MINDSPEAK - (The Mindspeak Series, Book 1)

Mindspeak - Chapter 5

Jack successfully avoided me the whole next day. And the day after that. He was supposed to be in most of my classes, but it was as if he never existed. Never transferred to Wellington.

By Thursday afternoon, I had worked up quite an attitude. I was nearly late to trigonometry, sneaking in just as the bell rang.

There, in the back of the room sitting next to Briana, was Jack. He laughed at something the prima donna said. When he met my glare, the corners of his lips tightened into a straight line.

One smoldering look from him ignited electric shocks in the synapses of my nervous system and traveled from the center of my brain to the pit of my stomach, then on to the tip of my big toe.

What was he doing to me?

I dropped my bag to the floor beside my chair, and sat heavily just as Mr. Crain handed me my test. A big fat “C” was scribbled in red at the top. That wasn’t going to help my cause to get accepted to a top college or make my father proud.

Trying to calm myself, I stuffed the test in my bag. As I did, I checked my phone again, hoping for a message or something from Dad. And not another text from an unknown number.

I hadn’t heard from either since the night I hit my head and broke my arm.

I tried to sneak another look behind me. When I turned my head, my eyes met Jack’s, staring straight at me.

Briana reached a hand and brushed her fingers along Jack’s arm. After a whisper, a giggle, and a hair flip, he turned his attention back toward her.

I concentrated my thoughts at her hard. Scoot away from him, Bree. You don’t even like that idiotic loser. Plus, he thinks you’re pathetic. Do you really want to be associated with a jerk like him?

Briana immediately scooted her chair a couple of inches away from Jack. Her hair fell forward, shielding her face. She situated her body to face toward the windows and away from Jack.

He raised an eyebrow at her sudden movement and then redirected his gaze at me, catching me in a grin.

I felt the blood leak from my nose. I whipped around and dug a tissue from my bag.

I had so many questions for Jack. I didn’t need Bree hanging all over him in the meantime.

Had I imagined my broken arm? And the fact that his touch healed it?

What about the headache the first day we met?

An hour passed. Class was nearly over. Fortunately, the bleeding stopped. But my notebook page in front of me was blank. I had managed to blow off the entire class.

Suddenly, the idea of confronting Jack overwhelmed me. My hands began to sweat. Maybe Jack was right. Maybe I wasn’t ready for whatever it was he could tell me.

The bell rang, and I panicked. Overcome with nausea and intense fear, I darted from my seat and out the door.

Not quick enough.

Jack’s fingers slid around my elbow as I rounded the corner. “We need to talk.” His voice was low, steady as he followed close.

I stopped. Even I could sense the rapid rise and fall of my chest. “Why?”

“Are you serious?”

I pulled my arm from him. “Why now?” I lowered my voice, looking around to see if anyone was listening. No one was. My fear slowly began to morph into something different. A tight ball of fire churned in my stomach. Heat traveled up the back of my neck. “I mean, I plow you over, we hit heads, I break my arm, and magically my arm is all better? Then, you just disappear for like three days. So, why now?” I hated how much I sounded like a whiny four-year-old.