The Chronicles of Winterset: Oracle (2 page)

“No thanks,” I replied immediately, effectively cutting him off. I definitely didn’t want to go with Jared Sutherland. He may be Kellin’s friend, but he was a creep as far as I was concerned. I’d heard stories about him with other girls, and I wasn’t about to end up slapping the skin off my date’s face because he couldn’t keep his hands to himself.

“Just a thought,” he murmured sheepishly. “I know he’s a little too, um, excitable, but I’d be there to keep him in line.”

“Don’t worry about it.” I forced a smile. “It’s cool. I’m sure I’ll find a date by then. There’s still plenty of time, right?”

“You’re damn right she will,” Mel’s voice cut in from behind me. I turned and smiled at my best friend. She was a pretty girl with a cute upturned nose, large brown eyes, and caramel-colored hair that fell just past her slender shoulders. She was on the cheer squad with me, and we both shared the same dislike for Courtney Fox and her friend Sasha White.

“Good,” Kellin murmured, his eyes intent on me, something churning beneath them that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Was it pity? Sympathy? Either one made my stomach roll.

The bell rang and I jumped, my mind still on the look in Kellin’s eyes. I’d spent my extra study time talking to my friends, and now I wouldn’t be able to look at my notes before class. Not that it mattered. I wouldn’t have been able to concentrate anyway, not with Kellin so close or with the strange feeling I was still having.

“Damnit,” I groaned, slamming my locker door closed, my heart giving a start as the strange feeling bore down on me.

“What?” Mel asked.

“Mr. Gillis is giving us a test today, and I didn’t get to study because we stayed out too late last night,” I sighed.

“You’re kidding, right?” Kellin chortled from beside me. “You’re the smartest person in our class. Hell, you’re the smartest person in the whole damn school. You can’t seriously be worried about a test. You could just close your eyes and the answers would come to you!”

Mel rolled her eyes and agreed with Kellin.

“She’s ridiculous. Seriously, Ana, when was the last time you ever got anything less than an A? Honestly.” Mel teased as she fell into step beside me.

I grumbled an inaudible answer, causing Mel to chuckle.

“Exactly. Stop worrying so much,” she said, nudging me with her elbow. When we stopped outside my chemistry class, I was surprised Kellin was still behind us. Mel looked at me, her dark eyebrows raised high. Without another word, she walked away from us, heading in the direction of her literature class.

“Hey,” Kellin said running his fingers through his thick, blond hair and giving me a small smile. “There’s a party at Kevin’s Friday night after the game. I was wondering if you’d be there.”

“Oh, I’m not sure,” I said, furrowing my forehead. Kevin Hall was another one of Kellin’s friends and was also on the football team. His house was party central, and I typically spent most of my time avoiding the whole party scene. I’d rather go for a run than hang out in a stuffy house filled with cigarette smoke and loud music. Besides, Kevin had a party every other week so even if I missed it, it’s not like it wouldn’t happen again in a few days.

“I hope you go. It would be nice to hang out with you outside of school and air hockey,” he commented, a nervous smile on his lips. “I think you’d have fun at Kevin’s.”

“Kel, there you are!” Courtney’s disgustingly syrupy sweet voice interrupted us. She walked up, wrapped her tan arms around his waist, and kissed him lightly on the lips. It must be their back on phase. I prayed I was wrong and they were simply only going to homecoming. Sasha White, Courtney’s equally evil friend, was beside her shooting me a reproachful look as she tossed her dark hair over her shoulder.

“Hey,” he replied, glancing at me with an apologetic look. Courtney shook her mane of long, strawberry-blonde hair and looked at me like I was something gross she’d stepped in.

“Ana,” she simpered, a thin, fake smile on her red lips. “I hope you’ve been working on our homecoming routine. Last practice, you looked like you were lost out there on the field. We’re only as good as our weakest cheerleader, and let’s face it—that’s you.”

“Right,” I said through gritted teeth. “I’ll see you later, Kellin.”

“Ana—” he started helplessly but was silenced when Courtney planted her mouth on his again.

I walked into the classroom before I did something I’d regret. My hands were tingling with rage, something that had never happened to me before. I was usually a very reserved person, but I didn’t like it when I was made fun of, especially when it was in front of Kellin.

