I glanced at Jase nervously as he sat in the bleachers of my gym class, flipping the page of a book while reading.
Something told me he wasn’t reading, though. Something told me he was spying on me again.
He might’ve been on his off block right now, but… there’s no way he would be here by mere coincidence.
Nothing was coincidence with him. Everything he did was calculated, cool, and expertly achieved. He was like a computer almost… measuring everything in the room within seconds.
He knew very well where I’d be, what I’d be thinking, and just how to get under my skin. And he knew how to act natural so no one but me suspected him.
“Alright, class!” my coach chirped her whistle. “Time for hockey!”
“Again?” a student said. “That’s the fifth time this month!”
“Do I see you writing the core-curriculum, mister Fairchild?” she said then. “No, you’re not. Therefore shut up and get in formation.”
All the members of the class, including me, going into a line in the center of the gym.
“Emma, blue,” she said, pointing to the other side of the gym.
I glanced over at Jase who spared me a smirk, and my heart raced, and I jogged to the other side of the gym, stopping there to pick up a blue jersey.
“John, green,” she listed then. “Lizzy, blue.”
“YES,” she said then, jogging up and after me.
I gazed up curiously when she stopped beside me and winked. “Hey, yo, sister-o. How’s the day been going?”
“Peachy,” I stated then, “thanks for ditching me during psych again. Jase is a complete train wreck.”
“Excuse me?” she said then, pointing to herself. “I had a bloody nose, and you know how this school is with blood. They worry I got Ebola or something.”
I glanced at her in amusement.
“Twilight, blue,” coach said then.
“Oh-my-gosh!” Lizzy said then, giggling. “There’s a guy I want you to meet, by the way. Since—you know—stalker Jase and all that.”
She pointed to Twilight who jogged toward us.
A very tall man with long, blonde locks and black eyes that matched Jase’s so easily.
“Twilight, this is my sister, Emma!” Lizzy said then.
I forced a smile despite the uneasiness coiling inside me. “Hi.”
He held a hand out to me, smiling gently. “Hey. Name’s Twilight. Weird, I know, but I’m not my parents.”
I took his hand gently and shook it.
“Twilight and his friend are besties!” Lizzy said then, eyes glowing in happiness. “His name is Pierce. He’s so hot. We actually started dating!”
“Oh, well thanks for telling me you have a boyfriend,” I said sarcastically. “Is that why you’re gone ninety percent of my lifetime.”
She smiled sadly. “Sorry. I didn’t know how to tell you. You know… with your Jase issues and all.”
“Jase?” Twilight said then, sounding genuinely annoyed that he didn’t know him. “You have a boyfriend?”
Before I could respond, Lizzy piped up.
“Not a boyfriend, you know. He’s just a creep, yeah.”
I glared at her.
“Oh, I see,” Twilight said then, nodding. “That’s good to know. Has he… done anything?”
I swallowed something hard.
“Total stalker vibes,” she told him, making my jaw drop as I gaped at her. “Creep-two-thousand. Remember when he got violent that one time?”
I stared at her helplessly.
What the hell are you talking about? I mouthed.
“Yeah, he totally tried to stab her!” Lizzy continued.
STAB ME? I mouthed again.
She flashed me a grin before continuing. “He’s completely insane.”
I then kicked her leg, and she winced. “Ow!”
I nodded in the direction of the bleachers, and she glanced over when I did.
Jase was watching us with his dark grin, although he looked more amused than annoyed.
“Jesus…” she said then, low enough so only I could hear, “he’s everywhere, I swear.”
“I see,” Twilight said then, thinking this over. “Well… would you like me to talk to him?”
“No,” I said then, shaking my head.
“He might shank you in the starlight,” Lizzy added.
I kicked her again.
“Ow!”
“He’s… he’s busy,” I said then, smiling now.
“Yeah, busy killing peop—”
I caught her ear then, and she yelped.
“Ow—ow—ow—ow—ow!” she cried. “Let go—let go—let go!”
