The Offer (A Breed Apart Book 2)

This level of self-delusion was new to me. Then again, I’d never needed it before. The ease in which I’d accepted anything out of the ordinary was supported by the continued flow of life.

That was no longer a guarantee.

Common sense waged war with truth. Everything could be neatly covered with a diagnostic of stress. Stress did funny things to people’s heads. Could it bring dreams to light? Sure, that was nothing. Just a skip away from losing grip on reality. I’d spotted it early, which was a good sign.

I could probably sort it out before anyone had me committed.

My brain was fine with my conclusions, it was my body that wouldn’t cooperate. Even while consciously working to come off normal, there was no way to stop jumping at every desk creak in a quiet class, no way to avoid getting tense or jittery every time someone passed too close. The teacher’s were starting to give me odd looks. I was acting like I’d had an espresso overload.

Before lunch was free period, both a blessing, and a curse. I spent it in the library and worked on my history report, which made the time fly. Reverend Hale was mentioned in almost every text concerning the Salem witch trials. Made research easy. That it concerned Tammy’s family made it interesting.

Tammy and Nick’s family I mean. Couldn’t forget about Nick.

The tomblike quiet of the library, even with the warm, sawdust and sweet mold smell of old books, made me feel like I’d nailed myself to a target and was just waiting for the impossible to take a shot. Staying put gave me a false sense of power, as if by defying the instincts that told me isolation was not smart, I could keep the danger from becoming real.

The lunch bell ripped into the silence. I snapped the book I’d been reading shut and gathered my notes. The light of the hall stabbed at my eyes the second I left the library, making me squint. I kept moving while my eyes adjusted. The transition from the soft lighting of the library, to the glaring illumination of the hall, was unpleasant, but the assault of sounds made up for it. Air came a little easier now that I’d stepped out of the perfect twilight zone setting.

The noise dimmed before I got to the turn for the cafeteria, but by then I’d written my worries off as inane. Agitated lowered voices drew my attention. I slowed and crept up to the end of the white wall, worn smooth with years worth of thick paint. Careful not to bump the big metal trash bin that stood sentry at the cutoff of red lockers, I glanced around the corner.

It was Will and Amy. They stopped talking just as the last group passed them, waited until the cafeteria doors banged into place, and then continued a little louder. Loud enough for me to hear every word.

Not to say I was being nosy. I couldn’t very well interrupt.

“Why are you making this so complicated Amy?” Will’s eyes drifted to the door and he fiddled with the phone in his hand. “You don’t want to go out with me, fine. Your lack of interest hurts, it really does, so please let me pass so I can go lick my wounds,” his lips slanted. “Or find someone to do it for me.”

Amy‘s coral colored lips pursed. “You overpowered me. We both know I don’t get a say.”

“I call that self-defense. You tried to claw my eyes out.”

“A real man would have put me in my place.”

Will laughed. “Is that the problem? You need me to get violent before you’ll respect me? Is that why you don’t respect James?” When Amy didn’t answer he continued. “And Ethan doesn’t need to do more than restrain you, which scares you. You want a guy that will beat you by the skin of his teeth, after you’ve gotten in a few good shots. Your mommy and daddy must have put on some interesting shows while you were growing up.”

“Cut the Freudian act Will. I just want you to be upfront with me.” Amy glared at Will as though the calm incline of his head pissed her off. “You’re not going to stop me from dating whoever I want?”

“That’s right.”

“And Ethan’s staying out of it?”

“To my understanding, he always hated the matchmaking. Not to mention, James‘ concern for her is becoming an issue.”

Amy brought her hand to her mouth and nibbled lightly on a fingernail. “For all of us?”

“No. Just him and Ethan. Your concerns still go no further than whether orange is in this year.”

“Not everyone will just let this go. What about my parents, and the Stagers?”

Will shrugged. “Don’t know.” He turned his phone and held it up. The cover was silver, mirror like. Perfect for him to check his hair. Satisfied he stuffed it in his pocket. “Anyway, this has been fun and all, but if you’ll excuse me there are two cheerleaders and a girl that models swimsuits in some teen magazine waiting for me…”

“That’s it?” Amy gapped at him as he gently set her aside.

Will gave her a lazy grin. “That’s it. You’re free. You don’t have to worry about suffering my company.”

Amy stumbled on her heels as she threw herself at the door before he could open it. “You’ll sit at our table though? I mean, you’re welcome to…”

“If you insist.”

They disappeared into the lunch room and I couldn’t help but smile. Looked like Amy had met her match.

“We were wondering when you were gonna show up.”

I tripped back and my shoulder hit the wall. I fell to the ground and stared up at Tammy stupidly. She shook her head and held out her hand to help me up.

“You alright?”

I latched to her hand and let her lever me up. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I braced my hand on the wall, then blinked at her. “What did you mean by we?”

“Me and Amanda. I went to the parking lot, thought maybe you were there with James.” She cleared her throat. “Silly, I know, but I was worried.”

“That I was with James?”

“No. That you weren’t. And you weren’t with Nick.” She laughed and shrugged it off. “Guess I’m paranoid.”

I caught the edge of my sleeve and tugged it down over my wrist without looking at it. “That makes two of us.”

The span of silence was missing the irate tick of a clock. Knowledge hovered without form between us. All that was unsaid left a thick, nasty taste on my tongue.

Tammy took a few noisy breaths, as if she needed the sound. She stuffed her hand in her pocket. Metal jingled before she palmed it. “I found this. I thought you might like it.”

I held out my hand and she dumped a chain link of dark metal in it. I kept my face perfectly neutral. The thing was ugly. I held it up and managed to smile. “Uh. Thanks.”

Tammy took it back and clasped it around my wrist. “It was my grandmother’s.”

I dropped my hand and let my sleeve cover the bracelet. It took a Herculean effort not to wrinkle my nose. It smelled like it had been her grandmother’s. Like she’d been buried with it.

My smile was starting to make my face sore. I worked my jaw and jutted my chin toward the cafeteria. “Lunch?”

Tammy nodded and exhaled. “Yeah. Sounds good.”