Betraying Innocence

by Phoenix, Airicka

  “Get in!”

  Ana stopped. She turned and stared. What were the odds that the one person who kept finding her was the one person she promised to avoid? Okay, maybe the odds were pretty good considering they lived on the same block, but it just felt like a universal slap in the face. Nevertheless, it did not stop her from shoving her backpack onto the floor of the cabin, climbing after it and closing herself in.

  She exhaled as soon as she was cocooned in the warmth blowing from the heaters. For a second, her eyes closed as she let it chase the damp fingers of cold from her skin. Her fingers shook as she snapped the belt into place across her lap. She stuffed her hands between her thighs and fought not to tremble. Even then, her voice came out breathless and raspy when she thanked him.

  Rafe said nothing for a minute. He turned in his seat and dug around in the back for something. Seconds passed and then he twisted around again, something in his hand.

  “Here,” he said, passing her a jacket.

  Ana hesitated, eyeing the offering with surprise.

  “You’re soaked!” he said more forcefully, shaking the jacket at her. “Just put it on.”

  Tentatively, she took it. Her fingers were stiff as she undid her seatbelt and tried to slip the jacket on around her shoulders. When it became apparent she was shaking too hard, Rafe reached over and dragged the jacket around her, helping her slip her arms through the sleeves and tucking it down at the back. He even did up the zipper, then the ivory buttons all the way to her chin. Wrapped to his satisfaction, he reached across her and dragged her belt over, snapping it into place.

  “Thank you,” she whispered, staring at the side of his face that was only inches from hers.

  His brown eyes rose to hers, shadowed by his hair. “Better?” he asked instead, searching her face.

  At a loss for words, she only nodded.

  He drew back and pulled into drive. Against the roof, the rain tapped a chilling, familiar beat. Ana shuddered so violently that it probably looked like she was having some kind of fit. Rafe made no comment, but he did reach for the heater knobs and cranked them on high.

  “Were you really going to walk to school?” he asked unexpectedly.

  Ana shrugged a shoulder, but it came out as a weird twitch. “I missed the bus.” It sounded like such a lame excuse.

  He sighed. “That’s like a twenty minute walk and it’s pouring out. You don’t even have a jacket on.”

  “I meant to grab one,” she said defensively. “But I didn’t want to miss my bus so I ran out and I missed it anyway so I … I just kept walking.”

  He just shook his head slowly, long fingers drumming on the wheel. “Next time, just wait for me. I’ll pick you up.”

  “But I don’t need you to pick me up!” she said, annoyance flaring behind her words. “I can catch the bus.”

  “Yeah, that shows,” he muttered dryly.

  Ana grit her jaw. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  He cast a sidelong glance from the corner of his eye in her direction, a quick flick of his eyes before turning them on the road again. “It means you have tried and failed twice already. Maybe you should wake up earlier, use less time in the bathroom primping your hair or something.”

  She didn’t understand where his hostilities were coming from, but if he was having a bad day, she sure as hell wasn’t going to let him take it out on her. “Then you shouldn’t have stopped! In fact, you can stop right now. I would rather walk!”

  “I’m not letting you walk,” he retorted, glaring at the windshield.

  “Letting me?” she exclaimed, outraged by his choice of words. “Since when do you get to let me do anything? If I want to get out, then I will get out! Stop the car or so help me, I will jump!”

  His hand came off the wheel and shoved through his hair. Frustration wafted off him in waves, hotter than the muggy, recycled air blowing from the vents. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?” he said. “I’ve had a rough few days. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

  She considered telling him to stop and pull over anyway, but something in his voice, in his face, stopped her. There was irritation there, churning deep in the shadows behind his eyes, but there was also pain, anger and regret.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked.

  He shook his head, dropping his hand back onto the wheel. The leather creaked beneath his white-knuckled grip. A muscle bunched at his jaw. “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

  She started to argue, but they had reached the gates of the school and more than one eye was on them as they turned into the parking lot.

  “Oh no…!” she groaned, feeling herself sinking in her seat.

  “What?” Rafe glanced around, somehow oblivious to the gawking.

