Making a face, I rest my gaze on the shimmering surface of the pond.
Could I really have locked myself in my bedroom and just…forgot?
Chapter 13
Holy Hell—It Was You!
Before I moved to Windhaven, the biggest mystery in my life was whose grave was I sitting next to. There are so many strange things that have happened since I moved here, and it’s making my head spin.
When I pull into the parking lot for school the following day, I spot Colton and Cat right away. I straighten my shoulders and try to act totally normal. Between my own inner confusion and their strange behavior, I just gotta find some common ground.
“Hey, Autumn,” Cat says, waving as I get closer. Her smile is broad and open, like nothing strange happened at all yesterday.
Colton briefly smiles, but drops his gaze to his feet. His left hand reaches up, running across the back of his neck. “I uh, I gotta go,” he half-whispers. “See ya later, Cat.”
Without so much as a hi to me, he stomps off.
My eyebrows rise on their own accord. He’s one of the stranger people I’ve met, for sure.
“Okay, see ya, Colton,” I say, mock-waving. “Yeesh, still haven’t had the chance to introduce myself properly to him.”
Cat shakes her head, chuckling under her breath. “He’s socially inept and not super good around the opposite sex.”
“You aren’t kidding,” I say, watching him enter the school. “Though he seems just fine with you.”
“I’m not dating material,” Cat says, giving me a knowing look that stops me in my tracks.
“Uh, what?”
“He’s not gonna date his sister. That would be gross,” she reiterates.
“Oh, yeah, that would be super weird…” I say, my voice trailing off.
I make a mental note to mention Wade when Colton’s around.
Shaking it off, I turn back to Cat. “So, ready for class?”
She gives me one of her broadest smiles, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “Sure am.”
Cat leads the way, giving me clues and tips on the best way to get through the school to various classes. Different routes we hadn’t tried the day before. As we turn the last corner to Intro to Essential Life Energies, I’m bowled over, landing hard on the tiled floor.
“Ouch. Watch where you’re—” I begin.
Hovering over me is a tall, slim guy with white-blond hair. Instantly, I know it’s the same dude who carved up my car.
“You…” I say, my breath a rushed whisper.
Taking a step back, he quirks an eyebrow like he’s God’s gift. He smirks and I have the sudden urge to kick him in the shin while I’m down here.
“You know Dominic?” Cat asks, offering me a hand to get back up.
“You wanna explain how we know each other?” I ask, glaring into his crystal-blue eyes.
Widening his stance, he adjusts the collar on his leather bomber jacket. “Sorry lady, I think you must have me confused with—”
“Like hell I do,” I interrupt, brushing off my ass. “You’re the jerk who keyed up my car.”
“Wait, what?” Cat says, flitting her gaze back and forth between us.
“Yeah, this is the guy who carved veritas vos liberabit on the back of my damn car,” I spit, jabbing a thumb his direction.
“Dom, was that you?” Cat sputters, her lips making a large o.
He holds his hands up. “I have no idea what this crazy chick is talking about.”
“Oh, don’t be coy. You know damn well you’re the one who did it,” I fire back.
People disappear into the classrooms all around us, pretty much announcing it’s time to get our collective asses to class.
“It’s been real, but I gotta bolt,” Dominic says, grinning like the psychopath he is. He sidesteps the two of us and continues on his way.
“Come on, Autumn. We can deal with this later,” Cat says, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me along to our classroom.
Dominic winks at me—a move that instantly reminds me of Wade. My cheeks burn in anger and I have the sudden urge to go back and punch him in the nose.
“It was him… I know it was,” I begin.
“Okay, okay. We can sort all of this out later,” Cat says, pulling me behind her.
“How do you know that guy? He’s such a jerk,” I protest in her wake.
“Later,” she says, rushing into the classroom.
We take our seats just in the nick of time, but she turns to me and says, “If it was him, we’ll get this all sorted out, okay?”
“Sure,” I mutter, trying to seem more upbeat than I actually feel.
Cat nods. “Look, I know I was acting a little weird yesterday. I hope I didn’t—"
“Don’t worry about it,” I mutter, swiping my hand in the air. “I have bigger things to worry about.”
“Good. I mean, not that you have other things going on. It’s just that… I’m really worried about this water creature thing. I was a kid the last time something like this happened, so I don’t remember much, but I do remember it was terrifying there for a while.” She shoots me a significant glance.
“Don’t worry about it. I totally get it,” I say, pulling out my notebook and pen.
She sucks in a ragged breath, nodding to herself, and turns to face the front of the class.
We spend the next hour, sitting in silence as Mrs. Karlgaard discusses the Root Chakra and its effects on the way our powers manifest and why it’s the gateway for everything. Cat even gets to show off her ability with fire, as Mrs. Karlgaard uses her as an example of how to connect to your source of power. While the discussion has its fascinating moments, my mind doesn’t stray far from Dominic and how I can make him pay for the damages to Blue.
The bell rings and I’m the first one up—ready to bolt out the door and interrogate Cat some more. Cat’s quick too, as she grabs her bag and chases after me. When we get out in the hall, Colton joins us. His hands are in his
