My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy, #1)

What doesn't kill you makes you seriously doubt your sanity (Part 3)

After a furtive glance to make sure no teachers were around, I raced down the hallway and threw his door open, revealing his minimalist decor. I knew we'd have privacy because his roommate had been sent home to recover from mono, which he definitely hadn't gotten from kissing.

"What's up with the punching, sunshine?" I said.

He didn't even look up from fixing the arm on his glasses. "You should be thanking me. You'd have seen six kinds of trouble if you'd been late for bed check. Maybe expulsion."

I sunk onto the brown blanket on his bed. "Then you come out and call me. You don't punch the guy I'm kissing. A little much, don't you think?" I picked up a wind-up fifties style robot from a low shelf, turned the key, and released it on the soft folds of the blanket.

"I did call you. Three times. You were too busy sucking face with Kai to notice."

Whoa. "You know him?!"

Theo shrugged. "We've met."

"Where? Why didn't you mention this?"

He finally looked up. "It was ages ago. I didn't know you were going out to meet him. Believe me, if I had, I would have locked you in with Bethany." He took the robot away from me.

"You met this guy, what? On summer vacation?"

"Yeah. We held hands and made out on the beach. Don't be a total muppet. Our families are acquainted."

"Your problem with him is ..."

"He's a player."

"I had one kiss with him, Theo. It's not like I was going to be used and abused."

"I didn't want you to get hurt."

Theo's angle seemed plausible, if a little big brotherish for him. "Thanks for looking out for me, but I can handle myself."

"Not with that dinklord," he said gravely.

I rolled my eyes. "Now who's the drama queen?" I strode to the door, then paused. "What was that language you spoke?"

He glanced up. "Huh?"

"To Kai. Last night. You said something in some language and it seemed to keep him from coming over the fence."

Theo stared at me like I was nuts. "I swore at him. In English. You okay?" He put down his glasses. "Something happen last night?"

"No. Well, maybe. I think someone might have laced the water fountain down by the gym. Because I had all these crazy hallucinations."

Theo looked very concerned. "What kind?"

I couldn't figure out why he looked so intense about this. "Just random, weird trippiness."

He relaxed slightly, gave me a thorough looking over, and turned back to his tiny screwdriver. I guessed that meant I was dismissed.

The entire morning so far had been incredibly strange and draining. Not to mention, I'd missed breakfast. I went back to my room and flopped on my bed. Hannah was peering at some slides under her microscope.

"Everything kosher?" she asked.

"Yup. Cassie?"

"Didn't want to talk about it but seemed calmer."

I frowned. "Did you hear anything about Mrs. Rivers leaving for a family emergency?"

"No."

"She did. We've got a new guidance counselor. Guess she'll be taking my class tomorrow. Also, I talked to Theo."