Crossings: A Sovereign Guardians Novel (10 page)

Still, it seemed an odd choice of words for him to use.

“It might seem strange to you, but even when I’m alone at Fairvue, I feel safer than I ever did at any of the boarding schools I attended.”

Watching his eyebrows draw together, I hastened to explain. “Not that the schools I attended were unsafe; I didn’t mean that. I guess it’s just when you’re surrounded by love, things feel different. School didn’t provide that for me. Being home at Fairvue with Gran, well, that does.

I looked at Granger, ready for him to make fun of me, but remarkably his expression was thoughtful.

“Well, Pagan, I don’t blame you at all then. After all, what is it they say? Home is where the heart is. Maybe you’ll know all kinds of love now that you’re back where you believe you belong.”

The waitress arrived at that moment, leaving me with an excuse not to reply as Granger’s words replayed in my mind.

Maybe it would be great to know all kinds of love. I looked at the boy across from me, and for a moment I wondered if we could ever be more than friends. I felt different with him than I did with Keller. It wasn’t a bad feeling by any means, and I could feel my cheeks heating up at the thought.

Granger missed nothing. His eyes roamed my face, and he smiled.

“Whatever has you blushing, you should think about it more often. I love it when your cheeks turn that shade of red.”

He leaned forward to pick up the check the waitress had left on top of the box that now held the rest of his order. I reached out at the same time to take the ticket, but his hand stopped mine.

“I’ve got this. The shake was my treat, remember?”

“Next time I’ll buy.”

Granger’s grin was full on sexy when he looked at me and said, “So, there might be a next time?”

I shrugged, wondering where my ability to flirt had suddenly come from as I added innocently, “Well, if I get that job I might have some money of my own that I could be tempted to spend on you.”

"Well, if that’s the case and I’m able to get your company and more of these milkshakes, I might have to talk to the manager myself.”

I laughed out loud, and we both rose from the booth. The limited space put us standing extremely close to each other but not quite touching.

“Can I walk you back to your truck?” Granger asked. His offer didn’t surprise me. I’d noticed that about him at school. He was always opening doors for girls or waiting to sit at the table until Faith and I had taken our own seats. I found myself appreciating the qualities of a gentleman more and more as he walked me outside and to the space where I was parked. For now, the rain had turned into only a light drizzle.

“Thanks.” I said, looking up into his smiling face. His hands were occupied with his box of food, but I knew if they weren’t, he’d have opened the door for me. Instead, I slipped open the door myself and climbed up into the cab of the truck. Granger came around and leaned against the inside of the door.

“Thanks again for keeping me company while I waited for my order. I hope I didn’t hold you up.”

I shook my head, the loose tresses of my hair swirling around my face. “No, you didn’t, really. I was feeling a bit down about the job search. You cheered me up.”

One of Granger’s eyebrow lifted. “Was it me, or was it the milkshake that put that smile on your face?”

“Probably a little bit of both.”

He laughed out loud. I liked the sound. I knew he probably wanted to go and eat before his supper got cold, but I was enjoying the conversation and found myself reluctant to start the engine and pull away.

“I guess,” he said softly, taking a step closer to where I sat, “that for now, I’ll have to be satisfied with that answer.” Before I knew what was happening, he leaned in and softly kissed me on the cheek.

“Go straight home, okay, Pagan?”

I nodded, thinking it was an odd request, but not sure if I could speak to even comment.

Then Granger stepped back and used his elbow to shut the door to my truck before walking away.

I sat there for a minute, a little stunned by what had happened. If I’d had a phone, I would have called Faith and given her a play by play of the last thirty minutes to see if she could make heads or tails of it. I wasn’t sure what my feelings were about Granger, but I knew when he was around I felt - what was the word I was looking for?

Then it popped into my head.

Protected.

It seemed strange that it was the first word I thought of when someone as hot as Granger Panera was near me, but that’s how I felt. It was like nothing bad could happen with him there.

I started the truck’s engine intending to go straight home as I’d promised. I had nothing left to do in town and seeing the rain on my windshield was picking up again, there was no way I could do anything outside. My best choice was to go home and get started on my homework. I might be all mixed up in my feelings when it came to the guys I knew, but at least my work at school was something I could usually understand and completely handle.

Looking down at the floorboard where my backpack sat, I suddenly had a horrible thought. My bag had not seemed heavy at all when I'd left school, but I'd been preoccupied with how much my head hurt after the incident during gym to really think straight. I leaned over and unzipped my bag, quickly looking inside.

My history book, which I needed tonight, wasn't there.

I thought about the events of the afternoon, trying to figure out how I could have left the book at school. When I had gone to my locker after English class, I'd forgotten to turn in a pencil I'd borrowed, so I'd gone back to return it. I'd asked Faith to grab my book from my open locker and throw it in my bag because I knew I'd be pushed for time trying to get all the way across the school to gym class.

When I'd come back out, my locker was closed and my backpack was on the ground. I assumed Faith had put the book in there for me, but I should have checked. Obviously she hadn't heard me ask, or she would have done it. I needed my history book to complete my homework. There was always the chance that if I went back over to the school I wouldn't be able to get back inside this late in the afternoon, but I had to try.

The radio in my truck turned on easily with the push of a button, and I listened to several country songs as I drove across town. Out of habit, when I reached the school I drove around to the back of the building and parked in my assigned spot. It made sense actually, because if any door might still be unlocked, it would be the main one going into the gymnasium, especially if some type of practice was still going on. Unfortunately, the rain had picked up even more. I ran the entire way from my truck to the door of the school.

