Life's Fear

Chapter Nineteen

"That's probably why you just thought of the hospital – you'd read it in the article before – here!" Max quickly replied to Miss Wayne's calling of her name as we were all settled now.

"So, you think I was subconsciously thinking the hospital because I read it and I just pieced it altogether?"

A few more names were called out, though none were as avid as Max was as she rushed to answer before Miss Wayne could repeat her name. Now that I ruminated over it, she sounded somewhat frustrated, too. I don't think she likes it when I bring up Jason so much, but I can't help it. I desire to know more about him, but I know I can't just ask him out of nowhere. I have no idea how he will react.

"Yeah, I do, Blair. I know I can't stop you with Jason, but please just be careful with him."

"I will, Max."

"Blair Martin, I can distinctly see you're present, so next time if you don't respond when I shout your name for the register, you can stay behind for detention if it's preferable to you."

"Sorry, Miss," I said. "Here."

"Can I borrow your phone for something? I think my data must be running out," Max whispered.

Miss Wayne mumbled something under her breath as she lowered her gaze back to the register. I turned to Max and offered an apologetic smile. She emulated it, but I couldn't tell how much her heart was in it. Without question, I handed her my phone. It took her barely a minute to accomplish what she required. "There's a house party tonight. Some boy in sports. You probably don't know him – Jasper. He lives on Jennens Lane, not too far from me."

"I'll see," I said, though I knew I didn't want to go one bit and I was sure Max was aware of that. But what I guess she didn't know is that I only didn't want to go because I wanted another midnight rendezvous with Jason. And more. I wanted a hell of a lot more than I'd like to heartily confess.

She also had more extra curriculum sports now which meant I got to walk out with Jason... if I could find him. But low and behold, like a gentleman, he was waiting for me by my locker, with his foot back against the wall.

"Hey," I said to him, "you waited for me?"

"Max isn't around?"

"Extra curriculum sports."

Jason nodded a few times as he licked his lips, straightening up. I swapped my math book for my English book so I could do my English homework later tonight. Jason waited for me to finish up and then we began ambling out to the parking lot together. "Do you always walk home by yourself?" I asked him, spotting Jesse's car before I'd even made it out of the building.

"No one to walk home with," was all he said on the matter.

"Wait," I said to Jason, grasping his elbow and leading us off to the side away from eavesdroppers. "You showed me WE ARE HIDDEN... how about I join you one time? I can, I don't know, help you out." It was difficult to determine whether I was really swaying him or not, because he didn't seem so impressionable.

He stared down at me. "No," he said, shaking his head and beginning to walk off in the direction of Jesse.

I caught a glimpse at Jesse, and he was staring directly at us. Grasping Jason's elbow, I tugged him back and pleaded a little more. "You might think differently at night. And think of me as your getaway girl. Isn't that more exciting?"

"What goes through my head when I can't sleep at night doesn't make any of it exciting. You get a thrill and a rush of adrenaline when you're spraying the words somewhere, but it's still a crime, and I won't let you commit one. You have a clean slate. Mine's already tarnished."