Hailsmith Academy

Chapter 25: Better than you think

I went back to my room, still in a daze over what had just happened. I couldn't keep the grin off my face even after Jeremiah and I split up, since we couldn't risk someone seeing us together. I wasn't really ready to tell the entire school about whatever it is that we are yet.

My room door was already unlocked when I came in, and I found Spencer lying down on his bed with his phone. He looked up when I came in, his expression turning mischievous. I glanced at him in confusion. "Uh, is something amusing?"

"Oh, nothing much." He replied, still smirking as he stood up and slowly walked closer to me. "I heard from Skye that you left English early today because you weren't feeling well. I was concerned, so I went to look for you in the nurse's office. When I saw you weren't there, I figured you might be here, sleeping or throwing up. Yet, you weren't. Where were you, Luke Hawthorne?"

I laughed nervously, trying to keep my face neutral. "Oh, well you see, I was going to come here- but I figured I'd get some fresh air instead."

"You were smiling when you walked in. I guess you're feeling better then?" Spencer spoke, in a way that said he still wasn't believing a single word.

"Yep. Definitely."

"Does that hickey on your neck have anything to do with it?"

"WHAT?!"

He laughed as I ran to the bathroom, gaping at myself in the mirror. There was a new reddish mark formed on the side of my neck, which was most definitely noticeable. Holy crap.

I walked out of the bathroom in horror. Spencer was still laughing, doubling over in a fit. I glared at him. "This is so not funny."

He continued to laugh. "It's hilarious. Who were you off skipping class for? Must have been worth it." My face turned red. "Shut up. No one."

"Don't tell me. It's Evans, isn't it?"

I stared at him.

"Holy shit, it's Evans! I knew it!"

I groaned, burying my face into my pillow. I wanted to die of embarrassment. "I hate you."

*****

It had been a few weeks since that incident. Christmas was over (I had to stay home with my stupid brother again), but I came back to campus before New Year's. We still had holidays, but I couldn't be bothered to spend one more minute with Jason. He must have gotten sick of me ignoring him, since he was the one who always used to ignore me. So, he started acting like a dick about it. My parents let me go, after seeing the world's loudest yelling match, worthy of the worst swears on the planet.

Luckily enough for me, Evans was on campus too. He was supposed to go back home for the holidays, but his mom bailed on him again, so he couldn't. I felt bad for him, but he kept insisting that he was okay, and that he was used to it. Still, I wanted to do something to cheer him up.

Most of the students on campus went home for the holidays, but some came back before New Year's like I did. While most people usually hit up parties back in their home town, around nearly half the school came back to have their own New Year's party on campus. After my experience at the last party I'd been to, I wasn't really ecstatic about the idea.

However, Jeremiah wanted to go, and I didn't want to leave him all alone. Most of his friends were still back home, and so were all of mine. I suppose he wanted to go to get his mind off his mom, and I couldn't blame him.