I was in luck. The back door opened easily. I slipped inside, out of the rain and hoped my luck would hold out so I could go all the way down the hall to where my locker was located.

There was no practice going on in the gymnasium. In fact, the school seemed unusually deserted. I only saw two other people as I cut across the back of the school, and they were both headed outside. I could only assume there must be away games this evening since the players on both basketball teams weren't around.

The lights throughout the halls were still turned on. I was glad. There was something eerie about being alone in a school.

I couldn't stop myself from shivering. It was probably simply from being wet and cold, but I sped up my steps all the same.

I looked up and saw one of the security cameras in the corner of the hall. There was no reassurance there. I knew they didn't work.

Faith had explained to me the cameras were all turned off. Most students didn't know the budget was cut last year, and there wasn't enough money to keep them running. The administration left the cameras up, hoping the equipment alone would fool enough students and still act as a deterrent to any behavior they didn't want happening in the halls.

Of course, the conversation had taken place after I told Faith what had happened with Granger and me on the way to registration. She assured me there was no footage for anyone to ever watch, so whatever strange thing I thought had happened that day wasn't caught on any camera.

Then she'd rolled her eyes and informed me that if I ever again felt the need to disappear around secluded corners to experience a romantic moment with any boy in the school, I'd be perfectly safe from any unwanted viewers. She was quick to make sure I knew she still maintained school was not the place to have a first kiss with anyone, especially a guy as hot as Granger Panera.

I heartily agreed, and thankfully, that had ended the conversation.

The rain pounded on the roof of the school bringing me back from my memories. I hoped the storm wasn't about to get too bad. I didn't have far to drive home, but I did still have to get from the building back to my truck, and I hadn't grabbed an umbrella or raincoat, preferring to simply make a run for it when I entered the building.

Finally reaching my locker, I quickly put in the combination. I felt a sense of satisfaction as the door swung open on my first try.

Inside the metal cubicle was the book I needed. I slipped it out and into the crook of my arm and then slammed the locker shut. The sound was loud and echoed in the halls. Surprised, I heard another locker shut somewhere nearby. The idea that someone else was near shouldn't have made me nervous - after all, I was in a school, but I found myself suddenly in a hurry to leave.

I'd only taken a few steps when a loud clap of thunder shook the school. The storm was definitely overhead now. I began to move quickly, but not fast enough. The lights overhead blinked. Before I could make it any further down the hall, the entire school was plunged into darkness.

It took more than a moment for my eyes to adjust to the loss of light. Further down the hall I could see one emergency exit sign glowing in the otherwise pitch black of the halls. I knew it wasn't where I'd entered, but I didn't care. If I could make it to the door, I was going to leave that way, even if it meant running through the rain to get to my truck. Barely able to see, I began the walk toward the glowing beacon. I mentally cursed not having a cell phone. Even if I hadn't wanted to call anyone, I could have used the light from the phone to see where I was going.

I took a few more steps when another round of thunder shook the building. When the noise died down, the quiet seemed even heavier than before. My ears strained to hear any noise that might be out of place when a sound from behind me made me freeze.

My heart picked up its beat. Goosebumps broke out on my arms. I could hear someone breathing.

There was someone in the building with me.

Still in the darkness, I reached out my hand and found the edge of the lockers that ran down the center of the hall. I slipped behind them so that I was no longer standing out in the open.

My back pressed against the cold, metal wall as I strained to listen.

The noise had stopped.

I wanted to believe I was being ridiculous. It was crazy to be scared of something simply because I couldn't see. Whoever was there was probably the same person I'd heard at the lockers earlier. He was probably as scared as I was right now.

But I knew it wasn't true.

Whoever or whatever was with me in the darkness was what I always felt near me. It was my secret fear. It was familiar, and I knew it wasn’t there to be my friend.

The metal from the lockers felt cool against my head as I leaned back against it. I had to think. I couldn’t doubt myself. This feeling of being watched wasn’t my imagination. I wasn’t paranoid. Something was in this building with me, and I didn't believe it was another student. I couldn't stay where I was and wait for it to find me.

The exit sign still seemed too far away. My heart was beating so fast now I wasn't sure if I could even make it to the door. If only the lights would come back on, then I could see to make a run for the nearest way out of the building.

Of course, if there wasn't anything out there, then I was being ridiculous. But if I was right, and the evil I felt was real, then staying in one place was making it easy for whatever was there to find me.

I decided to make a run for it.

The minute I started to move, answering footsteps echoed behind me. Unable to stand not knowing, I braved one quick look over my shoulder. It was still too dark to see clearly, but there was something there, and it was moving fast.

Then, without warning, the hall was flooded with light.

The unexpected brightness was blinding. I stumbled but then caught my balance as I dared to glance over my shoulder again.

I couldn't believe it.

There was nothing there.

The hall was empty.

But I didn't stop running.

Seconds later I made it to the exit. My hand reached out for the metal bar that would open the door and free me from the building. At the exact same moment, a face appeared out of nowhere and pressed against the glass.

My screams echoed through the halls of the school.

"Sweetheart, don't scream. It's me. Let me inside. It's locked from out here, and I'm going to get struck by lightning if you don't open the door for me, love."

Keller's voice was muffled, but I could still understand him through the glass door.