  “How do you not see it?” she hissed, voice low as if to avoid being overheard.

  It took him a second to figure out what she was talking about, and his face darkened. “Well, I apologize for being such a humiliation for you.”

  Ana’s eyes widened at the venom in his tone. “That’s not—”

  He pulled into an empty parking spot and cut the engine. “Next time, I’ll just drop you off away from the school and no one need ever know.”

  “That isn’t—!”

  But he had already leapt out of the car and was storming off, leaving her alone in the suddenly suffocating air. She sat in stunned silence for a moment, watching his retreating back cut through the rain. Then she threw off her seatbelt, grabbed her bag and ran after him.

  “Rafe! Wait!”

  He was already gone, vanishing in the crowd. Ana searched for him, hoping to spot his black hoodie, but nearly every boy she passed was wearing a black hoodie, jeans and runners. It was like trying to find a needle in a pile of needles. Eventually, she gave up and went inside. She had Chemistry again before lunch. She would talk to him then.

  Jack was waiting for her when Ana reached her locker. The girl was wearing black khakis, black boots and a bright red t-shirt that said, Yeah I’m That Good! in sloppy, black letters. Her nose ring glinted when she smiled.

  “Hey, Wendy!”

  Ana considered this new nickname while undoing the combo on her lock. Did she want to be called Wendy or Mini Freak? Something told her to just count her blessings and move on.

  “Hey!” she said back, throwing open her locker and dumping her backpack inside.

  “Nice jacket!” Jack tugged on the sleeve of Rafe’s wool jacket with black tipped fingers.

  Ana groaned, having completely forgotten she was still wearing it. “It’s not mine,” she muttered, undoing the buttons and zipper.

  Jack raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”

  Ana rolled her eyes. “It’s Rafe’s,” she mumbled, realizing there was no point lying. News of her arriving at school with Rafe for a second morning would doubtlessly spread like wildfire by lunchtime. “He gave me a ride to school,” she explained, slipping the jacket off, but hanging onto it.

  Jack sucked air through her teeth, face twisting into a wince.

  “Nothing happened!” Ana exclaimed, throwing her arms out. “He just gave me a ride.”

  Jack up her palms up. “Hey, I’m not judging. I got your back, girl. But I can’t say the same for the rest of the female populace. So, I’d watch my back if I were you.”

  Ana started to ask her what she meant when the bell tolled, signaling the start of first period. Jack skipped off with a cheery farewell, leaving Ana scrambling to get organized. She quickly grabbed the books she would need for the next two classes, slammed her locker and hurried to her first class with Rafe’s jacket slung over her arm.

  Her first class turned out to be upstairs and down a very long corridor. She made several turns before finding it. The door was open and students were still finding their seats when she slipped inside.

  “Oh, hello!” A tall, willowy woman with big brown eyes and wavy brown hair smiled from the front of the class. She walked over, all slender grace, hand extended. “I’m Miss. Burke.”
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  Ana took the hand and gave it a shake. “Ana French.”

  Miss. Burke smiled warmly, giving Ana’s hand a squeeze then letting go. “It’s wonderful to have you. Why don’t you find a seat?”

  Thanking her, Ana turned to the rest of the class, stomach dropping when she realized she was the only one still standing. She tried not to fidget as she hurried to the only empty seat in the room, praying she didn’t trip on her feet.

  Algebra II turned out to be a fun subject with Miss. Burke teaching it. She was patient, sweet, and always ended her sentences with a little high note at the end, like she was about to giggle. Ana had never liked math, but she thought she could really learn to love it. But by the time the bell rang, Ana’s good mood deflated at the prospect of spending an hour at the mercy of Voronin. She plucked up her books, Rafe’s jacket and started for the Science Building.

  She wasn’t late this time, Ana noticed with some relief. There was a steady row of students hurrying under the drizzle of rain towards the white building in the back. She joined them, using Rafe’s jacket like an umbrella. At her class, she stopped in the doorway and observed the room. Mr. Voronin was nowhere in sight, but then, neither was Rafe. Her partner, Vinny, glanced up when she approached their table and took her seat. She draped Rafe’s jacket across her lap, hoping to give it to him when he arrived.

