Destiny's Witch (BxB)

Chapter 9: The Rage of Nate Newman

Perry

The faux paus with the girls this morning made them even more suspicious of my extracurricular activities. After we left the house, their questions began bordering on intrusive as they tried to weasel any information they could to make my story make sense to them.

Honestly, I would not believe myself if I were them.

I was excited to break away from the girls by free period. Nate sensed my growing frustration and spirited me away to the library.

The library is located at the center of the main office building, encased by glass windows on all sides. The only place safe from prying eyes are the stacks, which are at the back of the enormous room, where windows were conveniently forgotten.

Nate finds a table near the stacks, away from the librarian's desk and the computer lab. Whereas the girls are obsessed with the Harvest festival, Nate cannot stop talking about Ned Reid's house party.

Nate's pure excitement is contagious. I have already begun trying to come up with a way to get out of patrolling with Alan to go to the party. I have, thus far, been unable to come up with an excuse convincing enough to get me out of my father's grasp.

Nate speaks so eagerly the librarian finally shushes him. His enthusiasm carries on through text as we disappear into our textbooks. I am trying to figure out a quadratic equation when I notice Nate is staring at two people near the computer lab.

Nate is watching as Lucas speaks with his ex-girlfriend, Erin. Erin, despite being beautiful, is a monster. She is the quintessential mean girl from her wealthy parents all the way down to her convincing blond dye job.

Never one to miss an opportunity to flirt with a handsome guy, she is voraciously flirting with Lucas, who seems to enjoy her company.

Nate's fist is clenched so tight his already pale hand has gone completely white. I reach out and grab his hand. The moment our skin touches, I feel a burning heat. It feels like an inferno. It feels as if I am touching pure rage.

The feeling forces my eyes closed as visions of Nate and Erin arguing flash through my mind, including the moment he caught Erin kissing David.

I open my eyes to see Nate staring at me, and I remove my hand from his. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Are you?" Nate asks. "You look like you almost passed out."

"Yeah. I'm fine. I could just feel the jealousy pelting me."

"Ha ha! I'm not jealous. I'm—well, the guy is bad news. We both agree on that. And she—"

"Is a big girl. Ask any guy." I say.

Nate's face contorts for a moment before he looks down at his book again. I can sense I have hit a nerve with him. The last thing I want to do is hurt his feelings.

"Hey, sorry. I know you care about her. But she's not your responsibility anymore. If she wants to hang around with Lucas, that's on her. But that doesn't mean we put ourselves in the wolf's den with her."

"Did someone say wolf?" Lucas asks.

Nate tenses as Lucas joins us at the table. Lucas smiles between us, unbothered by Nate's obvious aversion to him. He is watching me carefully, as if studying me.

"And how are you today, Perry?" Lucas asks.

"Well, Lucas, I am just fine. We were actually just studying, so, if you don't mind."

Lucas nods to my textbook. "Do wolves typically show up for mathematics? I didn't know Algebra had become so liberal." He says.

"Hey, get lost!" Nate says. "Can't you take a hint."

"Ouch! Do I even know you?" Lucas asks.

Nate frowns at him. "Fortunately, we don't know each other. Let's keep it that way. Push off."

I watch in horror. Nate is generally a sweet guy, but something about Lucas does not sit right with him. The only other person I have seen him share this level of antagonism towards is David.

Lucas smiles as he leans on the desk. "I like your spunk, but I would watch my tone if I were you." He says.

Nate, in a surprising turn of events, stands from the desk. "Or what?"

I slam my book down on the desk, catching their attention. "Okay, can you two stop it? You don't even know each other. And this is getting crazy!"

Both men point at each other before uttering, "He started it!"

Their juvenile action causes me to close my eyes, taking in the deepest breath I have in a while. I wish to be anywhere. The calmness of the moment lasts only seconds before a scream echoes through the library.

Instinctively, I take off towards the sound of the scream. Many other students are heading towards the sound as well. My feet carry me faster than most until I reach a crowd in the stacks.

I push forward, in front of the crowd, to find Finn and another student standing over a completely pale woman I know to be Ms. Sanders, the guidance counselor.