I sat in chemistry, my jaw tense as I thought about how embarrassed I’d felt. It was common knowledge that I’d once been a gymnast. My parents had moved us to Three Oaks when I was in ninth grade. My dad was a trauma surgeon, and he’d been offered a job at Mercy Medical as director of the department, a job he’d wanted for a long time. When it was offered, he scooped us up, and off we went. I’d been an avid gymnast until the move, but there weren’t any gymnastics offered here, so I joined cheerleading as a fallback. I hated it, but it was as close as I could get to my beloved gymnastics, so I did it, fake smile on my face and all.

I was deep in thought when my body began to tingle. A warm flush came over me, and I pulled my eyes up from my test to see the most gorgeous guy walk through the door to Mr. Gillis’s first-hour chemistry class. I felt him before I saw him, which seemed odd, but I brushed the thought off as all the girls in class caught sight of him with sharp intakes of breath around me followed by excited whispers.

His shaggy black hair fell haphazardly into his equally dark eyes; his full lips were set in a firm line, and those dark eyes were hooded by thick, sooty lashes. His long-sleeved black shirt clung to his torso, the muscles easily outlined beneath it, and his dark denim jeans hung low on his hips. He looked around the classroom disinterestedly, his eyes falling on me and stopping.

I dragged in a slow breath while he studied me, and his lips quirked up into a playful smile as I tore my eyes away from his intensity.

“Class, it appears we have a new student,” Mr. Gillis said, looking up from the slip of paper the guy had handed him. “This is Calix Night. Calix, we’re in the middle of a test here. I know you’re unprepared for it, but I’d like you to take it just the same. It’ll help gauge where you are on the subject, and maybe we can get you up to speed if we need to.”

I glanced at Calix quickly as Mr. Gillis handed him a copy of the test. Calix’s eyes were still on me, and the small smile lingered on those gorgeous full lips.

“Have a seat next to Miss Winters, please. Miss Winters, raise your hand so Mr. Night knows who you are,” Mr. Gillis called out. I raised my trembling hand into the air, and the smile broadened on Calix’s face as he made his way over to my lab table.

He sat down and I felt the air crackle around him, sending the small hairs on my arms straight up. The smell of his cologne wafted to me and I closed my eyes. He smelled woodsy, like the outdoors, with a hint of spice. It was the best smell I’d ever experienced, lame as that sounds.

“Hello,” he murmured, his deep voice holding an undeniably sexy accent I couldn’t quite place. It made him even more appealing.

“Hi,” I murmured, my voice trembling. I buried my face in my test to avoid further conversation with him. He chuckled as he looked down at his paper.

“Miss Winters, would you happen to have a pencil I could borrow?” he whispered, leaning into me, his warm breath tickling my ear and sending another thrill of gooseflesh across my skin.

I fumbled clumsily through my bag, fully aware of how red my face was, and handed him the pencil. When his fingers brushed mine, a surge of energy flowed through me. It surprised me, and I snapped my eyes to him quickly, only to find him staring back at me, his dark eyes locked on mine.

“Thank you,” he said calmly, his eyes never leaving my own. I shook my head and pulled my attention away from him, forcing myself to get focused on my test.

I was fully aware of Calix’s nearness the entire duration of the test. He seemed to take up the whole room, in fact, and it appeared he was already gathering a fan base.

Mr. Gillis assigned us a simple lab for the remainder of the class, and I wasn’t surprised when he came over to our table as I was trying to dig out supplies.

“Miss Winters, would you mind taking Mr. Night as your lab partner?” he asked kindly. He leaned down closer to me and continued in a low whisper. “You’re one of my best students, and I think he’d do well with you.”

I nodded, swallowing hard, and glanced at Calix, who was studying me closely, an impassive look on his god-like face.

“Y-yes, that will be fine,” I murmured breathlessly.

Mr. Gillis nodded and walked away to scold Brad Jenkins, who was trying to set his chemistry book on fire with his Bunsen burner.

“You must be very good,” Calix’s deep voice cut through my thoughts as I placed our supplies out on the table.

“I’m OK,” I replied softly. He chuckled and closed the space between us. I looked up at him nervously, unable to breathe at his sudden nearness, an incredible rush of energy coursing through me.

He reached forward and picked up the chemicals from beside me and began mixing them together like he was born knowing what he was doing.

“You seem to know your way around a chemistry set,” I commented as I slid my protective eye gear up on my face.

“I’m a fast learner,” he answered, glancing at me quickly.

