I Can't Own You? (BOOK 1)

43 (NEW)

My ears ring loudly once the words are said over the phone. "You're joking..." I feel my eyes water.

"No, I wish I was. James has been poisoned," Sydney repeats gravely through the phone. "The mafia initiated it."

I get close to the urge to cry. "Is he gonna be okay?!"

"Yeah, kid, he's working up a plan...and you need to stick to yours, for his sake. Get that location, alright?"

I hold back sobs, clutching at the milk bottle I hold to constrain myself. I'm at school, it's lunchtime, and I'm causing a scene. "Arsenic is fatal! This is fucked up! Can I visit?" I hear a door close on the other end...a car door? Sounds like it. "Aren't you guys at the hospital?"

"For the time being." Sydney must have been on alert because he sounds distracted. "No more questions, kid." He hangs up.

I hide my phone under the table, where I sit along. It's not a bad corner; I can see most of the snowy street and icy cars passing, which helps me think. Go to the office, say I'm feeling sick. Mom isn't home; I won't get caught. I can delete the message the school sends to our phone before she checks the voicemail. Yeah. That's a plan.

Poison isn't as nonchalant as Syd made it sound. As if it didn't pose death. Weird. Why am I the one responding correctly??

My feet make their way from the table and to one of the many standing teachers who survey the food court, while chatty teen voices attack the air. It's crazy how everyone here is the opposite of me. I tap my gym teacher's shoulder, a tiny woman with a very animated face. Her eyebrow raises inquisitively as she waits for me to speak.

It seems a timer is going off in her head to how long I was taking to say something. I take a few seconds, preparing to act my ass off. "I'm not feeling good," I say, faking queasiness and dizziness in a very realistic way. I hold my stomach and twist up my face and lose my balance a little; this makes her back away.

"I'll escort you to the nurse's office." The woman says, keeping her distance. "Come."

As we leave the partying cafeteria, I rejoice in my mind. Nailed it. Soon I'll be on the way to the hospital. Okay, okay. That's the plan. I'll trace Sydney's call to find out the exact hospital.

The hallway looms in silence, a stark contrast from the large room we were just in. I slouch my body as I walk and tighten my lips as if I'm dealing with discomfort. Actor of the fucking year! The ear buzzing returns...oh fuck, come on...it blocks out all sound around me, even drowning out my footsteps on the glossy, hall floors. My face goes bone-chilling white, my knuckles too. What is this? I feel my heartbeat quicken. Why am I scared?

The phone call is why, it was off and secretive...or was it Syd saying, "and you need to stick to yours, for his sake." Is James asking about my progress? If so, I don't blame him; it's been over a week now since the card information was accidentally given out. If anything, it's his fault.

No. No, don't blame him. I'm just having self-esteem issues right now. I don't know what software those hackers are using. I might disappoint James at his lowest point. I can't do this. I'm in over my head. But if I bail, I'll be a disappointment to James. I wouldn't get killed, but being a failure is worse than that.

Or would I stay on his roster?

I know too much...

I snap from my thoughts, I'm at the nurse's door now. "There you go. I hope you feel better," The teacher says before leaving me be.

Okay, this is where I have to milk it. I can make myself throw up but the nurse has to be distracted for me to do so. I knock three times, then enter.

Inside a heated room, an orange bed, thick and high up, meets me a few inches from the door. The room is small and white. A male nurse steps away from a counter of files and eyes me. "What's the matter?" He asks, concerned.

"I feel queasy and dizzy."

"Please sit." I do as he says, hopping a bit to reach the top of the bed, and sitting. The fabric is cool under my butt. The back of his hand touches my forehead, then he goes to the counter and grabs a thermometer. I open my mouth as he places it under my tongue. Beeping follows after. "You don't have a fever...how does your stomach feel?"

"Normal...but I hear buzzing, it's loud." This is no lie, the buzzing is back, now meddling like far away music.

"Hmm...it's possible that you have an ear cold, or sleep deprivation...maybe even malnutrition. When did these symptoms begin?"

I hear the fifth period bell from the hall. "About ten minutes ago."

"I'll give your mother a call so she can come pick you up."

Uh oh...no, she can't come to get me! This is not going how I planned. "She's at work...I can catch the bus."

"Not with these symptoms, you could pass out or freak out if they become worse. Please give me your mother's number so I can call."

I should've just left to the bathroom and used an exit....but each one has cameras, my face would have been visible, and my school record would be in question. My mom would have been up here as fast as Usain Bolt.

Fuck...I guess it has to go this way then. My gut tells me to flee this office, hit the door out of here, no matter the consequences.

That it's worth the risk.

But....let me be smart.

It'll get me into trouble I don't need. I'm better than a delinquent, regardless of my father's absence.

I've spent lots of time with James since my dad left my mom and I. I trained for years to impress the jerk, and still, he didn't care enough. He's away, spending retirement on a cruises with chicks he's two times older than. While James, despite being what he is, despite his job, is here for me.

He wouldn't approve of my ditching school and shining a spotlight on myself.