Dateless and Deadly

Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

When I came to again, I was in what looked like a high school nurses office. I blinked a few times, trying to get used to all the harsh white light in there. I swallowed and my mouth tasted like sand. I turned my head to the side, feeling absurdly weak and I saw James sitting on a chair, his head resting on the bed beside my hand. If I didn’t know better, I would say he’d been watching over me this whole time, worrying away.

I would’ve laughed out loud at the thought if my throat wasn’t so dry. I shifted my legs a bit feeling some of my strength returning. I glanced around, looking for water and I saw a glass on the night stand beside my bed. I reached for it but halfway there my hand was swatted down and James said, “I’ll get it.”

I jumped a little, surprised that he was awake.

I wanted to say thanks but my mouth and throat were so dry that I started choking. He handed me the water and I gratefully chugged it down, feeling a few drops dribble down my chin like a patient in the psych ward.

I wiped my chin off and asked, “How’s Sam?”

He grimaced. “She’s fine. She’s actually working harder than ever to hone her skills. I think she got a thrill off the fight.”

I smirked. “Sounds like Sam. She’s working her hardest to be captain of our dysfunctional little army.”

James gave me a look I couldn’t read. “Cass, you almost died trying to save her. Don’t joke about her enthusiasm when it could just as easily get you killed.”

My eyes widened a little at his concerned tone but after I thought about it for a second, I could see why it would seem strange. He just didn’t know Sam. She wasn’t exactly known for considering consequences before taking action. Besides, she didn’t even know what I’d done for her so it’s not like she was deliberately playing with my life.

No, that was my own fault. I could tell her everything; tell her to take it easy, to lay low. But something was stopping me. It’s probably the part of me that’s holding onto our normal life. That stupid irrational part of me that just wanted things to be the same as they used to be.

James sighed and sank back into his chair running a hand through his hair. “Did you stay here all night?” I asked, taking in his disheveled appearance. He had changed after the fight into an old pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt that had seen better days. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was shaking his arms like they were asleep.

He wouldn’t meet my gaze as he shrugged. “Yeah, Arlene asked me to, to, you know, make sure you don’t have a concussion or whatever.”

“Did I get hit on the head?” I asked feeling around my scalp. It felt fine.

The tips of his ears reddened a little bit. “No, you didn’t. We just had to make sure you were recovering okay from using all that power. There can be some serious side effects from burning yourself out like that. You really should’ve been more careful.” I really should’ve been able to help you, he thought. I’m pretty sure he hadn’t meant for me to hear that but my shields weren’t exactly at full strength.

“You were fighting too.” I shrugged. “There was nothing you could do, James, so stop blaming yourself.”

“For Christ sake, Cass, you got stabbed!” He stood up quickly, sending the chair back a few inches. He ran a hand through his hair again before continuing, “By someone we all trusted! I should’ve seen something, should’ve stopped him...” he trailed off, looking down at me. He reached out and I could feel his cool fingers touch my cheek where it was tender from being hit. I reached up to pull his hand away from my face but ended up holding onto it instead. We just looked at each other for a bit before I forced myself to let him go, ignoring the electric feeling I’d gotten from touching him. Must be another one of those weird, magic things.