My hand shook as I touched the old scar along my hairline. “I—it was just like…” I met his gaze. “I remember how I got my scar now.” Squinting, I tried to recall the details. “Something similar happened when I was a little girl, except it was a huge wooden bookcase that fell and a bookend came crashing down on me.”
As I spoke, past images flashed in my mind: My dad’s vivid green eyes, wide with panic. He’s dashing toward me, yelling, “Nari, look out!” We roll together on the floor as the bookshelf hit the floor with a loud boom. Another scene flashes. He’s dabbing my head wound. I’m trying not to look at the blood on the tissue, because it makes my stomach woozy. Instead, I focus on my dad’s stricken expression. He gently pushes the wound on my forehead together and applies a butterfly bandage, whispering, “I bolted it to the wall. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
Ethan gathered me close, pulling me back to the present. Kissing my scar, he murmured, “This shouldn’t have happened.”
I jerked back. His comment was so similar to my dad’s. Not to mention the double coincidence—that both situations involved falling bookcases. “Wha—what’d you just say?”
He pressed his lips together. “I fell asleep while I was studying and dreamed about the rest of your day after school. Except in this dream, a metal bookshelf fell on you when you tugged on a binder. That’s why I’ve been tense since we got to the library. I knew magazines were bound in binders. I didn’t want to come up here.”
I gaped. “So, none of this was in your dream of my entire day last night? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“No, it wasn’t in my dream last night. And I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to freak you out. I knew what was going to go down, so I just made sure the bookshelf never had a chance to rock like it did in my dream. I held onto it while you pulled.”
My gaze slid to the bookshelves now on the floor, their contents scattered everywhere—like my brains could’ve been if Ethan hadn’t thrown himself on top of me. The tiny hairs on my arms started to rise.
“I’m sorry, Nara. I should’ve told you.”
“Yes, you should have.”
“This was all my fault.”
“It was an accident.” I pointed to the other bookshelf where the metal side was bent and warped. “The binders’ weight must’ve been too much for it. Maybe when you righted the bookshelf to keep it from falling, the jarring on the floor caused this one to finally collapse.”
Ethan didn’t say anything. He seemed quiet, pensive.
With swift movements, I pulled the rolling book cart near the fallen bookshelf, then began gathering binders though the bookshelf’s open back and putting them on the cart. I knew he felt responsible and I didn’t want him to feel bad. “I’m so thankful you took a nap,” I said in an upbeat tone as I stopped to shove the one binder we needed into my backpack.
When I turned back to cleaning up, I tried not to show how truly shaken I was by the fact his “night” dream—which should’ve been about my entire day—hadn’t included the bookshelf falling. Why?
“The library will take care of this, Nara,” Ethan finally said.
I ignored him, completely focused on organizing the periodicals in front of me. Frowning at the binders I’d placed on the cart in haphazard abandon, I realized they were totally out of order. I began to reorder them in numerical order at a rapid pace, jerking books out, sliding books over, moving the correct ones into place. “This is such a mess. We can’t leave it like this.”
“Nara.”
I started to grab another set of periodicals from the floor, frantic to put every single binder in the right numerical order, but Ethan gripped my shoulders and pulled me against his chest, holding me tight. “It’s okay.”
Taking a deep breath, I pressed my face to his neck. “We both could’ve been really hurt.”
He stroked my hair. “We’ll be bruised and sore tomorrow, but we’re fine. And you’re right. All those thick resource books in your backpack came in handy. They saved my spine from being crushed.”
I gripped his jacket. “My dreams have never been wrong, Ethan. Why didn’t you see the other bookshelf falling in your dreams last night?”
He turned serious. “I dreamed about the bookshelf this afternoon, remember? Your dreams are still right. But I prevented it from falling. Maybe you’re right and I caused the chain reaction with the other bookshelf like you said. But what I’m wondering is what happened today that caused a change in ‘your future’ from what I saw last night?”
