don't think it was. This is going to sound strange to you, and I don't know quite how to explain it, but, well, it didn't feel like simply another student. It felt like, well, it's hard to explain."
How would it sound if I told him it felt like something evil was after me? Already with the lights on and with Keller beside me, it sounded ridiculous in my own mind.
One thing was certain, there was definitely no way I was going to tell him this wasn't the first time I'd felt this way. Knowing Keller, he'd take a line like that and turn it into something about my feelings being out of control because I was with him. I rolled my eyes just thinking about the fun he'd have with that conversation.
"You're all wet," I said instead, pointing out the obvious.
"I walked over from Fairvue and got caught out in the storm, and then I saw your truck out back. Think you could give me a ride home?"
I couldn't let him walk home in the rain, but for reasons I didn't want to examine too closely, I didn't want to take him home either.
It wasn't a far drive, really, and I couldn't leave him stranded out in the storm. Only a few minutes ago I'd been thrilled to see him. My own messed up thoughts had to be from the scare I'd just had or else from the hit I had to my head earlier during gym class because nothing else made any sense. Being alone with Keller in an small, enclosed space was something I could handle.
Definitely.
I agreed to give him a ride. I picked up my history book, and then we made sure the school door was closed behind us as we left the building. We ran as fast as we could to the back parking lot. By the time we reached my truck, I was as wet as Keller, but luckily there was no longer any lightening.
Sliding behind the wheel, I watched Keller climb up into the passenger seat. His shirt was plastered to his chest. I swallowed hard, realizing what I'd always suspected was definitely true.
The boy had nothing to be ashamed of.
He was built like a god.
I didn't know if he worked out when he was away from school or if working at the farm kept him in such great shape, but it was hard to not blatantly stare.
Embarrassed by my own thoughts, and doubting again my common sense in giving him a ride, I bit my lip and forced myself to look out the front window.
I turned on the ignition to get the heat going before daring one more look at Keller.
He was smiling at me.
"What?"
He leaned across the cab of the truck and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me. Instead his arm reached past me to the area behind my seat. He pulled out a towel I had tucked there and handed it to me.
"I thought you might want to wipe the water off your face. You're dripping a little, you know."
"Are you always so rude?" I shot back.
He looked hurt. "Rude? How is offering you a towel, rude?"
I tossed my wet hair back from face. "No girl wants it pointed out that she looks like a drowned rat, thank you very much."
Keller's eyes moved across my face and then
lower. His grin turned into something that was no longer purely amusement. He leaned closer and took the towel from my hands to rub it over his own face. How, I wondered, could such a simple move be so blatantly sexy?
"I never meant to insinuate you looked like, what was it you said? A drowned rodent?"
He shifted his whole body and grabbed the rearview mirror, tilting it down so I could see my reflection.
"In fact, if you look for yourself, I bet you can understand why I am enjoying this view of you. If I'm not mistaken, it's the same reason your eyes weren't exactly glued to just my smile earlier.”
His gaze traveled leisurely over my face and then down to my chest before slowing coming back to my eyes.
“Really, love, I promise I was being quite the gentleman by offering you that towel."
Realization of what he meant dawned on me. I looked in the mirror and suddenly understood. I could see straight through my shirt. The rain had made the material transparent. The lacey white bra I wore beneath did little to hide anything.
Mortified, I slapped the mirror back up and grabbed the towel, spreading it like a blanket over my chest and covering what I could with the material.
Unable to form a coherent thought, I didn't respond. Instead, I threw the car into drive, tires squealing, as I raced out of the parking lot. I didn't know how fast my truck would go, but I was determined to make it home in record speed.
Instead of warning me to slow down, Keller only laughed. He seemed totally at ease and even had the nerve to turn on the radio.
A slow song was playing. I immediately reached over and hit a different button to change the tune. I refused to be in a small space with Keller listening to anything that was even slightly romantic.
"I like the way you think, babe. I'm not much of a slow beat person myself. I like things to move fast."
Something close to a growl came from my throat and my hand snaked out and shut the radio completely off.
I pulled onto the road that led to both Fairvue and the farm Mr. Mac owned and flew up the drive to the small house where Keller lived alone.
Alone.
Keller was all alone.
The thought slammed into my mind almost as fast as my foot hit the break. For a minute I felt something close to shame at how I'd treated him. I wondered what it was like to have no one. But then I did know all too well what it was like to be lonely. I wondered if he ever felt that way.
Crossings: A Sovereign Guardians Novel Page 9