“Excuse my sister,” I said then, hearing her cries in the background as Twilight’s brows lifted. “She always says a letter too much, you know.”
He just stared at me.
“Don’t worry about Jase,” I told him then. “I know you’ll be a good friend, but I’m sure I can handle him.”
“Ow—ow—ow!” Lizzy said then, fighting me.
“Are you sure?” he asked me gently. “I’m trained in combat.”
“I’m sure,” I responded kindly. “Although…if I do need help, I’ll come to you. Pinky promise.”
He smiled then, closing his eyes kindly. “It’s admiring how you trust me so easily.”
I smiled back.
I don’t, but whatever.
I then glanced over at Jase.
He was watching us still, sipping his soda from a straw casually as his eyes went to me, then Twilight, then back to me again.
His brows lifted.
I looked back over to find Twilight staring at us.
“Emmmmmmmmaaaaa!” Lizzy said then.
I finally let go, and she scrambled back, catching her breath as she rubbed her ear.
“Alright, play time’s over!” coach said, making us glance over. “Time to start the game!”
She chirped her whistle, and I caught a hockey stick from the wall, gazing down at it suspiciously before looking back up and positioning it in front of me.
“No, no,” Twilight said then, stepping around me as I gazed up.
He just stood behind me and held his arms out in front of me, and I immediately stilled when his hot breath steamed on my neck.
Why did he smell like mint?
“Hold it like this,” he said then, positioning my hands correctly.
My cheeks burned a bright red, and I held my breath.
“This way,” he said then, “you won’t drop it if you swing it incorrectly.”
He then stepped away, and I caught my breath again, staring forward.
The puck came racing at me, and I cried out, slamming my stick against it.
It ricocheted off and shot toward the opponents, immediately sliding into the goal.
My team cheered in excitement, and the other groaned.
“It gives you more stabilization, as well,” Twilight told me with a kind smile.
I spared a look at him curiously.
“YEAH!” Lizzy said then. “THAT’S MY SISTER!”
I felt my cheeks shade a light red, and I glanced over at Jase.
His smile was even darker, but I wondered if I could catch a little anger in it as well.
I stared back forward then, trying to catch my breath.
But another voice entered my thoughts:
You dealt with him kindly, but I can see your slight disgust.
You just got ten times more interesting.
I then glanced back at him again, bones chilling as his presence left my mind.
His smile darkened even more.
And the puck immediately slid past me, making me gasp in response.
One of my teammates screamed and rushed after me, making me still when his body slammed against mine immediately.
I fell backward, crying out.
But I immediately was engulfed in arms.
I gasped, gazing up.
Jase stood above me, making my eyes widen when my heart pounded hard against my chest.
He just smiled. “Careful. It would be shame that your cause of death would be clumsiness.”
Heat shot through me at his words.
He then helped me back onto my feet, making me stare at him helplessly when he poked my nose and walked off.
Did he just… save me?
How the hell did he get here that fast, though? Not even an expert runner could make it that fast.
And how could he speak to my mind so effortlessly? Was I just mimicking what he said in my thoughts? But… but it sounded like he was actually talking to me from right next to me!
“That was a nasty fall,” Twilight said then, rushing over to me. “Are you alright?”
I nodded numbly.
“He was fast,” he said then, gazing up at Jase who picked up his book and started to the doors. “I’m glad you’re not hurt, though.” He smiled kindly.
I watched Jase as he left, but immediately glanced over at Lizzy.
She just shrugged.
Did no one see him sitting there one second, and then catching me the next?
He wasn’t human, I swore! But… what else could he be?
“Who was he?” Twilight said then.
I looked back over at Lizzy, and it looked as if she was fighting a smile.
“Dunno,” she said then, making me exhale a soft breath.
Twilight just nodded. “Well, I’m glad you’re okay.” And he walked off to the rest of the teams who were still playing and knocking their sticks against the puck.
“You’re blushing,” Lizzy whispered. “Your whole face is red. Try not to look so flustered.”
I just swallowed something hard, and she skipped off.
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