As I shook my head, the one thing I’d done that would’ve been out-of-the-norm from my regular day came to me. I’d told Fate to back off.
An hour later, Ethan pulled into my driveway. The head librarian had freaked when he found out that the bookcases had fallen on us. I was sure it was because the timid man was terrified our families would sue. Ethan cut the engine and hooked his wrist on the steering wheel, thrumming his fingers on the dashboard. “What could possibly have changed your future…well, other than you? And since you didn’t know your dream from last night, you couldn’t have consciously changed anything.”
He stared at me and I resisted the urge to fidget under his steady gaze. I wasn’t ready to admit I might’ve caused the change in my future by pissing Fate off. It could just as easily have been a fluke.
I shrugged. “A random glitch maybe?”
He frowned. “I don’t buy it.”
I rubbed my temples. My head hurt from worrying that I might have caused this. “It’s weird, I agree, but I’ve never dreamed my day twice, so who knows.” Leaning over, I kissed his clenched jaw. “We can go over everything you remember from the two dreams in detail tomorrow in study hall.” Grabbing my backpack, I started to get out of his car, then paused. “No more holding back on the big stuff to save me from worrying. Deal?” And, just in case, I’ll try not to go around challenging Fate any more.
Hard lines settled on his face. “You’ll have every detail.”
***
I walked into school feeling like a zombie. I’d had a terrible night’s sleep. In the wee hours, a thought occurred to me that alleviated some of my guilt, but the realization set off a bout of new concerns. Ethan had gotten hurt too. What if I wasn’t the target?
I didn’t want to explain my theory about last night to Ethan in the morning, so I avoided running into him until study hall. When I arrived in study hall and Ethan wasn’t there yet, I immediately tensed with worry.
Once Ethan finally walked in five minutes after the bell rang, I exhaled a sigh of relief. As soon as he sat down, I started talking at a rapid pace. “I don’t think last night was about me. I think it was about you—” but I stopped when I saw his bruised jaw.
“Ohmigod, what happened?” His lip was slightly swollen with a split near the corner. I started to touch his face, but he winced and pulled back.
“It’s nothing to worry about.”
“Nothing to worry—” Fisting my hand on the table, I hissed in a low tone, “How did that happen?”
Ethan’s dark gaze drilled into mine. “I want to talk about you, about my dream last night, Nara. Forget about this.” He waved, dismissing his bruised face. “You need to listen, okay?”
I couldn’t stop staring at the split on his lip. It was crusted over, as if he’d gotten the wound hours ago, probably even last night. Did that happen after he dropped me off?
“You with me?” Ethan’s voice was gruff.
Swallowing my apprehension, I nodded.
He touched my jaw lightly. “When the last bell rings, wait for me at the main door. Don’t walk out to your car by yourself.”
“What happens?”
The worry brackets were back, digging creases around his mouth. “There’s an accident in the parking lot.”
Loud buzzing sounded in my ears. “What?” I squeaked.
Determination darkened his eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
“I thought you didn’t believe in changi
ng the natural course,” I said, tears burning.
“This feels wrong.”
Banked fury reflected in his eyes. “How bad is it?”
Ethan shook his head. “I was so freaked out, I woke up.” Curling his lips inward, he continued with a determined snarl, “Nothing will happen to you.”
My lips trembled at the tension vibrating in Ethan. My theory that the bookshelf falling had been meant for Ethan and not me had just been blown out of the water. Or, maybe not. Maybe it was just like last night. “Do you—” I started to ask if he got hurt too, then remembered he never stars in my dreams. “You could get hurt, too, Ethan. Last night and now this.” I rubbed my temples, feeling another headache coming on. “It’s too much.” If Fate was after me or Ethan, either way, I’d failed. “This is all my fault.”
Ethan’s expression shifted to firm resolve. “It’ll be fine. You’ll stay by my side and away from the area where it happens.”
“You don’t understand. I think I caused this.”
He tensed. “What do you mean, you caused this?”
