around the corner, down the back road leading to the school. “Don’t you find yourself tired around him, drained even?”
When he mentioned it, I realized it was true. I’d been very tired lately. But how did he know that, anyway? I stopped walking and crossed my arms over my chest.
Turning, he stopped too, his hand clutching the strap of my bag. A lawnmower engine droned in the distance. “What if that was by design?”
“I don’t understand. Why are you being so cryptic?”
“Are you going to see him again?” he asked. “I mean, outside of school?”
Not wanting to answer that question, I started walking again. “Just dinner tomorrow.”
He fell in step beside me. “Don’t go out with him.” His voice was soft, almost pleading, with that strange musical quality I’d heard before.
I didn’t have it in me to be angry with him. “I really don’t get it. You don’t want me, yet you come around like some kind of knight in shining armor and now you’re trying to warn me about some guy. Why do you even care?”
“Don’t underestimate him. He’s not just ‘some guy,’” he warned. “He’s dangerous.”
My throat clenched. “Dangerous? What do you mean? What aren’t you telling me?”
He made an exasperated sound. “Can’t you just take my word for it?”
I fought back the urge to argue with him, the need to know more. He could be so infuriating, but something in me knew he was telling the truth, or part of it. He and Damiel shared a past, but beyond implying that Damiel was lying Michael didn’t say anything. He was hiding something. If he was trying to protect me, what was he trying to protect me from ?
“You know my friend Fiona?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah?”
“You were talking to her a few weeks ago but she didn’t see you, and Damiel was talking to her in the hallway yesterday before she—”
“Look, I’m sorry about your friend,” he interrupted, handing me my bag. We’d arrived at the back doors of the school. “What you do is your choice. I’ll see you in class.”
I was being dismissed.
As I headed inside, I wondered if there really was something about Damiel talking to Fiona. Perhaps he was dangerous. But they were just talking, weren’t they? This thing with Fiona, could it be a coincidence? If so, how ? And why wouldn’t Michael talk about it?
I went to my locker before class. When I opened it, a small brown paper bag fell out. My name was written on it in tidy cursive script. Inside was a delicate silver pendant, an ornate upside-down hand with a blue glass eye in the middle. Clear gemstones bordered the outside.
I was examining the bag for a clue as to whom it might be from when Heather approached. Her eyes were puffy and ringed with gray, this time not from studying.
“We’re still going to the movie tonight, right?” she said.
With all that had happened I’d totally forgotten about the movie. I didn’t think anyone would want to go. “Is it still on?”
“Yeah. We don’t want Dean to be alone tonight. Though he won’t admit it, he’s pretty shaken. He can’t see Fiona yet either.”
“Have you heard anything?” I asked.
“Her mom called and told me she’s awake now and going through some tests. She’ll be home tomorrow. I’m gonna go see her then.”
“Can I come?”
“Of course!” she replied, then noticed the necklace in my hands. “Oh! Where’d you get that?”
“I don’t know. It was in my locker. There’s no note.”
“Maybe it’s from Damiel.” Heather handled the necklace carefully, admiring it. “For your date tomorrow night.”
She handed it back just as Elaine came down the hall, and I quickly slid it into my school bag. I didn’t need to give Elaine a reason for more gossip. If Damiel was giving me gifts, he could be more serious than I thought. I should give it back to him and break off the date so I wouldn’t lead him on.
As if on cue, Damiel came to see me before English class to
When he mentioned it, I realized it was true. I’d been very tired lately. But how did he know that, anyway? I stopped walking and crossed my arms over my chest.
Turning, he stopped too, his hand clutching the strap of my bag. A lawnmower engine droned in the distance. “What if that was by design?”
“I don’t understand. Why are you being so cryptic?”
“Are you going to see him again?” he asked. “I mean, outside of school?”
Not wanting to answer that question, I started walking again. “Just dinner tomorrow.”
He fell in step beside me. “Don’t go out with him.” His voice was soft, almost pleading, with that strange musical quality I’d heard before.
I didn’t have it in me to be angry with him. “I really don’t get it. You don’t want me, yet you come around like some kind of knight in shining armor and now you’re trying to warn me about some guy. Why do you even care?”
“Don’t underestimate him. He’s not just ‘some guy,’” he warned. “He’s dangerous.”
My throat clenched. “Dangerous? What do you mean? What aren’t you telling me?”
He made an exasperated sound. “Can’t you just take my word for it?”
I fought back the urge to argue with him, the need to know more. He could be so infuriating, but something in me knew he was telling the truth, or part of it. He and Damiel shared a past, but beyond implying that Damiel was lying Michael didn’t say anything. He was hiding something. If he was trying to protect me, what was he trying to protect me from ?
“You know my friend Fiona?” I asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah?”
“You were talking to her a few weeks ago but she didn’t see you, and Damiel was talking to her in the hallway yesterday before she—”
“Look, I’m sorry about your friend,” he interrupted, handing me my bag. We’d arrived at the back doors of the school. “What you do is your choice. I’ll see you in class.”
I was being dismissed.
As I headed inside, I wondered if there really was something about Damiel talking to Fiona. Perhaps he was dangerous. But they were just talking, weren’t they? This thing with Fiona, could it be a coincidence? If so, how ? And why wouldn’t Michael talk about it?
I went to my locker before class. When I opened it, a small brown paper bag fell out. My name was written on it in tidy cursive script. Inside was a delicate silver pendant, an ornate upside-down hand with a blue glass eye in the middle. Clear gemstones bordered the outside.
I was examining the bag for a clue as to whom it might be from when Heather approached. Her eyes were puffy and ringed with gray, this time not from studying.
“We’re still going to the movie tonight, right?” she said.
With all that had happened I’d totally forgotten about the movie. I didn’t think anyone would want to go. “Is it still on?”
“Yeah. We don’t want Dean to be alone tonight. Though he won’t admit it, he’s pretty shaken. He can’t see Fiona yet either.”
“Have you heard anything?” I asked.
“Her mom called and told me she’s awake now and going through some tests. She’ll be home tomorrow. I’m gonna go see her then.”
“Can I come?”
“Of course!” she replied, then noticed the necklace in my hands. “Oh! Where’d you get that?”
“I don’t know. It was in my locker. There’s no note.”
“Maybe it’s from Damiel.” Heather handled the necklace carefully, admiring it. “For your date tomorrow night.”
She handed it back just as Elaine came down the hall, and I quickly slid it into my school bag. I didn’t need to give Elaine a reason for more gossip. If Damiel was giving me gifts, he could be more serious than I thought. I should give it back to him and break off the date so I wouldn’t lead him on.
As if on cue, Damiel came to see me before English class to
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