This Alien Soul

Chapter 48

Amber

It's doubtful that anyone in that cafeteria slept well. I know I didn't. It was impossible to get comfortable on the floor, with only thin blankets and no pillows available. .

What made it even harder for me was the blazing green eyes that seemed to glow in the dark, as they watched me the whole night.

Apparently, Zionians were able to see in the dark. At some point Brad had joined Lindsey and I on our spot propped up against a wall, sharing a blanket.

Taking pity on us Brad had situated himself between the two of us so we could use his size to lay our heads on his shoulders. Lindsey had been able to doze off then. I hadn't enjoyed the same peace. I could have sworn I heard a growl come from Alek and he stiffened as though to charge over, only Zeena's hand on his shoulder keeping him in his spot on the other side of the room.

Too bad. I thought, getting more comfortable against my friends side. You made your choice and I made mine.

I still bristled over the fact he had been so sure we would just get back together, that I would ignore everything that happened to be with him. Did I miss him like a missing limb? Yes. Did I wonder if there was a possibility we were something more, something I didn't understand? Of course, it was killing me a little inside.

But I needed to be strong for myself. For my parents. For my plans.

I was going to live a human life, dammit.

If my hand kept traveling to my lips and my traitorous brain kept reliving our kiss in the pool, I ignored it.

By the time morning light revealed the state of the outside world, the snow was finally abating.

No one bothered asking for permission. Dumping our blankets in a pile at the door we walked out into the winter wonderland that the storm had left behind.

Growing up my parents normally took me on at least one skiing trip a year. But for most students this was their first foray into the winter precipitation we call snow.

Immediately, we all turned into children. Running, throwing snow. Snow angels and forts abounded.

My eyes inevitably were drawn to Alek, he had a hand full of snow in his right hand, running his fingers through it, a quizzical look on his face at the texture and temperature. Our eyes meet briefly before he was pelted by a snowball in the back of his head by Zeena.

I couldn't help the small laugh that left my lips at the murderous look he sent her way. He surprised me when he was quick to ball up his handful and launch it in retaliation.

Kelly came running up to me before I could see if he landed his mark. "Stop mooning over that jackass." She had no problem calling me out. "I need your help. Brad has gotten it in his head that the football team versus the cheerleaders in a snowball fight is somehow playing fair."

What I needed to be doing was calling my father, finding out how I was going to get home. I was now overdo for a treatment. Plus, I had been in water with an Zionian. Both things my father feared triggered my Zionian genes. It couldn't wait much longer.

Still, I let myself be pulled into a raging snowball fight. Kelly was right about the guys not playing fair, pelting ball after ball in rapid fire succession. It was all the girls could do just to duck behind trees and avoid the worst of it.

I was hunched behind a tree, preparing to launch an ice ball I had been working on with frozen fingers for the last few minutes at Lindsey's Anatomy partner from the other day. I had just gotten the perfect shot and was winding my arm back to throw when a slushy ball pelted into my back.