Blood Wars Vol. 1

CHAPTER FOUR

The next morning, Sam met me in the parking lot. “I had nightmares all night.”

I hugged her; thankful she forgave me. “Me, too.”

“I still don’t understand.” She pulled away and frowned.

 “I’m a horrible friend.” I looked at her concern and sighed.

“No, you’re not. I’m talking about how we remember. ” She closed her eyes briefly. “Did it really happen?”

“I don’t know. Felt pretty real.”

“So what do we do now? What do I say if Phil asks? You know he will.” Her eyes reopened, then she scanned the distance over my shoulder, and I turned.

Phil’s blond head bobbed among the giggling cheerleading squad. He’d picked up right where he’d left off apparently.

“I love him,” Sam whispered.

My legs almost gave way at her confession. I put my hand on her shoulder, partly to steady myself. “Just let things happen one step at a time.”

“He doesn’t want me now, not when I’m ordinary and plain.”

“Don’t say that, Sam. He’s just… he doesn’t remember.”

Nicholas’ Charger rolled over the gravel behind me, and I knew the seconds to stop her from doing something stupid were fleeting, but I didn’t know what to say.

She shirked away from me and flipped her hand toward Nicholas. “And you still get him.” She stormed off. “The universe hates me!”

“Sam, wait up!”

She disappeared through the crowd before Nicholas joined my side. “What’s going on?”

I looked up into his beautiful blue-eyes, startled once again, expecting the green from before.

“The universe hates me,” I said before taking his hand and filling him in on the newest developments.

~|~

History had begun, and I could almost feel Phil’s eyes probing into my soul as the frosty tension between me and Sam lingered. She’d ignored me in PE and I could barely stand it anymore. Her nervousness was evident from her continual swiping of her hands over her jeans. Then she dug out her phone and held it under her desk.

“Ms. King,” Mr. Cruor said while he kept his back to the room.

Sam gasped and shoved the phone into her pocket. Mr. Cruor swiveled around and his glare met hers. He held her there as he’d done to me the day prior, and I watched Sam sink lower into the chair.

“Are you ready to begin?”

She nodded ever so slightly. Then, as if on cue, everyone’s spines straightened, including mine, and I wished for Mr. Marshall to come back. Anyone but this guy. There was no more dreamy looks from girls. The class had grown so quiet, I could hear Phil breathing heavy behind me.

Then Sam started to sniffle. Oh, crap.

Mr. Cruor stopped lecturing and crossed his arms. “Is there something wrong, Ms. King?”

Before anyone clued in that something was up, Sam jumped up and ran from the room.

Mr. Cruor let out a loud exhale. “Ms. Parker. Tend to Ms. King, please.”

I left immediately and headed into the hall. Sam wasn’t out there. The door to the bathroom swished shut.

“Sam?” I pressed the door open. “You in here?”