Spiral (Spiral Series) (35 page)

“Stuff about what?” Maxie asked, but she wasn’t really listening. Three cute guys were walking past us and her eyes followed them like they were a tasty-looking lunch.

“It’s nice that even if we live in the boonies there are still hot guys around,” she said. “I think that’s a misinterpretation of boonies most people have. It’s just not true that hot guys are only in the city. I mean, look at Andrew, Jackson, and Pierce. Wow. They rival any guy I’ve ever seen.”

“Does everything revolve around guys for you?” Jill demanded, glaring at our brown-haired friend.

“I just know what’s important in life,” said Maxie, sticking her chin out. “Hot guys are important.”

“What about nice guys?” I asked.

Maxie looked at me like I had two heads. “A combination of the two is good. But how nice can they be if they haven’t spent time working on their abs to look good for us?”

“Excellent point. Any guy without a six pack has to be totally selfish,” said Jill dryly.

“That’s all I’m saying,” said Maxie.

“You and Jackson will work it out,” said Jill. “You always do.”

I wasn’t so sure this time. My entire world had been turned upside down, and the only thing that felt familiar was my connection to these two friends. Even if it wasn’t technically Jackson’s fault - it’s not like he had turned me into a unicorn, after all - he had still chosen not to tell me AND to pretend to be my friend.

For years I had wanted to be with Jackson and nothing had changed that, even though I knew he didn’t care about me in the same way. Then Pierce had come along, and I had found out that everything Jackson and I had was a lie. Now I had no idea what to do.

 “Come on,” I said. “Let’s shop.” Something normal.

After a few hours of shopping, during at least some of which I blissfully forgot about all my worries, we decided to go see Andrew in the hospital. I wasn’t sure how I felt about going back. I wasn’t even sure if it was really safe for me to be out and about, but I was determined to go. I had a feeling that despite Jackson’s keeping his distance, he was somewhere close. And if he hadn’t been lying about Pierce, then Pierce would be coming back soon too. I couldn’t wait to talk to him. Chief on my mind was the story he had told at the romance slam. I needed to ask him a thing or two about that.

“Andrew is so cute,” Maxie murmured as we neared his room.

“He’s Nat brother, you can’t have him,” Jill said instantly.

“Hey, gorgeous is gorgeous, even if he’s off limits.”

I felt weird walking back into the room where I had found out that my healing was a supernatural power, or I was a supernatural being, or something.

Andrew’s face brightened instantly when he saw us. “How are you?” he asked, gingerly pushing himself up in bed. “I was hoping you’d come by.”

“We’re fine, but how are you feeling?” Jill asked, when it became clear I was too shy to say anything.

“I’m awesome,” he said. “I’m trying to convince the doctors to let me out of here tomorrow. There’s not much of school or baseball left and I’m sick of sitting here doing nothing. I feel fine,” he added mulishly.

“Wait, you aren’t planning on playing baseball, are you?” asked Jill, horrified.

“Of course I am,” Andrew scoffed. “Why not?”

“Um, let’s see, because you had a bus run over you? Literally.”

Andrew waved a casual hand. “Details. The point is, I’m fine. Jill, seriously, you are sounding like my mom. It’s not a role I ever saw for you.”

I was stunned to see Jill blush. From the look on Maxie’s face she was equally surprised.

“Is Casey visiting?” Maxie asked slyly. “Or any of your other cute friends?”

“Maxie,” said Andrew with wonder, “it’s amazing that you don’t have a boyfriend.”

Maxie beamed at him. “Oh, don’t worry. It’s more fun this way.”

“So, tell us what happened,” said Jill. “When Natalie left to come see you, your mom thought you might die. The next thing we know you’re getting better and not only set for a full recovery, but champing at the bit to get out of here and play baseball..”

Andrew relaxed back onto his pillows and closed his eyes. “I have no idea. I don’t remember the accident or anything else until I woke up on Saturday and mom was crying. The doctors seriously couldn’t believe it. I have never seen my mom like that. Have you seen her?” Andrew addressed that question to me.

I shook my head. “No, I was too tired yesterday and Jackson and I had a fight. She’s been staying here all weekend.”

Andrew nodded. “She should be back any minute. She just went to get some coffee.”

For some reason I felt like a ball of nerves. Even if Olivia didn’t know it, I had saved her son’s life, and I somehow that felt incredibly awkward.

It was even more awkward when she actually walked in. Her steely eyes met mine, and whatever it was that was in their depths, I couldn’t read it. She walked right up to me.

Surprised at her death grip embrace, I wrapped my arms around her in return, trying to murmur reassuringly even as I felt like nothing in the world was certain.

She pulled away from me only briefly, then came back.

“Thank you,” she murmured so that only I could hear. “Thank you.”

I looked at her in bewilderment. “For what?”

She smiled. “Being there for my son. Your family. It’s wonderful.”

“Sure,” I muttered. “Any time. That’s what family is for.”

