Gifted

Chapter Twenty-Six

I floated in and out of a harsh conversation. I could hear angry words being spat back and forth, but it was difficult to tell what they were saying, and who they were coming from. I felt myself being jostled around.

"You are so annoying. I don't know how she stands you!" The voices sounded so far away at first. The same voice went on, "What a control freak, don't touch me!"

I tried to open my eyes a little, but it was like my eyelids were made of sandpaper. I recognized Chase's voice.

"Give her to me!" He sounded like he was talking through clenched teeth. I tried harder to open my eyes and could only make out a blurry face inches from mine. "Shhh..." He breathed into my ear. I turned my face into him and could smell his cologne. I was only slightly comforted though. I had no idea what was going on and felt the nausea boil up in my throat again. "We're almost there," he practically cooed in my ear.

I couldn't hold on; I started gagging and heard the girl's voice yell, "She's gonna puke!" He set me on the ground gently, and I felt my head being held up, so I could throw up. How embarrassing. A second pair of hands swept my ponytail off my shoulder and held it back. When I was done dry heaving, I felt myself fall back and the strong pair of hands lifted me back up and cradled me.

The next morning I had a hard time sitting up, I recognized my dorm room though and relaxed slightly. My head blasted with pain, and I fell back to the pillow. I groaned, holding my head.

"Here," I peeked through my heavy lids to see Chase thrusting a bottle at me.

"Ugh!" I said. The thought of drinking anything made me want to get sick. I threw my arm over my eyes. "No."

"You need water," he said. I tried to shake my head 'no' but I felt like my brain was rattling. I opened my eyes slowly. My head was pounding; the sun was blinding me; my throat felt raw and dry, and there was a pulsing in my right foot.

"What the hell?" I croaked.

"Ever been hung over?" he asked sarcastically.

I just groaned again in response.

"Well, now you have. Well, kinda..."

I turned to look at him confused. I noticed he was wearing the same clothes he had on last night. He went on, "You were drugged." He bent his head to one side and gave me an 'I told you so' face. "Dream guy must've slipped something in your beer."

I shut my eyes, so I wouldn't have to look at Chase. That's why Chase had warned me I didn't know the guy. I suddenly felt very stupid. I pulled the covers over my head. Something occurred to me the moment I was covered.

"Chase? Where are my clothes?" I pulled the covers off my face to glare at him.

His face turned bright red. "You puked on them." I only had on a bra and panties. I was so happy I decided to dress sexy last night. Granny panties would have been mortifying. Not that waking up in just a bra and panties was much less embarrassing, even if they were sexy. He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I threw them in the shower." I wrapped my comforter around myself and attempted to sit up. Once I managed to sit up, the pressure in my foot intensified.

"What did I do to myself?" I asked rhetorically. I searched through the comforter to find my foot. Chase spoke up.

"Raven said she pulled glass out of it. I tried to clean it out the best I could." There was a towel wrapped around it tightly. I began to unwrap it to take a look. There was a deep three inch gash across my heel, the edges already looked red and irritated. Dried blood was caked in the once white towel. I started to try Healing, but it just left me with a migraine. Chase knowingly handed me the glass of water and a couple of pain relievers as I rubbed my temple. That was one thing I was learning about Healing. I had to be in top shape to use the Gift. It took a lot out of me.