Chapter 36 A Touch That Burns
Calix Pov
I showed up to classroom 3B at exactly four o'clock. Not a minute early. Not a minute late. I didn't want to be there before anyone else. Didn't want to be alone in that room waiting for her.
The door was already open when I got there. Five other students were sitting around the tables that had been pushed together. I recognized most of them. Sarah from my biology class. Marcus who played on the soccer team. Two girls I didn't know. And Maddie.
She sat at the far end of the table. Her head was down. She was hiding behind a folder full of papers. Pretending to read something. Pretending I wasn't there.
Good. That made two of us.
I took the seat at the opposite end. As far from her as possible. Put my backpack on the table. Pulled out a notebook. Didn't look at her. Didn't acknowledge her. Just sat there stiff and uncomfortable.
"Okay so I guess we should start," Sarah said when nobody else spoke. "Professor Davis said we need to plan activities for the welcome party."
"What kind of activities?" Marcus asked. He was spinning a pen between his fingers. Looked as bored as I felt.
"Icebreakers probably," one of the girls said. "Games to help people get to know each other."
"That sounds lame," Marcus said.
"It's supposed to be lame," Sarah said. "That's the whole point of freshman events."
I wasn't listening. Was too aware of Maddie sitting at the other end of the table. Too aware of her breathing. Her scent. The way she kept shifting in her seat like she was uncomfortable.
The bond pulled at my chest. Constant. Insistent. Demanding I look at her. Demanding I move closer. I ignored it. Kept my eyes on my blank notebook.
"Calix what do you think?" Sarah asked.
I looked up. Everyone was staring at me. "About what?"
"About the icebreaker games," Sarah said slowly like I was stupid. "Should we do two truths and a lie or something else?"
"I don't care," I said. My voice came out cold. Harsher than I meant. "Whatever you want is fine."
Sarah's eyebrows went up but she didn't say anything. Just turned back to the others. "Okay so two truths and a lie it is."
"We also need to assign mentor groups," one of the other girls said. "Each of us takes a few freshmen and shows them around campus."
"How many freshmen are there?" Marcus asked.
"Twenty," Sarah said. She had obviously actually read the assignment. "So we each take about three or four."
"Maddie you've been quiet," the other girl said. "What do you think?"
I couldn't help it. My eyes went to her. She was still hiding behind her folder. Her knuckles were white from gripping it too hard.
"I think whatever you guys decide is fine," Maddie said quietly. "I'm not good at planning things."
"Come on you have to have some opinions," Sarah pushed. "This is your event too."
"I really don't," Maddie said. She still wasn't looking up. "Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."
"Okay," Sarah said and gave up. "Then you can help with decorations. We need streamers and balloons and stuff."
"Sure," Maddie said.
"Calix you're good at sports stuff right?" Marcus asked. "Maybe you can organize some outdoor games or something."
"Fine," I said shortly.
"Great," Sarah said. She sounded annoyed with both of us. "Now we need to make a supply list. Food. Drinks. Decorations. Music."
She pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and started writing things down. The others chimed in with suggestions. I sat there silent. Maddie sat there silent. Neither of us contributed anything.
"We need someone to pick up supplies from the storage room," Sarah said after making her list. "Maddie and Calix since you're both group leaders why don't you handle that?"
"I can do it alone," I said quickly. "Don't need help."
"It's a lot of stuff," Sarah said. "Two people would be faster."
"I can go alone too," Maddie said at the same time.
"Just go together," Sarah said and she was definitely annoyed now. "It'll take half the time. Storage room B has all the party supplies. Keys are in the main office."
I wanted to argue. Wanted to refuse. But Sarah was already moving on to the next item on her list. Already ignoring us.
This was a nightmare. Being in the same room was bad enough. Being forced to work directly with her was worse.
"Let's divide up the mentor groups," one of the girls said. "I'll take the first four freshmen on the list."
"I'll take the next four," Marcus said.
They went around assigning groups. When it got to me I just said I'd take whoever was left. Didn't care. Wasn't paying attention.
"Okay so that's settled," Sarah said after forty minutes of planning. "Meeting next week same time. Calix and Maddie get the supplies before then."
Everyone started packing up. I shoved my notebook into my backpack. Stood up. Started toward the door.
"Wait," Sarah called. "We need to pass around an attendance sheet for Professor Davis."
She pulled out a paper and signed her name at the top. Passed it to Marcus. He signed and passed it to the next person. It went around the table. Eventually made it to Maddie.
She signed her name. Then had to pass it to me since I was the last one. She stood up. Walked around the table. Got closer than we'd been in weeks.
My whole body went on alert. Every nerve firing. The bond screaming. She held out the paper. I reached for it.
Our fingers brushed. Just for a second. Barely even touched.
Heat exploded up my arm. Hot. Electric. Painful. The bond flared so strong I gasped. My wolf surged forward. Eyes flashing gold. Every instinct screaming to grab her. To pull her closer. To never let go.
Maddie jerked back like she'd been burned. The paper fell to the floor between us. Her eyes were wide. Her breathing was fast.
I could see her pulse jumping in her throat. Could smell her scent stronger now that she was close. Could feel every cell in my body pulling toward her.
"Sorry," she whispered. Bent down to pick up the paper. Her hands were shaking.
I stepped back. Put distance between us. Shoved my hands in my pockets so I wouldn't reach for her.
"It's fine," I said. My voice came out rough. Strained. I was trying to stay calm, but it wasn't working.