“Last night you asked what changed in my day that could’ve changed my future. I didn’t want to believe I was the cause of the bookshelf falling, but after your dream last night, I think maybe I was.”
His brows drew together. “How?”
“Yesterday, when I saw that Lainey’s locker happened to be right next to your old one, I realized she was on Fate’s hit list as well. I couldn’t let Fate hurt either one of you. I couldn’t.”
“You challenged it?” Ethan closed his eyes and slowly released a breath. When he focused on me once more, his eyes were so dark they looked black. “I want you to do exactly what I say, no deviations.”
“Is this accident something we can call the police about? Stop it before it happens?”
“No changes, Nara. It’s better if I know the order of things, but if we start changing other aspects, then I won’t know that future. Last night freaked me out. I won’t take that kind of risk with your safety.”
“Do other people get hurt?” I was almost afraid to hear the answer.
Ethan didn’t respond.
“Ethan.” Guilt and fear battled inside me. All I could think about was Sadie and now all those people in the locker hall. All. My. Fault. I couldn’t let the idea that, by saving myself today, others would pay the price. “If I’m not where I’m supposed to be, will someone else get hurt? I have to know.”
“No one else gets hurt.” Clasping my shoulders, his fingers dug deep. “Do you trust me?”
Trusting Ethan was the only instinct I was absolutely certain about. “Yes,” I said, gulping back the burning sensation that had started to creep up my throat.
***
While students poured out of the school, I leaned against the wall, waiting for Ethan. Pulling out my cell phone, I knew I’d be too emotional to say anything, so I sent two text messages. The first one was to my mom.
I love you. I’m glad you’re coming to my game. The last sentence was my way of believing in Ethan, even though my chest ached with worry.
I thought of calling my Gran, but the last thing I wanted to do was worry her. I sent the second text to my aunt.
Just wanted to tell you that I love you.
After I hit send, I stared at the last text message my dad had sent me. I hadn’t opened it, nor had I deleted it. My mind warred with my heart. The look on his face when he’d rushed toward me, full of panic and fear as the bookcase had started to tumble over, flashed in my mind once more. I tried to open the text and the same garbled letters and numbers appeared. Closing the text, I opened it once more.
Please text me, Nari.
“Why did you leave us?” I whispered.
“Hey, Nara.”
Lainey stood in front of me. “Hey.” Turning my cell off, I dropped it in my backpack.
“How’s the skit going?”
If I didn’t make it today, I hoped Lainey stayed safe. She’d made me laugh yesterday. I missed spending “girl time” with her. “Um, it’s a work in progress.”
Ethan stood behind Lainey and I glanced at him, then at Lainey, saying, “Ethan, this is Lainey. Lainey, Ethan.”
Lainey openly stared at his face. “What happened to you?”
He shrugged. “Just helping a friend out.”
The swelling had faded, but Ethan’s comment made me wonder what kind of friend got him popped in the jaw and lip. Then again, he’d taken the brunt of two metal bookcases for me last night.
Shaking her head, a bemused smile curved Lainey’s lips. “You coming to the game tonight, Ethan?”
Ethan moved to lean on the wall beside me. Bending his knee, he flattened his boot against the wall. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“I’ve seen you two in study hall.” Lainey glanced back and forth between us. “You’re totally into Nara, aren’t you?”
“Lainey!” My face raged with heat.
“You could say that.”
The conviction in Ethan’s voice made my heart melt. Too emotional to keep staring at him, I looked away as Jared walked up and hooked his arm around Lainey’s neck. “Come on, Lane. I’ve got practice in a few.”
Lainey laughed and backed away, waving. “See you at the game, Nara.”
While a few people still lingered in the atrium talking among themselves, Ethan reached down to clasp my hand. “You ready?”
I felt giddy when his fingers folded tight around mine, my fear temporarily eclipsed. It was the first time Ethan had purposefully taken my hand in view of everyone since that day in the assembly. Sure he’d touched my face, brushed his fingers against my hair and stuff, but it never lasted very long and I always missed his warmth when he moved away.