“Hi,” Sasha’s silky voice said from behind Calix. I groaned inwardly. Of course she’d make herself known; she was just as bad as Courtney.

“Hello,” Calix replied, taking in her looks, his eyes quickly roaming from her toes up to her face.

“My name is Sasha,” she simpered, holding out her hand. He shook her hand, his dark eyes shining as his lips curled into a small smile.

God, he was hot.

I bit my lip and turned away as Sasha twirled her hair and giggled. He listened to her while continuing to work on our lab. I pitched in and began writing notes, not once saying a word.

I was surprised when I felt his warm hand on the small of my back suddenly, and I jumped. Sasha immediately fell silent as his attention roved to me.

“Miss Winters, I think it would be wise of you to pull all that beautiful hair back before you catch it on fire,” Calix remarked gently, pushing my hair back over my shoulders. “I’d hate to play firefighter my first day here. I figured I’d save that role for later.”

I squeaked out a thank you and hastily pulled my hair up into a messy ponytail. He was right; we were supposed to keep our hair pulled up in lab. I’d completely flaked on it.

“That was nice of you,” Sasha said sweetly, touching his arm gently. He shot me a quick wink, and I felt my face grow red again. What was wrong with me? I was blushing more than a whore in church.

“Sasha, as much as I’m enjoying our conversation,” Calix said suddenly, “I’d really like to get this lab done, and I don’t want you to miss out on doing yours. It looks like your partner could really use your help over there.”

Channing Hastings was clumsily moving items around on their table, his large glasses falling down his nose and sweat dotting his forehead as he tried to work on their lab.

“He’s fine,” Sasha said waving him off with a roll of her eyes.

“What if I told you that your beauty is distracting me from finishing mine?” His voice was like silk, and I made a point of burying my nose deeper into the notes I was taking.

“Really? OK,” Sasha breathed out, batting her eyes at him and stepping away from our table.

“We can talk later,” he said firmly.

“OK,” Sasha repeated breathily, continuing to bat her lashes. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“I look forward to it,” he replied, the smile creeping back onto his lips. He was such a flirt.

Sasha walked away, her hips swaying. I caught Calix watching her go, a smirk still on his face. We worked in silence for a few moments longer before I finished the last of my notes.

“I think we’re about done here,” I said, clearing my throat and setting my pencil down.

“I’d have to agree, Miss Winters,” Calix replied, looking over to me.

“A-Ana,” I stammered.

He stared at me, a smile dancing on his lips.

“My name. Um, my friends call me Ana. You don’t need to call me Miss Winters,” I continued, feeling like a goon.

“I was wondering when you were going to tell me your name,” he spoke lazily. I forced a smile and started putting our supplies away, hoping to get away from his suffocating presence. It wasn’t that I wasn’t enjoying the view, he just seemed to overpower me, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“In a hurry to get away from me?” he asked, suddenly breaking into my thoughts.

“N-no,” I replied quickly, wondering if he was a mind reader. “I just like to have everything taken care of before the bell rings.”

“A bit uptight, huh?” he mused, his voice suddenly stirring a familiar memory in my mind that I couldn’t quite place, like a whisper I’d heard before.

“Excuse me?” I asked, taken aback. I was not uptight!

“You seem like you’re wound a little too tight. So what if your supplies aren’t put away by the time the bell rings?”

“That would make me late for my next class,” I huffed, my sudden irritation at his words nipping at me.

“Which would make you uptight,” he concluded, laughing softly. I shot him a look, which only broadened the smile on his face.

I shut my notebook a little too forcefully, folded my arms across my chest, and eyed the clock. I definitely couldn’t wait to get away from him. Who did he think he was anyway? So what if he was gorgeous! That didn’t give him the right to act like an ass.

“You’re also a little sensitive,” he murmured, sinking down into his seat.

“What?” I blubbered. “I am not sensitive!”

“Then why are you so upset?” he prodded, his dark eyes shining mischievously.

“I’m not! I’m . . . never mind,” I snapped, stuffing my books into my bag. I didn’t need to explain anything to him, and I wouldn’t.

The bell rang then, and I grabbed my bag and hauled butt out of there before I said something I’d regret. The strange fluttering feeling in my chest intensified, and I glanced over my shoulder to find him staring at me, his dark eyes narrowed, Sasha already trying to cling to his arm.