Chapter 29 The kiss

Chapter 29 The kiss
Casey crashes into me so hard I almost lose my balance.

"Oh my God."

Her arms wrap around me carefully, then tighten anyway.

"I thought you died."

"I didn't," I murmur into her shoulder.

"But only just."

She pulls back immediately, eyes wide.

"Don't joke about that."

"I'm not."

The words hang between us.

Casey's expression crumples before she pulls me into another hug.

"You're too tough for your own good."

"I know."

Behind her, Derrick watches us with quiet patience. His arms hanging lose at is sides, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans.

For the first time since everything happened, I see some of the tension leave his shoulders. And the strange tightness in my stomach returns, and my heart rate jolts.

Casey notices him a second later.

She steps away from me, rubbing quickly at her eyes before walking over to him.

"Thank you."

Derrick looks almost surprised.

"For what?"

"For bringing her to say goodbye."

His expression softens, the corner of his mouth lifting into a small smile.

"I promised I would."

Casey nods, swallowing hard.

"Still... thank you."

A teacher walking past glances toward us.

"You girls heading inside?"

Casey gives a quick nod.

"We were actually just going."

Derrick reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulls out a folded envelope.

"The office already knows you're withdrawing."

He hands it to me.

"The receptionist has the transfer paperwork ready." And just like that my stomach sinks to my feet.

Transfer.

It suddenly feels real.

"I'll walk you to the office." Casey says smiling at Derrick. There's a sadness in her smile I haven't noticed before and I wonder if she really likes Derrick more than she lets on.

Derrick's gaze slides over to me and I see it there. He's about to break her heart. He's chosing me again.

"I'm going to walk Casey to the office," Derrick says. "You can empty your locker while we sort out the paperwork."

He studies me for a moment.

"But don't wander off."

I roll my eyes automatically.

"I'm just cleaning out my locker."

"I know."

His gaze lingers another second.

"Still."

"I won't go far."

He finally nods.

Casey gives me one last quick squeeze.

"I'll meet you back here."

Then the two of them disappear down the hallway toward the administration offices.

For a second I simply stand there.

Students stream past on either side of me.

Lockers slam.

Someone laughs down the corridor.

Everything feels exactly the same.

Except me.

I make my way toward my locker.

Every step echoes louder than it should.

By the time I reach it, the familiar blue metal door feels strangely foreign.

This locker has been my little corner of normal for almost three months.

Photos.

Sticky notes.

Forgotten homework.

A crumpled packet of gum hiding behind my chemistry textbook.

I twist the combination lock.

Click.

The door swings open.

I start pulling books into my backpack one at a time.

History.

Chemistry.

My sketchbook.

The little ceramic heart Casey made me in art class.

A lump forms in my throat.

I don't even know if I'll ever come back here.

The hallway suddenly goes quiet behind me.

Not silent.

Just...

Still.

The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

The strange energy beneath my skin stirs.

My heart starts pounding as if my body is getting ready for something.

Before I can turn—

Something yanks me backward.

Pain shoots through my healing shoulder as rough fingers grab hold of it and spin me around.

My back slams against the row of lockers.

Metal rattles down the hallway.

A hand crashes against the locker beside my head.

Another cages me in.

My pulse is pounding in my ears and my head swims for a moment before he comes into focus.

Jesse is so close I can smell stale cigarette smoke clinging to his hoodie.

His green grey eyes are wild.

Bloodshot.

Furious.

His eyes meet mine and a strange warmth beneath my skin surges like electricity trapped inside my veins.

I suck in a shaky breath.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Jesse hisses.

Every word drips venom.

My mouth opens.

Nothing comes out.

He steps even closer.

"I've been calling you."

His voice shakes now.

"Texting you."

"I..."

"I would have gone to your house if I knew where you lived."

His jaw clenches so tightly I hear his teeth grind.

"No one would tell me anything."

His hands clamp onto both my shoulders.

Hard.

Pain flares through my bruises.

He shakes me.

"Do you have any idea how worried I've been?"

The words stop me.

Worried? Why would he be worried about me?

For one impossible second, I almost believe him.

Then his fingers dig deeper into my shoulders.

Too hard.

Too controlling.

Like I owe him an explanation.

Like my disappearance belongs to him.

The energy beneath my skin swells.

Hot.

Restless.

Hungry.

Something inside me whispers.

Move.

Push him away.

Now.

Jesse grabs my elbow and drags me toward the nearest bathroom.
A girl is standing at the sink, reapplying her mascara. She startles when we burst through the door.

"Get the fuck out," Jesse barks.

Her eyes widen. She hurriedly stuffs her makeup into her bag.

"You can't be in here!" she shouts, but she's already backing toward the door.

A second later, she's gone.

The door swings shut behind her.

Jesse turns back to me and presses me against the tiled wall.

My heart lurches.
He catches my chin in one hand, gripping it hard enough to force my face upward.
Before I can gather a single coherent thought, his lips crash into mine.
He's kissing me like a starved man.
The shock steals the air from my lungs. My lips part on a startled gasp, and he takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his hand sliding to the back of my head tilting into the perfect angle.
The knot in my stomach tightens painfully but I can't fight the desire to kiss him back.

My fingers clutch the front of his hoodie as he steps closer, pressing his body flush against mine.

He breaks the kiss only when we're both struggling for air.

His forehead rests against mine, his eyes still closed.

"You will never leave me like that again," he says, his voice rough. "Do you understand?"

His breath fans across my face.

I try to answer, but I can't seem to find my voice.

I can't reconcile the Jesse I knew before I fell with the one standing in front of me now.

He lifts a trembling hand and brushes his fingers along my jaw.

The heat of his touch burns against my skin. Matching the flames that are coursing through my veins