Death Vows

Chapter Six: Scream

The entire class stared at me, whispering. I stood from my seat, grabbing my bag from my feet.

"Restroom break," I mumbled, brushing past Larissa and Jesse.

Jesse grabbed my arm. "Hey, wait."

Fear settled over me like a frost. "Let me go."

He still wore his sunglasses, even indoors. Jesse's concern twisted into anger, lips drawing back in a menacing snarl, and I fought out of his grasp.

"I'm..."

"...sorry?" I finished for him, shaking my head in disbelief. Larissa and Mr. Henshaw watched the exchange with interest. I needed to get out.

Jesse followed me to the classroom door and, even though I closed it behind me, he opened it again to chase after me.

"Leave me alone, Jesse," I warned, walking fast.

He grasped the strap of my crossbones bag and I rounded on him. He stared at it, or at least his head bowed down in the direction, and then he lifted his face with slack-jawed incredulity.

"Let go," I repeated for what sounded like the millionth time today. He smiled at me, leaving me puzzling at his mood swings.

"I won't. We should talk."

I scowled, angling myself away from him.

Jesse tugged on my bag, drawing me back around, and tilted his head to the side. "Please?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. I needed answers, so maybe his willingness to talk meant he intended to give me a few. We walked down the hall in silence, but he still held on to my crossbones bag.

"You can let go now," I reminded him.

Jesse shook his dark head, grinning mischievously. "Now why would I do that? I'm so close to you this way."

"Are you trying to say that you're interested in me, Jesse?" I joked, thinking of his intense rage after he collapsed yesterday.

"In a way, yes."

"You're kidding, right?"

He grinned broadly, leading me down the corridor.

"Well, Bridgette, let me ask you this," he began, firmly grasping my crossbones bag. He fixed me with an abruptly intense expression. "Are you interested in me?"

"Even if I was, I wouldn't act on it," I admitted, thinking of Mark with a measure of guilt.

"Because I'm a killer," he deadpanned, "right?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

He moved his arm before I touched it, studying me briefly. "You don't believe it, then?"

"Jesse, high school..." I pushed my hair back out of my face. "It's hell. People start rumors out of boredom and spite all the time."

"It sounds like you're speaking from experience," he said gently, holding pace with me as he walked me down the hall like a puppy. I wished he would let go of my bag already.

"Let's just say that I have an extensive resume when it comes to vicious gossip."

Jesse jerked the strap on my crossbones bag and drew me into an alcove. I recognized it as the same place where Alex and Darlene talked earlier. Jesse placed his hands on either side of the concave, leaving me puzzling at him against the curving wall.

He smiled warmly.

"Tell me, Bridgette," he murmured, leaning his body closer to mine as he blocked the exit.