The Skylar Experiment : Dead Ending (second draft)

Chapter Forty-Six - Trouble On The Horizon

RILEY

I DRAGGED THE LUGGAGE through the snow. Surprisingly, my muscles fessed up to the task. Luc was working on Biology when I transferred one bag in my arms to carry upstairs, leaving the other in the hall. Luc volunteered to haul the other bag, avoiding me the second trip.

"Thanks," I said, clenching my fingers around the waistband of my jeans. "One day, I'm going to have to stop saying that. I owe you already too much."

Luc grinned. "Don't worry about it."

"You're being suspiciously nice."

He stared me down with a bland look. "You'll live here until further notice. It'd be smart if the house doesn't collapse over excessive bickering. You know, I kind of like this place. I'd hate it if it got damaged."

He had a crucial point. We needed to get along for our own sanity, and not just half of the time.

He studied the bags at my feet. "Did you have trouble retrieving your stuff or...?"

Before he finished, I grabbed my backpack from the corner and produced my Biology textbook. He'd begun his work and it meant I should also start. We had a lengthy lab report due in three days.

"It was fine." I extracted a pen. "I'm here, aren't I?"

A line creased between his brows as he watched me settle on top of the bed. I hoped he'd take the hint and leave, but he didn't.

The mattress dipped under his weight and arms overlapped the sides of my legs. His face approached mine, causing my entire body to tense up. I hoped he wouldn't touch me again. I didn't think it was right to feel this. He was so close I was afraid I'd lose control and yell out my frustration. Or worse. Something rolled in my stomach as he leaned forward, shirt stretched at the shoulders as they strained. 

"I don't think so." He pinched the space between my eyebrows. "There's that little furrow that shows when something bothers you."

I reared away and opened my book, ignoring his penetrating stare. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I started scribbling nonsense on the notebook to avoid his attention. He lifted a finger on top of the pen, refraining its pendulum swing.

I was forced to gaze at him. "Luc," I chided.

"Spit it out."

"There's nothing to spit out."

I tried to seem nonchalant, but I was no good at masking whatever he saw. His inflection grew low and smooth, sending shivers down my spine.

"If you don't talk about it, it's going to come out the other way. I don't know about you, but that's not a very good idea as far as I'm concerned."

I clutched the manual. How was it fair for me to be honest when he refused to word his thoughts in return? There were moments where I got close to seeing him completely, but a part of him always shut me out. The damn barrier was thicker than a brick wall. He spoke about things sometimes like the past was a different era without ever letting me in. I tried to convince myself that I didn't want to know so much, but I was wrong. And trust was a two-way street. 

"Mom's leaving. I ran into her and we argued. She's going away for good, now. She... won't be coming back unless I ask."

Interest gleamed in his eyes.  "What did she want?" he pressed gently.

My words came out shaky. I'd told myself I did the right thing, that it'd keep her alive and that I should appreciate it. But I didn't. The ache clawed at my throat and chest, reminding me why I hated bringing it up. I loathed being vulnerable before another person, and Luc's head was inches away from mine. He could see me turn into a weeping sack of emotions, front-row seat to the show. 

"You were scared she would be hurt in all this."

My teeth gnashed together. I nodded. 

Luc pulled back, and I could breathe better. Tension seemed to drip off his shoulders as well.

There was nothing to comment on that. It was sad, point-blank. However, the more we discussed it, the more restless I would become. Words didn't fix any of this. Words wouldn't change the outcome.

"That sucks," he said, momentarily closing his eyes. "I know you just got her back."

"Yeah, well, life is unfair," I snapped, shifting my attention to the book.

I didn't mean to sound rash, but my mental basket of things to cry about was getting pretty damn full and I didn't know how to empty it.

Dizziness seized me for two seconds before I regained clarity.

I needed to forget everything for a moment.

"Whatever... Want to get your lab report up here and we can work on it together?"

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The next day, Oakwood High restored the alarm system.

I didn't have to wage through the students. Walking in Luc's shadow as everybody granted him space like a king marching to his throne gave me the perfect alley. My fingers froze over my padlock before I coded the numbers. Succinct nausea and black dots in front of my eyes delayed my reaction, but I recovered a second later.

What was happening to me?

All throughout the periods, heat waves rolled through me, followed by brief dizziness. Other times, it was the nausea and blindness. Was I getting sick? I thought it was impossible. I still questioned the possibility during the break between third and last period when someone shouted in the corridor, jarring me alert. 

"Can't you see!? Open your fucking mind, people!"

I closed my locker and gazed towards the source of the shout, wondering what the hell caused such a ruckus. Startled kids looked out in the hall and interrupted their conversations. Others backed away, giving me a direct view on Chuck. He was bounding through the herd.

Eyes wild and bloodshot—maybe from lack of sleep—he appeared stricken and on the verge of losing his mind. I leaned against my locker in exertion. Oh, no...

Mr. Kennedy matched his furious strides and clung to his side, shaking his head.

"You need to calm down."

"Calm down? Calm down!? No way in fucking hell, Mr. Kennedy! You have no idea of what's going on around here!" 

My gut soured. We had been warned that Chuck was in contact with NIO once more, and Kennedy said he'd manage him. But how to ensure his silence when everything we did scared him?

I processed the uneasy faces watching the scene unfold, their books cradled in their arms. I noticed some of them bursting in a fit of giggles, students prodding their friends to whisper a flippant comment about Chuck. He perceived the change in atmosphere as the air loaded with friction. All eyes were riveted on him, wondering what he'd do next and what was going on. 

I continued to stare around, searching the place for Luc, but he wasn't here. 

Instead, his sister tracked the whole tantrum from her locker in the distance. 

❃ ❃ ❃

I hope the pacing and writing was fine. If there's anything weird, sudden or that has shitty writing, let me know! Thank you for reading ;)

What do you think will happen?