Death Vows

Chapter Five: Bruised

Chapter Five

Bruised

Algebra passed without incident and, entering the locker room earlier than anyone else, I grabbed a pair of gym clothes from the rack and found a bench to kick off my sneakers. If I wanted to avoid overhearing the death-kill-die whispers, I needed to dress quickly and get out of there before the rush.

I threw my suit jacket on the bench and unbuttoned my dress shirt, shrugging out of it just in time to hear someone enter the room. I snatched up the white tee, passively noting the school crest embroidered on the right breast, and tugged it over my head.

"Oh my god, Bridgette," Courtney gasped, just as I managed to blindfold myself with the garment.

I internally groaned and pulled it the rest of the way down.

Courtney gawked at me in horror, confusing and annoying me in equal measures.

"What is it now?" I said, my tone surprisingly civil. She lifted up my shirt in one swift move.

I smacked her hand away. "What are you doing?" I demanded, scandalized.

"Jumpy, aren't you?" she said, rolling her teal eyes at the ceiling. She pointed one of her manicured nails to my abdomen. "How'd you get that bruise?" She inputted her combination, pretending to devote her undivided attention to the task.

Remembering the sharp pain from earlier when I stood up in the hall, I glanced in the mirror at the end of the row of lockers and lifted up my shirt. I immediately noticed a dark smudge and stepped closer to my reflection, grimacing.

Covering half my abdomen and dangerously black, the bruise reminded me of frostbite. It looked way worse than it should have. It didn't even hurt when I ran into the banister.

The center appeared darker than the rest, which I thought odd considering the nature of my accident. It looked like I ran into the end of the railing, rather than across it. I touched it gently and winced, surprised the nerve endings still worked.

No wonder Courtney's eyes bugged out.

I sighed, dropping my shirt again and turning back around. I noticed something in my reflection and lifted it again, scanning my lower back. I frowned at another bruise, just as massive and ugly as the first. I searched my memory for how I acquired it, but came up empty.

"So, what happened?" Courtney protested.

I shrugged. "Nothing major." I returned to the bench, dropping my skirt and stepping into the shorts. "I was in a hurry coming down the stairs this morning. I just tripped and fell into the banister."

Courtney paled at my words.

I put my clothes in my locker, growing to expect these bizarre responses anytime I opened my mouth in this building.

"You're just sick," she spat, slamming her locker door and stomping out of the room.

I stared after her with my mouth agape despite myself. I wanted to shout after her to demand an explanation, but I let it go. By this point, I knew nobody intended to give me any answers.

And if they did, Jesse hit them.

I plopped down on the bench as the rest of the gym class poured in the doors, silently pulling on my sneakers and avoiding eye contact with everyone around me. The rest of the period, as we ran laps and played basketball, I noticed Courtney constantly gathering other students around her to whisper as she darted glances my way. Coincidentally, I managed to dodge two basketballs that students "mistakenly" kicked in my direction before the end of class.