“I was walking past and heard what happened. I wouldn’t want Landon’s new girlfriend to be alone when she is hurt,” he says, but it sounds like lies to me. I raise an eyebrow at him, and he keeps his poker face in place as I wait for him to actually explain the truth. When I realize that he is just going to be stubborn, I look away.
“Landon is my friend, which you are not,” I snap back, and shake my head. “I’m off to lunch.” I turn around and start walking away, surprised when Maxx catches up to my side.
“The lunch hall is this way,” Maxx states when we get to the end of the corridor, and I walk to the right path where he is pointing.
“Thanks,” I mutter and stop, pulling my bag around to my front and getting out the paperwork that Maxx left in science. I hand him it, and he frowns at me until he reads the paper and looks relieved.
“Thanks, where did you find it?” he asks, and when he is this close to me, all I can smell is his scent which reminds me of sandalwood.
“On your desk after science class, I thought you might need it,” I say, and he hands it back to me.
“You take it and read it over. Next week we will start the case study. We have the whole year, so there is no rush,” he says, and I accept it, putting it back in my bag. I flash him a thankful smile. I know he doesn’t like me and doesn’t want to work with me on this case study, but I need to pass this year to get into the university I want.
“Thanks. I want to study science at university, so we need to do well on this case. I hope you can keep up,” I say, and he smirks.
“Don’t worry, human science is a walk in the park,” he says, and I almost ask why he would call it ‘human science’, but seeing as we are actually getting along right now, I decide to leave it. I already know he is weird. I start walking again, and I see him looking down at my arm like he can see the bruises through my sleeves.
“It doesn’t hurt much,” I tell him, and he meets my eyes for a second, and I can’t look away from the swirls of light and dark blues that make up his iris. It’s not just his body that is perfect. I clear my throat and look away when I know I have been staring for too long. Guys like this must have plenty of girls staring at them all the time.
“So, what did happen today?” Maxx asks, and I’m surprised by his almost gentle tone. I flash him a slightly confused look but decide to answer anyway.
“Iris threw a dodgeball at me. I ducked to avoid it, but it clipped my shoulder, and I fell over. Nothing serious, but it hurt, and it will bruise,” I explain, and he nods, running his hand through his hair.
“Iris forgets how strong she is at times,” he mutters. “I will tell her to be careful around you.”
“Strong? The ball felt like a brick,” I say, and we both chuckle. “Though it was just a game, and I doubt she meant it.”
“You’re not a good liar, Freckles,” Maxx tells me.
“I don’t usually lie,” I say, and his eyes run over my face as we both pause in the corridor just outside the busy lunch hall. Maxx parts his lips to say something, but he never gets the chance.
“Maxx?” I hear a sweet voice shout, and we both turn to see Iris running over, with Abby and Landon not far behind her. I don’t miss the angry and defensive look Iris gives me before wrapping her arms around Maxx, and I look away.
“What are you doing with her?” Iris asks as she breaks away from the embrace but stays very close as I look back. I suddenly feel a wave of anger, annoyance and something else that I don’t know what it is.
“Her has a name!” I shout, “It’s fucking rude not to use it.” Iris turns to look at me as Maxx laughs. If looks could kill, I would be a pile of ash right now. I cross my arms and hold my ground as Iris stares me down. Despite how much my arm hurts, I’m not backing down and letting her bully me. I frown when Landon and Abby get to us, and Abby tugs at her sister’s arm while whispering something to her. Maxx stops laughing as he looks between Iris and me, and it kind of hurts when I see that he is annoyed with me.
“I want you dead, and you are pushing your luck. Things like you shouldn’t be allowed to exist,” Iris growls out.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Did you forget your crazy pills today?” I ask, because not only am I confused by her statement, I’m a little fearful of how serious she looks. I step back when her whole body starts to lightly glow a green color, with green swirls appearing all over her skin, and when I blink, it’s gone. My heart beats fast as I take a step back.
“Let’s go, Iris,” Maxx growls, grabbing her arm and turning her away. “Now.”
“Stay away if you know what is good for you,” Abby warns before following after Maxx and Iris, leaving Landon behind. We are silent as they leave out the courtyard doors, and I don’t know what to say about that for a while. Did she just glow green? Or am I seeing things?
“Are you going to explain any of that?” I ask Landon, who scuffles his feet and gives me a guilty look.
“No…but can we go and get lunch?” he replies, trying to change the subject, but I can’t forget what I just saw. Her swirls that appeared almost look like mine on my forehead and arms. Maybe they know what they are and why only I can see them?
“What is going on? I swear Iris just glowed—” I start off, but Landon steps closer, shaking his head.
“I can’t tell you anything, only Maxx can…and if you ask too many questions, then we can’t be friends,” he says. “I really think we could be good friends, and I don’t have many of those. I promise you’re safe with me, but everyone has secrets.”
“I have a million questions,” I say and sigh. “But I think we could be good friends, and I have a feeling I might need one in this crazy school.”
“Ask Maxx those questions…just not when Iris is around,” he says, grinning and stepping closer. He pulls me into a hug and lets me go before nodding his head in the direction Maxx and the others went.
“Are they dating?” I ask.
“No…but in Iris’s mind, they will one day, and Maxx doesn’t exactly dissuade her from the idea,” he explains.
“What guy is going to stop a bombshell blonde from hitting on him?” I say with a laugh. Though I have to admit I’m happy they aren’t dating. I don’t know why it makes me happy, but it does.
“It’s complicated,” Landon says. “Now let’s get some lunch.”
Chapter Seven
I finish throwing my pencil case and things back into my bag before putting it on my back and leaving the art room. The art class was pretty laid back, just a painting of a bowl of fruit and some sketches of figures to start the year off. I walk down the corridor and find my way outside where students are getting into their cars and thankfully it has stopped raining. I walk through the parking lot and down the road to the bus stop where there is a man with his hood up, hiding his face, and two other students sitting on the bench waiting. I walk over and sit in the only empty space, right in between them. I shiver when I feel a wave of coldness spread over me, even though it’s not a cold day. It’s actually pretty warm, and I have a blazer on anyway. I slowly realize the cold feeling is coming more from my left side, and I turn my head to see the hooded man watching me. I jump back, but the man doesn’t move. I can’t see most of his face other than his shaved chin, and bright grey looking eyes, which is a little creepy as he continues to stare at me. I’m sure they are contacts or something.
“Ura!” I hear my name shouted, and I look away from the man to see Landon getting out the car and waving me over. I get up, looking back to find the man who is no longer there. I search around and see him nowhere. How could he just disappear? I wrap my arms around myself as I jog over to Landon and try to forget the creepy, disappearing man.
“Want a lift?” Landon asks, and I look in the car to see Maxx is driving, but the back seats are empty.
“I don’t know…the bus will be here soon,” I mumble. After earlier, I don’t think me being around Maxx is the best idea. I have a feeling Iris would lose what little sanity she has left if she sees me as any more of a threat.
“Pfft, what’s the point in you catching the bus when we are going that way?” Landon asks, and I shake my head, knowing he isn’t going to let this go. I open the backdoor, sliding my bag off and getting in. I close the door and then do my seatbelt up as Landon does the same.