  “Hey,” he said, tapping his pen on his open book. There were elaborate and complicated swirls stretching across the page, interlocking and weaving like a maze in all directions.

  “Hey,” she said absentmindedly, studying his creation. “That’s really cool. Did you do that?”

  The tips of his ears turned a bright red to match the flags on his cheeks. “Yeah, it’s kind of like a talent, or something.”

  “Do you take classes?”

  He laughed. “No. I can’t really draw. This is pretty much the extent of my abilities.”

  “It’s really neat,” she said honestly, leaning closer to have a better look. “What is it?”

  He shrugged his broad shoulders, studying the design as well. “I’m not sure. Once my pen touches paper, it kind of grows a mind of its own.”

  Ana chuckled. “Well, I think it’s awesome.”

  Straight, white teeth flashed in a broad smile. “Thanks.”

  “Eyes forward!” Ana nearly fell out of her stool at the unexpected command. Mr. Voronin stood at the front. His cold, brown eyes were on her, waiting.

  Hurriedly, Ana faced forward, flipping her books open and pretending she was ready to learn. Mr. Voronin didn’t seem impressed or overly convinced, but he turned away, and Ana exhaled the breath she’d been holding, ruffling her bangs. Beside her, Vinny chuckled quietly under his breath. Slyly, he pushed a scrap of paper across the space separating them. Ana took it, eyes fixed on Mr. Voronin’s back as she pulled it under the table to read.

  “Kiss up.”

  She felt her jaw drop in mock outrage. “The guy is terrifying!” she wrote back, shoving the paper in his direction.

  He took it. Read it. Rolled his eyes and scribbled back, “Chicken.”

  She didn’t write back when the page made its way to her. Instead, she folded it up and tucked it into her book, slanting him a glower which greatly contradicted the grin on her mouth.

  No more notes were exchanged as they concentrated on scribbling down the information on the board. It wasn’t until the jacket across her lap began to slip that she even remembered still holding it, or that she hadn’t even noticed if Rafe had come in. Her head turned over her shoulder and her gaze found Rafe’s instantly. But immediately wished she hadn’t.

  His eyes were cold, hard, angry and staring straight at her. For a moment, Ana forgot where she was and was about to demand what his problem was when…

  “Miss. French!”

  Crap!

  Ana turned slowly in her seat. “Yes, sir?” she murmured, hoping her voice didn’t convey the annoyance and dread coiling inside her.

  Carefully, Mr. Voronin set the piece of chalk down, dusted his hands and took three steps forward. His narrowed eyes never left hers. “Do you have some kind of disorder that prohibits you from focusing? Or is Mr. Ramirez so fascinating that you just can’t seem to control yourself?”

  Ana considered telling him she had ADD. It was a good enough excuse, but she was too mortified to speak. Part of her was tempted to just sink beneath the table and stay there until class was finished.

  “Well?” he prompted, evidently wanting an answer.

  Ana opened her mouth, mind terrifyingly blank, when a movement from the corner of her eye had her attention darting to the open door. For a second, she wasn’t sure what she was looking at or what had drawn her concentration, but then a figure moved into the doorway, and Ana stiffened.

  It was a boy, seventeen at the most, with a short cap of blond hair and skin so white, it could have been white paint. His blue eyes bore straight into hers, unblinking, transfixed and cold. He was dressed oddly in black trousers with a red sash around his middle, a white dress shirt and a long, black cape pouring down from his shoulders to the back of his polished, black shoes. He held no books in his hand, no bag, giving no indication at all that he was even a student at Darcy Clifton. But there he was, pale, silent and completely fixated on her.

  Numbness crept through her veins. It settled in the pit of her stomach like a chunk of ice. The unease knotted her gut, wrenching it with cramps that nearly doubled her over. Cold sweat froze along the length of her spine and under her armpits. She tasted copper at the back of her throat.