I exhaled a steadying breath. “Yeah, let’s go.”
My chest felt like it was caving inward when we walked outside into the cool afternoon air. “What doesn’t make sense is why Fate would try to attack me. It knows I can see my future and avoid getting hurt.” I lifted our locked hands. “Well, at least I can through you.”
Ethan’s hold tightened. “It has tried to scare you before. Now it’s making it personal and deadly.”
A raven sat on one of the school’s tall light posts, cawing away. I shivered. It was like the bird was calling for my death. “What happened in the dream?”
Ethan veered to the left side of the parking lot and stepped up on the sidewalk. Most people ignored the sidewalks, preferring to walk the line of parked cars in the lot to get to their vehicles. Nodding to the right side of the lot, he said, “You were walking along that side of the lot on the sidewalk.
The one day I followed the school rules and used the sidewalk, I bought it. Fate truly hated me. Two guys, hopping the bright orange plastic netting that blocked off the construction area near the sidewalk, drew my attention. One of them climbed into the huge construction vehicle. “Don’t tell me those two cause the accident?”
His fingers tightened around mine. “Okay, I won’t tell you.”
“Ethan!”
“The jerkoffs turn on the tractor and—” Ethan paused, staring at the pyramid of metal piping stacked near the equipment.
The construction vehicle had started up. The guys pumped their fists, whooping and hollering at their success. Idiots. I glanced at the bird, surprised it was still on its perch with all the racket going on down below. I couldn’t hear his gronking over the construction vehicle’s engine, but its black beak was wide open.
Ethan nodded toward the vehicle’s claw. “They pull a lever that makes that claw swing around and knock into the stack of pipes. The pipes tumble outside the netting and roll toward the parking lot. You tried to get out of the way, but one of the pipes slammed into you.”
I gripped his arm. “No one else is hit? The pipes don’t go into the parking lot?”
He shook his head and just like he described, the claw swung swiftly around, ramming into the stack. Four large dark pipes rapidly tumbled over the netting, rolling one a
fter the other. I winced at the reverberating throooong of heavy pipes bouncing off each other. Someone screamed, “Lookout!” and a couple of people dove out of the way. Everyone else gawked as the pipes came to a stacked-up slamming halt against the low cement girder supporting the heavy light post.
Swooping ink-black wings drew my attention and I looked up, then screamed, “The light!”
Ethan yanked my arm and dove, rolling us both. He landed on the cement first, taking the hardest hit before the momentum turned us over a couple times until we came to a painful, jerking halt. A second later, the six-inch wide light post fell across the parking lot, landing with a heavy thud just a few feet away—exactly where I’d been standing.
Ethan’s hand cradled the back of my head and we both panted as we stared at each other in shock. “Are you okay?” he asked.
My right arm ached, but I didn’t think it was broken. “I think so.” No one else appeared to have been hurt, but people were screaming and yelling. They sounded like they were talking through a tunnel from far away.
Moving quickly, Ethan stood and pulled me to my feet. He grabbed my backpack and his books. When someone said, “Shouldn’t the school nurse check you out?” Ethan didn’t stop. Instead, he tugged me straight to his car and unlocked the passenger door.
I was so shaken, I slid into the seat without a word and automatically snapped the seatbelt around me. Closing my eyes, I welcomed the comforting smell of pine and Ethan.
I don’t remember the ride, just the feel of Ethan opening the door, lifting me out of the car and carrying me inside his house. Soft leather surrounded us as he sat down on the sofa with me still in his arms and gathered me close. I shivered, clinging to his tense frame like he was my lifeline. In many ways, he was.
Ethan’s hand trembled as he stroked my hair. Pressing his lips to my temple, his heart pounded against my arm. “You’re safe,” he said in a shaky whisper.
After a while, my shivers finally passed and I started to slide off his lap, but he clasped me close, his voice a husky rasp, “I’d lose it if something happened to you, Nara.”
Dark Roses: Eight Paranormal Romance Novels Page 75
