back at the observation area to see if Ryan still remained in the gym, but I knew he had to be near. The strange connection we shared buzzed through me like small static shocks. Not to mention the occasional bursts of his unique scent that wafted by me.
But then, a sudden emptiness rocked me, sucking the breath from my lungs. I sensed he'd left. When we rotated to bars, I couldn't help but take a peek.
He was gone.
Relieved and disappointed at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder how could a guy I barely knew could have such an effect on me. It just didn't make sense. I had no time for boys and all the silliness connected with them. I refused to turn to the dark side and become one of those giggly, hair tossing, boy-crazy girls. Ugh! I didn't need the extra complication in my already highly complicated life.
"Get your grips on, ladies. Let's go. We have lots of work to do,” Larry said.
I shut my locker and scowled. “Crap. I forgot my wrist bands. My mom washed them yesterday, and I left them on top of the dryer."
"Here.” Mandy tossed me a pair. “You owe me big."
"Yeah, yeah."
Bars proved to be a bit of a challenge. I either fell on my butt doing my double or peeled off the bars during my giants. No one else seemed to be having the same problem, so I couldn't blame it on slippery bars or mushy mats. My concentration severely lacked.
Ever since Ryan had left, the initial emptiness had been replaced with an icky sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. As the rotation wore on, I became increasingly more uncomfortable. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention, rippling tingles down my spine.
Someone or something watched me.
But whom or what, I didn't know. I couldn't concentrate on my assignment. All my attention centered on the threat at hand.
"Having a bad day, Cheyenne?” Mandy shook her head in disbelief. “I haven't seen you this out of it in a long time. That guy sure has you going loopy."
"I guess you could say I've been distracted.” I glanced around the gym.
Mandy laughed. “He already left. About thirty minutes ago."
"I wasn't looking for him. And him has a name. It's Ryan.” I couldn't help but soften my voice when I said his name.
"If you weren't looking for Ryan , then who were you looking for?"
"No one."
"Ladies, if y'all are through with your conversation, do you think you can get back on the bars?” Larry's chin rested on his thumb while the rest of his fingers curled in front of his upper lip—never a good sign.
Since it was my turn, I reached out and swung on the low bar. In the middle of a kip, my grips slipped and I dropped off the bar.
Turning to Mandy, I said, “Go ahead and go. I need more chalk."
I walked to the bucket, sprayed my grips, and then rubbed a hunk of chalk on them. When I dropped it back into the bucket, I noticed words had been traced into the white powder.
YOU ARE MINE
Omigod! Was that meant for me?
Suddenly, a nauseating aroma of almonds surrounded me. I jerked my head around.
As if in slow motion, I watched Mandy reach for the high bar. Just as her hands wrapped around it, the bar broke, snapping the cables and collapsing the equipment on top of her.
Unable to do anything since it happened so fast, I stood there in shock, deep sinister laughter surrounding me.
Mandy screamed as part of the bar hit her head, the other smashing her thigh.
Adrenaline burst through me. I ran to her and knelt beside her. Larry and a few of the girls helped move the equipment off of her.
"Mandy, are you okay?” Her eyes were closed, her breath shallow. “Open your eyes,” I pleaded.
No response.
Larry knelt on the other side of Mandy. I held my breath as he checked her over. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened. She started to rise, but Larry pinned her down.
"Don't move,” he ordered. “We need to make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine."
"Let me be the judge of that.” Larry finished checking her over, making sure her pupils weren't dilated or that
But then, a sudden emptiness rocked me, sucking the breath from my lungs. I sensed he'd left. When we rotated to bars, I couldn't help but take a peek.
He was gone.
Relieved and disappointed at the same time, I couldn't help but wonder how could a guy I barely knew could have such an effect on me. It just didn't make sense. I had no time for boys and all the silliness connected with them. I refused to turn to the dark side and become one of those giggly, hair tossing, boy-crazy girls. Ugh! I didn't need the extra complication in my already highly complicated life.
"Get your grips on, ladies. Let's go. We have lots of work to do,” Larry said.
I shut my locker and scowled. “Crap. I forgot my wrist bands. My mom washed them yesterday, and I left them on top of the dryer."
"Here.” Mandy tossed me a pair. “You owe me big."
"Yeah, yeah."
Bars proved to be a bit of a challenge. I either fell on my butt doing my double or peeled off the bars during my giants. No one else seemed to be having the same problem, so I couldn't blame it on slippery bars or mushy mats. My concentration severely lacked.
Ever since Ryan had left, the initial emptiness had been replaced with an icky sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. As the rotation wore on, I became increasingly more uncomfortable. The hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention, rippling tingles down my spine.
Someone or something watched me.
But whom or what, I didn't know. I couldn't concentrate on my assignment. All my attention centered on the threat at hand.
"Having a bad day, Cheyenne?” Mandy shook her head in disbelief. “I haven't seen you this out of it in a long time. That guy sure has you going loopy."
"I guess you could say I've been distracted.” I glanced around the gym.
Mandy laughed. “He already left. About thirty minutes ago."
"I wasn't looking for him. And him has a name. It's Ryan.” I couldn't help but soften my voice when I said his name.
"If you weren't looking for Ryan , then who were you looking for?"
"No one."
"Ladies, if y'all are through with your conversation, do you think you can get back on the bars?” Larry's chin rested on his thumb while the rest of his fingers curled in front of his upper lip—never a good sign.
Since it was my turn, I reached out and swung on the low bar. In the middle of a kip, my grips slipped and I dropped off the bar.
Turning to Mandy, I said, “Go ahead and go. I need more chalk."
I walked to the bucket, sprayed my grips, and then rubbed a hunk of chalk on them. When I dropped it back into the bucket, I noticed words had been traced into the white powder.
YOU ARE MINE
Omigod! Was that meant for me?
Suddenly, a nauseating aroma of almonds surrounded me. I jerked my head around.
As if in slow motion, I watched Mandy reach for the high bar. Just as her hands wrapped around it, the bar broke, snapping the cables and collapsing the equipment on top of her.
Unable to do anything since it happened so fast, I stood there in shock, deep sinister laughter surrounding me.
Mandy screamed as part of the bar hit her head, the other smashing her thigh.
Adrenaline burst through me. I ran to her and knelt beside her. Larry and a few of the girls helped move the equipment off of her.
"Mandy, are you okay?” Her eyes were closed, her breath shallow. “Open your eyes,” I pleaded.
No response.
Larry knelt on the other side of Mandy. I held my breath as he checked her over. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened. She started to rise, but Larry pinned her down.
"Don't move,” he ordered. “We need to make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine."
"Let me be the judge of that.” Larry finished checking her over, making sure her pupils weren't dilated or that
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