Inexplicable

Chapter Fifteen

I wake to Mr. Varens shaking me, and the headache forms almost instantly. "Sapphire, the bell has rung," Mr. Varens says gently. I nod, unable to speak through the throbbing pain, and grab my bag. Instead of attending my next class, I head straight to the school nurse to lie down. Sleeping didn't help with the pain. Everything I did just seemed to make it worse.

The nurse woke me after an hour, and seeing as I wasn't any better, she sent me home. My entire body aches and the throbbing in my head drowns out any other noise. I stumble to my car and manage to unlock it and fall in the seat. I close my eyes when my vision blurs, and the world spins. I'm unsure how much time passes before I hear a knock on the window. I find the button to unlock the door without opening my eyes, afraid of the effects of the harsh sun on my pounding head.

The door opens immediately after I unlock it, and cool fingers brush over my forehead. He curses under his breath, then scoops me up out of the car and places me in the passenger seat. I don't have the energy to move or even speak.

He puts something on my lips, and I part them slightly, swallowing the liquid. I cough but already feel the numbing effects of the same liquid he gave me the day before. My door shuts, and then the driver's side opens. The car comes to life and it seems like only seconds until we are pulling into my driveway. I open my eyes just enough to see Jax as he bends to lift me from the car. I cross my arms around his neck and bury my face into his shirt, trying to hide from the harsh light. I breathe him in, relaxing as his scent engulfs me.

He presses in the code and makes his way through the house. When we reach my bedroom, he lays me on my bed, lightly draping the blanket over me. I pull the covers to my chin, suddenly cold. His fingers brush against my forehead again.

"Your fever is breaking. You should start to feel better soon." He says, his voice thick with worry.

I tried to mumble a thank you, but it came out more of a grunt. He lets out a soft laugh that almost sounds sad. A few moments go by, and I can finally open my eyes. I scan the room, finding Jax by my desk with his hands held just above the wood.

"What are you doing?" I croak. He doesn't answer, leaving me thinking I didn't say anything. "Jax?" I said louder, sure he had to have heard me. "Are you okay?"

He spins around like he just heard me. "Yeah, yeah." He stammers. "I'm fine." He pulls a chair next to the bed and again places his hand on my head. "Your fever is almost gone. How do you feel?"

"Great." My voice cracks, and he smiles. "Is this how you feel when you enter my dreams?"

"I used to when I was younger. I'm used to it now."

"Why does it hurt?" I rub my head and try to sit up. He helps me and arranges pillows behind me as a backrest.

"It's kind of like..." he pauses and thinks momentarily. "It's almost like if you were to get surgery and have your heart removed and replaced again. When you're in someone else's dream, in their mind, your soul is being removed from your body and temporarily placed into someone else's, then returned to your body. That's why it hurts."

I lift my necklace to study it. "Will it happen again?"

He runs a hand through his hair, stopping on his neck. I could practically feel the stress and worry radiating off of him. "Probably, but I will try to prevent it."

I nod, then scrunch my face in confusion as I remember something. "What were you doing to the desk?"

"Oh. I uh... I looked through its memories to see if anyone had been here." He looks around the room, anywhere but me.

"It has memories?"

"Everything does. Though they're more like imprints or pictures. It's difficult to explain."

"Oh," I say as I process this information. The use of his ability both fascinated and confused me. "Well?" I ask him.

"Well, what?"

"Has anyone been in here?"

"Uh... nope. No one except you." He walks around the room, tinkering with things on my shelves. His tone is off, making it obvious he is keeping something from me.

"Jax." He turns and faces me as I cross my arms and raise a brow. He sighs, defeated, and I know I've won this round.

"I just don't want to alarm you."

"Who?"

He hesitates, and I look at him, warning him not to lie to me again. He closes his eyes for a moment, preparing himself, and then says, "Zayn."

Fear makes my veins run cold, but I try to remain calm. "How? I thought he didn't know where I was. What does he want?"

"Please, don't panic." He sits back down. "I won't let him touch you, I swear. He won't get near you again."

"But he got in my house! He could try to kill me!" My attempt to remain calm faltered as my heart beat faster. What if he was in here while I was sleeping?

"He doesn't exactly want to kill you." He says slowly.

"What do you mean he doesn't exactly want to kill me?" My head starts to pound again.

"I will explain everything. Just give me time."

"You always say that," I mutter, rubbing my temples to ease the returning headache.

"Sapphire?" Megan calls from upstairs, and panic spikes through me. Jax slips into the bathroom stealthily as Megan walks downstairs. "Sapphire, none of your chores are done." Her arms drop to her side in disbelief.

"I know. I'm sorry." I'm grateful my voice still sounds rough. "I haven't felt well today. I should be better tomorrow."

She walks the rest of the way to me, her face saying she doesn't believe me, and smacks her hand to my head. "Good heavens! You're burning up!" She ushers me to lie down. "You just stay here, and I will bring dinner to you." I'm surprised at the change in her attitude. I haven't been sick since I've been here, but I never would have thought Megan would take care of me like this. Maybe I have misjudged her.

"Don't even think about going to school tomorrow!" She fluffs my pillow one last time, and I utter a small thank you. The moment she disappears back upstairs, Jax steps out from his hiding spot in the bathroom.

"You were saying?" I demanded.

"That you need more rest because your fever is returning, and we will finish talking tomorrow." He sits back in the chair.

"You've hardly answered anything," I say through a yawn. He smiles as if he's already won.

"Just sleep. I won't go anywhere." The thought of him leaving does alarm me. If he and Zayn could get into my bedroom, who else could? As if Jax read my mind, he says, "Don't worry. No one will dare sneak in while I'm here. Don't think about Zayn or anyone else. They won't get past me."

I smile, already half asleep. "Pretty confident."

I think I hear him whisper, "I wish."