here. Vampires were drawn to the
crowds, drawn to the fresh blood of the youth within the
walls.
The loud ringing of the pinball machine
behind her caused her to wince involuntarily. A headache had been
bothering her all day, tensing her shoulders and back. It was the
kind of headache that no amount of aspirin could cure, and noises
and stress were best avoided. She couldn’t avoid either of them
right now.
Devon leaned closer to her, his hand
gently massaging the back of her neck. She leaned forward, closing
her eyes as he attempted to ease the tightness lingering there.
There was far too much on her mind right now. A loud shout rang out
as the pinball machine went crazy. Sliding lower in her seat, she
fervently wished that she was anywhere but here.
“Do you want me to take you home?”
Chris inquired.
Opening her eyes Cassie focused on his
bleary figure. She would love nothing more than to go home, but she
couldn’t leave the three of them on their own tonight. If anything
happened… She refused to finish the thought as she shook her head
slightly. “No, that’s ok. I’ll be fine.”
He frowned at her, but didn’t push
further. Devon pulled her closer to him, his arm wrapping gently
around her head as he rested it against his chest. Some of the pain
eased from her as his touch soothed the pounding in her temples.
Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging
tight to him as he stroked her hair lightly. He blocked out some of
the noise, making it easier to breathe as she opened her eyes once
more.
Her gaze drifted across the students
that gave their table a wide berth. Not long ago their table would
have been flocked with people vying for their attention. Now there
was no one, and she found that she didn’t miss them. Glancing
around the too bright, too loud restaurant, Cassie ignored the
sideways looks she received. Sighing heavily, she took a sip of
water, hoping the cool liquid would help ease the pain in her body.
It didn’t.
Fresh air would though, she was certain
of that. “I’m going to step outside for a minute.”
“I’ll come with you,” Devon said
instantly.
She shot him a look, shaking her head
slightly, afraid to move it much more. “No, I’ll be fine, I’m not
going anywhere.”
“Cassie…”
“Devon, I just need some fresh
air.”
His eyes were dark and turbulent as he
studied her carefully. His glance toward Chris and Melissa set
Cassie’s hackles on edge. She was just getting some fresh air for
crying out loud, she was not a two year old, and she did not need a
babysitter. “I don’t need their permission either,” she said
sharply.
His gaze came guiltily back to hers,
his shoulders slumped slightly. “Alright, but don’t go
anywhere.”
She frowned fiercely at him, but did
not argue further. Besides, she was not fooled into thinking that
at least one of them wouldn’t be keeping an eye on her, making sure
she didn’t get herself killed. Devon slid out of the booth, letting
her escape from her cramped corner and the endlessly annoying ring
of the pinball machine. “I’ll be back,” she muttered.
He squeezed her arm gently as she made
her way past. In the old days she would have had to push her way
through the crowd, stopping every few feet to talk with someone.
There had been times that it had taken her a half an hour just to
make it to the door. Not any longer. Now the crowd parted for her
as if she were a highly contagious leper they wanted no part
of.
Cassie kept her face impassive, and her
chin high. It was only high school, she continuously told herself.
She only had a little over seven months left, and she still had her
best friends, and Devon. Though that thought helped to ease some of
the hurt, it did not make it go away. She would never get used to
being hated. She would never get used to people that she had
considered friends turning against her so quickly, and so easily.
It was like a knife to the heart, and especially to
crowds, drawn to the fresh blood of the youth within the
walls.
The loud ringing of the pinball machine
behind her caused her to wince involuntarily. A headache had been
bothering her all day, tensing her shoulders and back. It was the
kind of headache that no amount of aspirin could cure, and noises
and stress were best avoided. She couldn’t avoid either of them
right now.
Devon leaned closer to her, his hand
gently massaging the back of her neck. She leaned forward, closing
her eyes as he attempted to ease the tightness lingering there.
There was far too much on her mind right now. A loud shout rang out
as the pinball machine went crazy. Sliding lower in her seat, she
fervently wished that she was anywhere but here.
“Do you want me to take you home?”
Chris inquired.
Opening her eyes Cassie focused on his
bleary figure. She would love nothing more than to go home, but she
couldn’t leave the three of them on their own tonight. If anything
happened… She refused to finish the thought as she shook her head
slightly. “No, that’s ok. I’ll be fine.”
He frowned at her, but didn’t push
further. Devon pulled her closer to him, his arm wrapping gently
around her head as he rested it against his chest. Some of the pain
eased from her as his touch soothed the pounding in her temples.
Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging
tight to him as he stroked her hair lightly. He blocked out some of
the noise, making it easier to breathe as she opened her eyes once
more.
Her gaze drifted across the students
that gave their table a wide berth. Not long ago their table would
have been flocked with people vying for their attention. Now there
was no one, and she found that she didn’t miss them. Glancing
around the too bright, too loud restaurant, Cassie ignored the
sideways looks she received. Sighing heavily, she took a sip of
water, hoping the cool liquid would help ease the pain in her body.
It didn’t.
Fresh air would though, she was certain
of that. “I’m going to step outside for a minute.”
“I’ll come with you,” Devon said
instantly.
She shot him a look, shaking her head
slightly, afraid to move it much more. “No, I’ll be fine, I’m not
going anywhere.”
“Cassie…”
“Devon, I just need some fresh
air.”
His eyes were dark and turbulent as he
studied her carefully. His glance toward Chris and Melissa set
Cassie’s hackles on edge. She was just getting some fresh air for
crying out loud, she was not a two year old, and she did not need a
babysitter. “I don’t need their permission either,” she said
sharply.
His gaze came guiltily back to hers,
his shoulders slumped slightly. “Alright, but don’t go
anywhere.”
She frowned fiercely at him, but did
not argue further. Besides, she was not fooled into thinking that
at least one of them wouldn’t be keeping an eye on her, making sure
she didn’t get herself killed. Devon slid out of the booth, letting
her escape from her cramped corner and the endlessly annoying ring
of the pinball machine. “I’ll be back,” she muttered.
He squeezed her arm gently as she made
her way past. In the old days she would have had to push her way
through the crowd, stopping every few feet to talk with someone.
There had been times that it had taken her a half an hour just to
make it to the door. Not any longer. Now the crowd parted for her
as if she were a highly contagious leper they wanted no part
of.
Cassie kept her face impassive, and her
chin high. It was only high school, she continuously told herself.
She only had a little over seven months left, and she still had her
best friends, and Devon. Though that thought helped to ease some of
the hurt, it did not make it go away. She would never get used to
being hated. She would never get used to people that she had
considered friends turning against her so quickly, and so easily.
It was like a knife to the heart, and especially to
Similar Books