  “Miss. French!” Mr. Voronin’s cutting voice carved into her. A strangled gasp escaped as she was torn from the spell the boy was weaving on her and forced to turn to the man snarling at her from across the room. “Is there a problem?” he demanded.

  She started to shake her head. She started to point out the boy. But then she turned her head to look again and the boy was gone, vanished from sight like he’d never been there. She opened her mouth, confusion making her dizzy.

  “Miss. French, is wasting my time somehow amusing?”

  “But…”

  She glanced at Vinny to see if he’d at least seen the boy, because he must have; the door was right there, right in front of everyone’s table. Someone must have seen him. But it wasn’t Vinny leering back at her with eyes so black that they were empty voids of hell on a face contorted into a misshapen heap of mutilated and rotting flesh. Chunks of scalp, matted with blood and hair, hung from the side of its head. Fresh blood oozed from the hole on the right side of its face, dribbling onto the front of Vinny’s t-shirt. It opened its mouth, exposing chipped and blackened teeth, and a high, earsplitting sound shattered the silence. It took a moment for her to realize the sound was coming from her. That she was screaming. But once it hit her, she shot back as if struck in the chest by a mallet. The stool rocked violently with her weight. Its legs lifted off the laminate. She was falling before she could catch herself. Then there was a crunch and darkness engulfed her.

  Rafe

  The class was in an uproar. Chairs screamed against laminate as students jumped out of their seats to see what had happened. No one was listening to Mr. Voronin anymore. The loud buzz of excited chatter swarmed the room, muffling the loud pounding of his heart running rampant in his chest as Rafe vaulted over the table and landed next to Ana. His hands were shaking as he scooped her up, cradling her limp body in his arms.

  “Ana?” He pushed blood soaked strands off her face. It ran down his hands and through his fingers from the angry gash slashing the side of her skull where it had struck his table. He swallowed back bile. “Baby, open your eyes.”

  “Mr. Ramirez, please return to your seat!”

  He ignored Voronin’s command. His fingers felt as icy as the cheek he touched. “Ana!”

  “Let her go.” Vinny was kneeling beside him, his hands outstretched. For a disorientating second, Rafe had no idea what the guy was saying. “You need to put her down,” Vinny
said. “She could be seriously injured.”

  He was right. Rafe knew he was right, but damn it. He couldn’t just leave her on the floor.

  “You could hurt her worse,” Vinny said patiently.

  Every muscle protesting against it, Rafe gently put her down. His blood stained hands fisted. He stiffened when Vinny reached for her. He watched as the other boy pressed two fingers to her throat.

  “She still has a pulse,” he confirmed, pulling his hand away.

  Rafe released the breath he’d been holding hostage. He sagged back slightly on his haunches. He was still crouched down next to her when the paramedics barged into the classroom and strapped Ana to a stretcher with a neck brace. Rafe started to follow them, but was stopped.

  “Family only, son,” one of the paramedics told him. “She’ll be at the hospital. You can see her there.”

  The whole thing felt surreal, like he was in some kind of bad dream. Everything from her spine chilling screams to the sickening crack of bone striking wood rebounded off the walls of his skull like some Halloween soundtrack he couldn’t turn off. It replayed over and over again until he wanted to break something.

  Class ended. Vinny set Rafe’s jacket on his desk. He smiled at him sympathetically and Rafe wanted to punch him in the face. She isn’t dead! he wanted to snap. Instead he snatched up his things and stomped from the room.

  The entire school was abuzz with the news. Everyone was talking about it, even the teachers. Rafe had a feeling that it would spread through the town soon. There was no hiding something like this. He ignored most of the chatter as he dumped his things into his locker and wandered into the cafeteria. He had no appetite, but he knew if he left the school, he’d get into his car and camp outside the hospital and he was already getting flack from Dan because of his absences.

  “You should have seen it. She seized up and went all batshit. Just started twitching and then wham! She beans herself on the table. It was hilarious.”

  Rafe looked up at the storyteller. His eyes narrowed as the boy went on to demonstrate the entire event to his brain dead buddies. His fingers curled into fists at his side. Then he was moving, closing the space until he stood next to the guy.