Authors: Lizzy Ford

Autumn Storm (31 page)

BOOK: Autumn Storm

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Cole noticed me pulling the hood even
farther forward and said, “Quit hiding all the time.”

“You gonna to tell me about Jenna?” I
avoided his words because I always felt like hiding.

He sighed and ran a hand through his
rumpled, dark hair. It stood out all over his head, and his
normally bright blue eyes were bloodshot. Even looking as wrung out
as he did, he was still good looking. He stood almost six feet tall
with the broad shoulders of the football player he was. He was a
popular guy, one of the most popular in the class, but he was still
a nice guy. Even though he did a lot of things to make Kimber mad,
he never did anything like cheat. We began walking toward the
school entrance.

“I could explain if she would just talk to
me.”

“How do you explain what she saw?”

“It didn’t mean anything. It was a dumb bet.
She shouldn’t even have seen it.”

“That’s your story? It was a bet, and you
did it because you thought you wouldn’t get caught?”

He made a frustrated sound in the back of
his throat. “I’m not into Jenna.”

That I actually believed. He was too good
for her. “You went too far this time, Cole.”

“Funny thing is
–
I did it for
her.”

I stopped in my tracks. “You kissed another
girl for Kimber?”

“It was a bet. I made a lot of money.
Kimber’s birthday is next week.”

“You have a job.” I pointed out. He worked
at the local grocery store bagging groceries.

“I don’t make enough to get her what I
wanted to get her.”

“Looks like you won’t have to get her
anything now.”

We went up the front steps; he walked ahead
and held open the door for me. I paused before going in.
Just
another day, just like yesterday.
I went in, and Cole
followed.

“She’s not going to forgive me, is she?” He
sounded miserable.

“I don’t know.” I shuffled from foot to
foot. Did that mean I couldn’t forgive him either? He was like a
brother to me. He was one of the very few who still treated me like
I was normal, even though I wasn’t. I sighed. “I’ll see if I can
get her to talk to you.”

“You’re the best, Hev.”

“Give her a few days okay?”

“You got it.” He grinned. “I’ll call you
later.”

I nodded, and he went down the hall calling
out greetings as he went. I tried to remain invisible as I walked
to my locker. There were only a few stares this morning, which was
good. One of the girls I used to cheer with called out a timid
greeting. I gave her a little wave and a small smile before
returning my gaze back to the floor. Just because people weren’t
staring didn’t mean they weren’t looking. They tried not to stare,
but they couldn’t keep their eyes away. I was a freak now. I made
people uncomfortable
–
and not necessarily because of my
scars
–
but because what my scars represented. Danger, fear,
and the unknown. Something bad had happened to me, something not
even I could remember. They all probably thought that I was crazy,
that I somehow did this to myself. I couldn’t blame them. How could
I? They might be right.