Awakened (Unbound, Book 3)

Chapter Forty-Six

I woke to a text message from Calin and responded to say that I would drive myself to school and pick up Maible along the way, which wasn't exactly conducive to thinking in silence. I needed the distraction at this point. The moment she got into the vehicle, I regretted the choice as she hammered me with questions until I finally pleaded quiet time due to a headache, though I'm sure she was able to see right through me.

My fingers tapped against the steering wheel in barely controlled agitation. I had to figure out a way to find out if Calin was involved in any of the pranks. There was no way that I would be able to make it back to the pipes before homeroom began with having opted to pick up Maible. I couldn't chance getting away with skipping class, either.

"Here you go." I glanced at Maible as I pulled up to the front steps of the school to let her out. "There's no sense in both of us being late for class. You go and I'll find parking."

"Nora—"

"Go ahead," I instructed, staring forward. "I will just find some parking, okay?"

"Okay," she mumbled and got out, grabbing her bags.

I looked up briefly, just in time to see Calin standing there waiting to talk. Maybe when I didn't come back through the front door, he'd get the hint that I didn't feel like chatting this morning. I drove to the rear parking lot and snuck in through the side door near the back of the school, just beside homeroom. I avoided stopping at my locker as usual, expecting that that was where Calin or Maible would wait if they wanted to catch up with me.

I sat through classes without paying attention. My thoughts were too jumbled to concentrate on learning anything other than proving that Calin hadn't set me up. Identifying his signature hadn't hit me like a sledgehammer, for one thing. For another, if it was Duvessa, transference would be easy to understand. After all, hadn't he been down at the piping system trying to see who'd done it at the same time as me? It didn't equate with the guy I'd been spending so much time with.

I wouldn't have feelings for him if he'd set me up.

"Noreena?" the teacher asked, expectant.

"Pass," I mumbled.

"I didn't ask you a question. The bell rang and you're going to be late for your next class."

I looked up and saw that we were the only two left in the empty classroom. I'd really zoned out. "I'm so sorry, I was lost in thought."

"Don't worry about it, Noreena. It happens, and nobody could blame you for thinking about other things with all you've been through over the last few weeks."

I looked up again and saw a comforting smile on Mrs. Bell's face, like she was the first teacher at Grimas who truly did understand what I'd been dealing with since the move to Wickenton.

"Thank you." I smiled back sincerely.

"If you ever need to talk... Well, my door is always open," she offered.

"I appreciate that, Mrs. Bell," I whispered. "I better go, though. Mr. Joseph isn't quite as understanding, and I don't need a tardy today."

I ran all the way to Law 30, slipping into my seat seconds before the bell rang. I was grateful for the late entrance as it let me avoid speaking with anyone or taking notice of everyone's inability to keep from staring. Ignoring them, I kept my face forward and tried to concentrate on Mr. Joseph's lecture about municipal government, but I couldn't think. My mixed thoughts about Calin kept me distracted again and if Mr. Joseph had asked me a question, I would have made a fool of myself. I'd never felt so inept before and I hated it.

When the bell rang, I jolted out of class as quickly as possible. I ducked into the bathroom when Calin called out to me in the hallway, using the connecting door that led to the gym in order to evade him. Running full-out, I sprinted to the back of the school. If I was lucky, he wouldn't realize what I'd done, and I'd have enough time to check things out before he found me. With any hope, he wouldn't skip class to do that, but I spent the entire run coming up with excuses in case he showed up before I could double-check things.