The Dark Witch: The Nox Haven Series

Chapter 19: Will It Hurt?

CADDIE's POV:

We were able to slip back into the school unnoticed. Alix ran up the stairs to our dorm. I stopped to catch my breath- not believing something as could happen in the safety of Nox Haven. I should have known better. Just when I think things are looking up they immediately get worse.

"Why do you look like you just ran a marathon?" Aleksander asked from the other side of the staircase.

"Because I did," I wheezed.

This is how you know that you're out of shape, and that you're a bad liar. He slowly walked down the stairs, giving me a skeptical look.

"You went running in a sweater?" He asked, pausing in front of me.

"It's cold outside," I lied lamely, crossing my arms over my chest and averting my eyes from his scrutinizing stare.

His lips curved into a knowing smile. He gabbed my arm and I looked down in surprise. There was a small scarlet cut in my flesh.

"So how'd you get that cut? Oh, wait, never mind, you're going to say that you fell, right?"

His eyes narrowed. Okay, so, he was pissed. He knew I was lying; but as long as he didn't know why, I was safe.

"It's none of your business," I scowled.

"It isn't?" His eyes practically bulged out of his head, "You've been sneaking around looking for answers that you shouldn't know. You dragged me out to the gardens and now I have no recollection of what happened. And you have blood on your sleeve after looking like the devil was chasing after you. Now tell me this isn't my business."

I kept my stare level with his. It was like a Great Dane having a staring contest with a Chihuahua. It was hard to keep my composure when he was looking at me as if I did something wrong.

"It's none of your business," I said with a straight face and ran up the stairs.

I once found him attractive, but now he was force fighting against me. It still rattled my mind how fast my feelings had changed. I guess that's what happens once you look behind the pretty face. My thoughts wondered. If looks no longer mattered, than why am I still stuck on Dmitri?

That night I was surprised to find myself standing alone in the meadow. Aleksander was gone, the dark gray clouds completely covered the shining sun. The wind whispered cruel messages in my ear. It reminded me that my childhood friend was gone.

Aleksander was fine, I told myself, this is just a dream. We met him and he's a jerk, but besides that he is completely fine.

I woke up as the sun was barely above the treetops. The sky was still a light pink.

I could feel the cogs in my head turn as I tried to wrap my mind around my strange dream. When I had seen Aleksander that first day, I thought he was beautiful but not familiar. He bore a resemblance to the boy from my dreams but it was obvious they weren't the same person.

I kept thinking about that throughout the rest of the day. Alix shot me worried glances, but she believed I was acting weird because of what happened the day before. I was more than content to let her believe that.

"Earth to Caddie," Ryder said, waving his hand in front of my face.

I snapped out of my thoughtful. Maddox and Ryder were staring at me with a mixture of concerned but amused expressions.

"Were you daydreaming about me again, baby?" Ryder said making kissing faces.

I rolled my eyes and continued stretching out on the mat. We were in Defense class. Aleksander and Mira walked into class laughing together in perfect harmony. I let my stare linger on them. They looked like Barbie and Ken and it made me sick.