She smiled indulgently at me. “Of course.”

With a sweep of her body she moved past me, displacing Jill, who had been standing next to Andrew’s bed. The three of us moved away as Olivia checked Andrew over.

“Are you alright?” she asked him.

“Well, we should get out of your way,” said Maxie, looking a little peeved that Olivia had moved us out of the way.

“No, don’t go,” said Andrew, sitting up again. “Mom, I’m fine. How many times do I have to tell you? Please stay,” he said, looking at us.

We ended up staying for an hour, during which Olivia never left Andrew’s side despite his efforts to get her to go. The conversation was nothing if not stilted and awkward.

“Geez,” said Maxie once we were safely away. “It’s not like I wanted to have some big conversation about a drunken party, but it was weird with his mom there.”

“She’s really protective,” I said, shrugging. I was still lost in thought. I had known that seeing Andrew would be a shock: he was healthy, and I had done it. It was one thing to do the healing - to use my “hele,” as Pierce called it - but it was another to see the results.

“Earth to Natalie, come in Natalie, this is mission control.” Jill was snapping her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. I shoved her hand out of the way and grinned.

“I should get home. I still have homework to do,” I said absently. What I really wanted to do was go in search of Pierce.

“Yeah, sure, we should all get right on that,” said Maxie.

Once I was home I tried to relax. For the first time in years I didn’t want to talk to, let alone see, Jackson. I just wanted to hear from Pierce, but the minutes slowed down until I thought I might go crazy. I sent him lots of texts, but he didn’t answer any of them. Pretty soon, I decided, I would just go over to his house again and see if he was there. Jackson had said that the Silves had come for him, but given that I had deserted him, that didn’t help the panic that washed over me. Then a text came through.

I need to see you. Now.

Having just walked in the door, I raced right back out again.

It was a desperate move, messaging Natalie. Given the power of the Visioners over electrical currents, I was almost certain they’d be tracing her phone - and mine, too, for that matter. But I had to see her, first to make sure she was okay and second to finish explaining what had happened when the Visioners attacked us. I was relieved that her Watchful had gotten her out of danger, but I knew she was only safe temporarily.

I didn’t bother to go back to the house after I left Locke. I knew Eric would be there, and I didn’t want to argue with him. Instead, I waited until Natalie messaged me back. I felt better when it didn’t take her long.

I’m coming. Where should I meet you?

I told her I’d be outside her house in five minutes. When she didn’t answer, I went to wait. Once I got there I watched the dark house and checked around for Visioners. There was no sign of them or of Jackson or even of Natalie’s dad. He was probably still at the hospital with her mom, which left her home alone.

She came racing out the door and looked around uncertainly. Even in the dim light her hair blazed white. When she caught a glimpse of me she came running over.

“How are you holding up?” I asked her.

She just nodded. She looked more solid and in control than she had in the park, as if she was getting used to her new world. I just wished there wasn’t still so much more to tell her.

“Are you alright?” she asked, smiling at me as her eyes checked me over for injuries. She paused when she came to the bruise on my head. Sucking air in through her teeth she said, “Who did that?”

“My Watchful.”

“He needs to reread his job description,” said Natalie, her face full of anger.

I smiled a genuine smile, the first I’d managed since the last time I was with her. “Yeah, I couldn’t agree more.”

Natalie hesitated for only the briefest second before she reached up and touched her soft hand to my temple. Instantly, the throbbing that had been plaguing me since I woke up stopped. I looked at her in wonder.

“You shouldn’t be able to do that.”

She shrugged. “Apparently I am a super cool Spiral. Or so I’ve been told. No one knows what I can do.” Her easy acknowledgement of the situation we were in made my heart ache. “If we knew what I could do, the Visioners wouldn’t be after me, would they?” she murmured.

I shrugged. “If they knew just how powerful you are, they probably would be.”

“There’s so much I need to know,” she said. “But it doesn’t feel like there’s any time.”

I took her hand and she didn’t pull away. “I’ll tell you everything I know, and we’ll figure out the rest together. Promise.”

“When?”

I rolled my shoulders, trying to release the tension. “I know there’s a lot we need to talk about. I want to hear about your nightmare, for one thing, but there’s something happening tonight that you should see. It doesn’t happen often, so I wanted to take you.”

She pursed her lips, then nodded. “Okay.” Her voice was low and quiet, soothing just like her presence.

Without hesitation she followed me. Healing Andrew had been a turning point for us, one I would never let us go back from. She trusted me now. It was a relief to be taking her away from the house, and as we crept through the woods she didn’t make a sound behind me.

“Where are we going?” she whispered.

“Up into the mountains,” I said. I didn’t want to spoil the surprise just yet.

“Was the story you told at the romance slam true?” Her voice was quiet, but insistent.

“Yes,” I said softly. “Every word.”

I didn’t look at her. I didn’t want to see my own pain mirrored in her eyes, but she halted and tugged on my arm and I was forced to turn towards her.