"Ty?" I asked, looking up from my jeans. "Did you see anything strange about Liam that night? I mean, besides the whole freaking out and running from the house thing?" My fingers still jittered and I tucked them in my lap.
"Um." Her gaze shifted to the door the nurse left open when she left for lunch. She quickly got up and shut it. "What exactly do you mean by 'strange'?"
"You know," I whispered. "The eyes and my shirt for starters? Did you see my shirt, Ty?"
Her lips tightened into a hard line as if contemplating exactly what to say and she twisted her locket around her thumb. "Okay, I saw the eyes." Her face sallowed. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything earlier, it's just you've been so upset. I just didn't want to make it worse."
I broke into a quick fit of laughter and rubbed my head.
"That bad?"
"Ty, you have no idea how relieved this makes me feel. I've doubted my sanity for weeks. This means I'm okay. I don't need to be shut away in some nut house."
The expression on her face told me she felt the opposite, but I didn't care. I got up and gave her a hug, knocking the locket from her finger. I jumped.
"Ouch. Your necklace shocked me."
She quickly tucked it into her blouse. "Sorry."
"You're the best, Ty." I cleared my throat and stepped back. "So what do you think?"
"About you or the boys?"
"Very funny." I glowered.
Ty laughed and then nodded. "You're right. Majorly freaky."
"And the shirt?"
"Who was I to guess what you guys were up to in there?"
"Ty!" My jaw dropped. "You thought...you thought we were doing something?"
"Weren't you?" She picked up a plastic container labeled band aides, and then put it down.
"We kissed, Ty. That's all. It was just a kiss."
She seemed confused. "Then what happened to your shirt?"
I felt a little nauseous, the sound of the ripping replayed in my memory, and I shivered. Ty's face turned a weird shade of muted green.
"Did he hurt you?"
"It's not what you think."
"Then what is it?"
"He kissed me..."
"Yes?"
She found her locket again.
"Well, it was good, really good. So I started kissing him back." I paused, my focus strangely mesmerized by the way she played with the tiny metal leaf as if it soothed her. Blinking my thoughts clear, I shifted on the cot. "That's when things started getting weird."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"His irises turned gold. That's when I heard my shirt rip."
"So you think it was an accident? You know, from him pulling away?"
I shook my head. "Well, you may be right about it being an accident, but that wasn't it. He was...changing into something." I didn't want to believe it myself, but I knew what I saw. The images from my panic attack crept into my head and I did everything I could to force them down. I didn't need another episode.
"What do you mean, Charlotte? Changing into what?"
"I don't know." I paused, then decided to just spit it out. "He had grown these sharp canine-like teeth. He spun around really fast so that I couldn't see him, but I saw them."
"Are you messing with me Charlotte?"
"I swear." I could feel my temple pulse. "He also told me that all of them stick together like they do because they're different. Of course you do realize what this means Ty?"
"What?"
I looked straight at her. "All of them can change just like Liam did."
"A pack of sharp tooths?"
"I saw Byron in the cafeteria, Ty. I'm not crazy."
I think.
Her calm reserve surprised me after such news, yet she did seem curious. She probably thought I needed counseling. Everyone always did. "So what do we do now?" she asked, sitting down next to me. "I mean, what are they?"
Flashes of salivating jaws ripping my flesh burned across my mind, but I pushed it out.
"I don't know." I glanced down at my jeans, feeling a little numb. "I guess we do nothing. I mean, they left, remember? I'm too weird even for them." I forced a tight smile and Ty shot me a glare. "Sorry."
Ty sighed. "It's okay. You like him."
"But I shouldn't, not after what he did to me. This whole thing is just insane. I mean, he could be dangerous, Ty."
She placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Then we stay away from them. They're gone. We move on."
"Right."
If only my feelings believed that.
The nurse walked in, our signal to leave, and the rest of the school day passed like sludge. I watched the gravel under my feet as I walked by the parking lot over to the area where the buses parked. My fingers hung to the straps of my backpack with a death grip, hoping that would keep my thoughts in check. I almost made it all the way to my bus, when a strange rush of goose bumps trickled down my back, making me stop.
The musky scent of pine filled my nose and every nerve in my body came alive. I refused to acknowledge it. I held my breath and started for the bus.
"Charlotte," Liam called.
"Go away," I said, barely loud enough for anyone to hear.
With my heade down, I pushed past several students lagging along the walkway. My fingers painfully dug into my strap. I wouldn't falter, despite the pounding in my ears.
"Charlotte, please?"
He sounded closer. What a surprise. Stalker. I quickened my pace, when he stepped in front of me, making me jump.
"What are you doing, Liam?" I tried to catch my breath. "How did you? You know what? I don't care." I started to walk around him, but he moved in front of me. "Move out of my way, Liam."
"Charlotte, please," he said. "Just give me one minute. We need to talk."
"We did that already. I know where that led me. You made yourself pretty clear."
Liam ran his hand roughly through his ashen hair. "I'm sorry about what happened. It's not what you think."
"How do you know what I think? You didn't stick around long enough to find out."
I saw my words sting him, but I didn't care. I couldn't. He had his chance.
"I shouldn't have left like that, Charlotte. I'm sorry. Something didn't make sense. I freaked and ran. It was a mistake. At the time I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry. Please."
I turned and started past him.
"Please give me another chance. I'm sorry."
I spun around on my heels, and my words whipped off my tongue. "Why did you leave?"
Two students walked by, staring, and Liam fidgeted. "Can I give you a ride? We can talk in the car. Please? This is kind of private." The classmates whispered to each other, giggling as they continued on their way.
"I like taking the bus."
Liam arched an eyebrow. "Have you been eating the school food?"
"Not funny, Liam."
He smirked tightly at his failed joke. "All right, all right. But come on, Charlotte. Please? Give me a chance to at least explain myself." He fidgeted and lowered his voice. "You know I can't talk here."
"How am I supposed to trust you?" I whispered, but for whose benefit I didn't know. "You don't tell me anything. Everything with you is a secret. Now you want me to get in your car? Put yourself in my shoes, Liam."
"All right. I know." He groaned and rubbed his forehead. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for putting you in this situation, but I don't know what to do. I'm crazy about you, Charlotte. My leaving had nothing to do with that. You have to believe me."
"Then tell me why you did it."
"Charlotte, I...I can't. You don't understand."
It hurt. I wanted so much for it not to, but it did.
"Then I'm not getting in your car."
"Charlotte...Please..."
"Goodbye, Liam." My lip trembled and I bit it as I started to walk away.
"Your scar," he whispered. I don't know how I heard it, but I stopped. My hand touched my shoulder and my body went cold. I was six again. Blinking the past away, I slowly turned around. "What do you mean?"