The Offering

Chapter 30

I came down from my intoxicating high with a bang upon Jake's rather unexpected declaration of love. I can't say it was exactly the way I'd imagined it, the first time a boy pronounced his love to me. But then I'd never really thought of myself as a 'lovable' kind of girl. Still, I should probably have thought my reply through a little more-

"Uh thanks," I inaudibly mumbled, the word awkward doesn't come close to describing the way I felt once I uttered those words.

To my surprise Jake smiled. It was almost playful, teasing, as if he was enjoying my discomfort. I felt a flurry of rage in my chest as I questioned my opinion of him then once again. I wondered if this was all just a game to him, if there was any sincerity in what he had said or if he'd just said what he thought a girl like me would be desperate to hear.

And with that once again I wasn't so sure of him anymore. My frustration grew as I acknowledged to myself that I'd never met anybody in my life who made me so unsure of myself the way he did. My feelings towards him could switch in mere seconds. I could never just be 'still' with him, he was too chaotic, ever changing, a force of which I had no grasp of. He disorientated me entirely, at times this had excited me, right now I was infuriated by it. I hated the fact that I couldn't trust my own judgement with Jake, psychic or not.

Jake stood abruptly as if sensing my thoughts and handed me my crutches. He asked in his charming yet irritating way, "Can I take you to lunch?"

"Actually I'm meeting somebody else," I responded, taking the crutches from him and standing without his help as he extended his hand.

"Who?" He questioned, his tone slightly off.

I raised a brow and replied simply, "A friend," I couldn't deny the part of me that was enjoying taking a little power back from him.

"Not that ass Ryan I hope?" he half questioned, I recognised the unmistakable sound of jealousy in his tone.

I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from smiling,"Well that's my business. Not yours."

He nodded in defeat and forced a half smile.  As we started forward towards the door I could literally see his brain ticking over as he contemplated his next move. I had taken him by surprise, I revelled in knowing that. As we reached the door he stopped in front of it and added,

"Maybe we could hang out after school then?" his tone now hopeful but in seeing the concern in my face he very quickly gave, "Just as friends of course."

I fought the temptation to remind him of the fact he had just told me only moments ago that he was in love with me. Despite my lack of experience I was pretty sure that 'friends' after the 'L' card would be near impossible. I should have told him there and then that we couldn't be friends. Not now and not ever. If I had a fully functioning brain then I would have but my response only further confirmed my brain damage paranoia,

"Maybe," I said instead then realising I must be insane I added, "I have to go now, I'm late."

I moved to wrap my hand around the classroom door handle but the instant my skin made contact with the cold steel I felt a sweeping, gravity defying sensation. It was then I was transported to another time and place altogether.

I was confused at first as my first image seemed to reflect almost exactly what I had just left, a hand wrapping itself around a door handle. But as I steadied myself in this new reality I realised the door itself was completely different. With further focus I identified that the hand I saw before me also didn't belong to me, it was bigger and undoubtedly male.