An earsplitting scream shattered the quiet of the room. It echoed across the walls and filled the small space.
I jolted upright in my desk.
Every single pair of eyes in the room was staring in my direction, and it took me way longer than it should have to realize that the screaming was coming from me.
I clamped my jaw shut, effectively cutting off the sound from my throat. But the damage was already done. Even Mrs. Runyan, who was known for her imperturbable temperament, was staring at me with wide, concerned eyes, her mouth open midsentence.
Beads of sweat rolled down my back, and my heart raced, the sound thudding like a drum in my ears. Time itself seemed to slow down as I scanned the faces of those around me. Hot tears welled up in my eyes; my cheeks and neck were blazing.
In the corner of the room, Ty leaned forward in his seat. When our eyes met, I lost it.
It was all too much.
I shoved back my chair, sending it toppling over, and ran from the room. Mrs. Runyan was calling my name down the hall, but I didn’t care. I had to get out of there.
I kept running, giving no thought to the puzzled expressions of the people I passed in the hall.
Up ahead were the double doors that led outside to the student parking lot. Flinging them open, I ran into the blinding sun. There was no one to be seen in the parking lot, and I jogged through the cars until I collapsed, gasping for air, in between two cars. My whole body shook, and hot tears burned my eyes. I blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. I hated crying—especially in front of people—but all things considered, I couldn’t not cry. A single tear slipped past my defenses and down my cheek. My mind was racing, and even after I managed to gulp down a few mouthfuls of air, I couldn’t stop the onslaught of emotions crashing down upon me.
I was absolutely mortified.
Thinking about how everyone in the room had looked at me like I was crazy made my face and neck burn. I rubbed at my temples and forced myself to take a few deep breaths.
Ty’s face floated into my thoughts. I groaned, recalling his bewildered expression. Of all the people in the world to have witnessed what was undoubtedly the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to me, why did it have to be him? My heart raced even faster.
I rocked back on my heels and tried to calm down. Everyone had embarrassing moments. I couldn’t be the only person in history to have a nightmare in the middle of English class, right?
Overhead, the sun was high in the sky, and even though it was early, it was already shaping up to be a fairly warm day. I peeled Ty’s leather jacket from my shoulders and held it in my hands, running my fingers over the worn leather.
Nice jacket.
The words came back to me, and before I even realized what was happening, my shoulders were shaking with laughter.
He must think I am a complete and utter freak. First, I get busted wearing his jacket, which I didn’t even bother offering to return, and then he sees me screaming like a maniac in the middle of first period. I laughed even harder, wiping my eyes again with my fingers. “Guess I don’t have to worry about him asking for my number,” I mumbled under my breath.
It felt good to laugh, but the small reprieve was already fading away.
What had just happened? It was obviously a nightmare, but it wasn’t my nightmare. It was her nightmare—Josephine’s nightmare, her name now so clear in my mind, much like her face.
I shivered as the horrific images flashed through my brain. The image of Josephine’s father, prostrate in death, caused my eyes to well up with tears again. I was only a baby when my parents died, but I knew well the hole left by that kind of loss, and the feeling made my chest ache.
I stared at the pavement, willing my supposedly intelligent brain to find the missing piece of logic or reason that would make this whole screwed-up situation make sense. But there was nothing.
Well, it’s official. The only logical explanation to be had is that I am completely losing my mind.
I sighed and contemplated my next move. There was no way I was going back to English class, and since I hadn’t bothered to grab my backpack—where I kept my cell phone during school hours—I didn’t have any way to get in touch with Maggie.
I stood up and dusted myself off. The only option was to head to the nurse’s station. If I claimed “female issues,” she’d probably let me hide out in her office for a few periods. I might even be able to get a good nap in.
I was congratulating myself on the excellent idea—particularly the nap part—when the car next to me beeped. I turned around and realized I was standing next to the black car I had noticed earlier that morning.
Ty’s car.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
He was standing on the other side of the car with both arms raised in mock surrender, the keys dangling from one hand. He had a concerned look in his eyes, but that crooked smile of his made it less obvious.
“Very funny,” I deadpanned. Seriously? Of all the people to find me . . .
Ty chuckled quietly before glancing down at his shoes. When he looked back up at me, his smile was gone. My cheeks burned again as he stared at me. I was pretty sure my complexion was beginning to resemble a plum.
“You okay?” he asked.
I shifted from one foot to the other. I had hoped maybe he would do me a solid and pretend the whole debacle in class had never happened, but since that was no longer an option, I thought for a minute about how to answer him.
“Yes,” I finally replied, “I’m fine.” The truth wasn’t worth telling.
He studied me for a moment. “You’re lying.”
“What?” I snapped.
“You’re lying,” he repeated, his voice low and even.
“You don’t know that.”
“Actually, I do.”
“Oh yeah?” I challenged. “And how exactly would you know that?”
Ty shrugged. “Because people only say they’re fine when they’re really not.”
“You’re assuming things.”
“Am I wrong?” Ty looked pointedly at me.
Dammit. Anger surged through me. “You know what? You don’t know me. You don’t know one single thing about me. I know you think you’re witty and clever and all, but that doesn’t make you an authority on all things Lainey.”
“I don’t claim to be an authority on anything, actually,” Ty replied, his face serious. “I’m just good at seeing what’s right in front of me.”
“Oh, really? And what exactly do you see?”
Ty tilted his head to the side and then back again. “Well, for starters, I see a girl who is having a pretty shitty morning.”
In spite of myself, I let out a small laugh—though it sounded more like a snort. “Yeah? Was screaming in the middle of class your first clue?”
“That was a pretty good indicator.”
“Fair enough.” I looked down at my shoes. “What else do you see?”
Ty toyed with the keys in his hand. “Well, you know,” he said, with a smirk, “I’d tell you, but I’d have to kill you.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”