"You must have a head injury."
"I do. I hit my head and my arm is killing me and I think I've busted up my leg."
"How do you know that? Can you feel it?"
"No, I went back to my body. That's how I know I'm not dead. I woke up and I'm down this steep slope, surrounded by trees and everything hurts. When I tried to move I blacked out again. I don't know what to do. I... I'm... What do I..."
My voice shakes as swift tears rise.
"Shhhh," Dale whispers gently. "It's okay. I-"
He holds his breath, hesitating.
I can't take my eyes off him as his face washes with varying emotions. The reluctance is hard to miss, but his head is bobbing. The movement is minute, but the hope within me clings to it. Finally he swallows and the nod becomes pronounced.
"I'll help you. I will." He nods again. "Just walk with me to my next class and tell me everything you know, okay?"
His voice is tender and sweet as if he's talking to a five year old. For some weird reason, it's the most comforting thing I've heard all day.
I wipe at my tears as the bell trills. With a few little sniffs, I shuffle up next to him and we walk to class in silence.
Once he's seated, he pulls out a blank piece of paper and writes.
Tell me everything you can see.
"You mean when I'm in my body?"
He nods.
I start talking, describing the embankment in as much detail as I can. He nods, trying to make it look as though he's just paying attention to the teacher. Every time he wants to clarify something, he stops me with a written question.
Are you bleeding?
"No, well yes, a little blood on my head. I don't think it's bad though."
He does that smirk of his.
What are you wearing?
"Really? You want to picture me right now?"
He shoots me a dark look. His direction's pretty good and I get the full force of his glare. I can't help smiling a little. He's actually quite cute when he frowns.
I clear my throat. "I'm in jeans, knee high boots and a... a sleeveless leather shirt."
In the fall? Aren't you cold?
"I guess so. I don't remember thinking that when I woke up."
Do you have a jacket? What do you have with you?
"I'm not sure... wait a sec!" I grab my bag. "I must have my bag with me."
What's in it? Your phone?
I scramble through it, pulling out lipsticks, a makeup kit, nail polish, my wallet, my Dad's American Express. I frown. Shoving it back in, I rummage around each corner of the bag, but come up empty. I sigh.
"No phone."
A jacket?
I touch the jacket I had taken out to search through my bag.
"Yes."
Next time you go back, cover yourself. Make sure you stay warm... and try and get a better idea of your injuries. The more I know, the more I can help you.
"Okay." Hope spurts through me as I read his words. Of all the people in the world who can hear me. I shake my head. Dale Finnigan.
Why do I feel so incredibly grateful?
I stick close to Dale as we leave his Advanced English class. He is walking fast again and I have to jump around people to keep up with him.
"Why do you always walk so fast?"
"I need to talk to your friends before next period and I don't want to be late."
"My friends?"
"Yeah, didn't you say you went to study group with Amber?"
"Yeah, but I didn't leave with her."
"Well, maybe she knows who you did leave with."
For some reason, I don't want to tell him I left with Trent. I bite my lips together as I weave through the crowd. He glances at his watch again and I can sense his urgency and reluctance to be late.
Eventually I let out a sigh.
"I left with Trent."
Dale screeches to a halt and I nearly bang into him.
"What?" he mumbles out the side of his mouth.
"I don't remember, but according to Amber I rejected a ride with her and chose to leave with Trent."
His face is pretty dark as he turns in the direction of my voice. He opens his mouth to speak, but waits until a group of students pass before asking, "Did he take you home?"
"He said he did."
"Do you believe him?"
"No." I don't hesitate. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I caught him cheating on me this morning. Maybe it's because it's the truth. Either way, I think it's safe to say that our relationship is over, so thinking of him as a liar, doesn't seem so bad.
Dale's dark eyes take on a stormy quality and his skin pales making his scar scream red.
"Let's go." His quiet words command compliance and I chase after him as he descends the stairs towards the changing rooms.
Dale swings the door wide and leaves it open longer than necessary.
"Thanks."
He gives me a little grin as he heads towards his locker.
"Can you go through doors?" he whispers while spinning the dial on his lock.
"I haven't tried yet... well, not on purpose anyway. My fingers pass through everything I touch, so technically doors are no different."
"What's stopping you?"
"Ahhh... how about ick factor - ten billion."
He grins.
"You know when you think about it..." He opens his locker. "It's kinda cool. You're like Invisible Woman from Fantastic Four."
I snort out a laugh. "Are you kidding me?"
"Think of the power you have." He looks at me deadpan. "You could sneak into anywhere and no one would know." He wiggles his eyebrows.
I can't help laughing. "What's the point of sneaking in somewhere when I can't actually do anything in there."
"True, but-" His voice cuts off as a few guys round the corner and start opening their own lockers.
I'm suddenly super conscious that I'm in the boys' locker room. The guy next to me unzips his jeans and takes them off. I turn away and find myself staring at a half naked Dale.
Wow. He's like totally cut. That's surprising. I stare at him with wide eyes as he turns to find his shirt. How had I never noticed this about him before. His baggy T-shirts were hiding some major candy.
I bite my lip as I register what I just thought. Dale? Eye candy? Am I out of my mind?
Unable to take my eyes off him, I watch him reach for his PE shirt and notice the neat scar running across his right shoulder. He must have had surgery. I reach out to touch it. I don't know what's possessing me, but I can't stop myself.
I run my finger along the wound then down his bicep, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Dale jerks in surprise. The guy next to him frowns. "You okay, man?"
"Cramp," Dale mumbles, rubbing his shoulder.
The guy nods then turns away while Dale shoots me a dark look.
"Did you feel that?"
His eyes narrow further.
"I couldn't help it. You're really cut and I always thought you were this weedy, skinny-"
"You don't have to keep talking."
"What?" A different guy turns to see what Dale said.
"Nothin'." Dale shoots him a closed mouth grin, which turns to a frown in my direction.
Various lockers slam shut as the guys around us disperse. I watch them saunter towards the sports field exit and see a familiar figure walking towards us.