Page 35 of The Lies We Tell Ourselves

“So you’ll go?” Ava bounced in her seat, unable to contain her excitement.

“Yes, I’ll go.”

They fell into conversation about what the plan was for tonight. I nodded and hummed at what I hoped were the appropriate times, but I didn’t hear a word. A feeling I couldn’t name took root inside me, consuming all of my attention. We ordered lunch and set in place a study plan for the rest of the week, but it was like I wasn’t really there. Before I knew it, we were heading out for the last classes of the day.

The wind picked up while we were at lunch, and the sky was blanketed with tumultuous dark clouds. A trickle of foreboding skittered down my spine, making the hairs at the back of my neck stand on end.

“Excuse me, are you Jamie Bowen?”

I spun around to see a guy dressed all in brown holding a package. “I… um… yeah?”

“Could you sign here, please.” An electronic device materialized in his hand as he gave me the parcel. I signed, although it didn’t look anything like my signature and handed it back to him. “Thank you.”

“What’s that?” Ava peered at the box in my hand before poking it with her finger. “Kinda fancy having something hand delivered to you and not left in your mailbox.” I didn’t miss the hint of accusation in her tone.

“I haven’t got a clue. Maybe it’s because I needed to sign for it?”

“I doubt it. The guys on the desk normally sign for everything then keep a copy or photo on record as proof of receipt.”

“Let him open it, Ava, before you launch an acquisition,” Mal joked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and steering her toward one of the benches lining the sidewalk.

I sighed and followed after them. The sensation of being watched had me looking over my shoulder, but I couldn’t see anyone looking directly at me. Groups of students stood around chatting, not paying me any attention. I shook it off and went and sat with my friends, turning the box over in my hands. “Anyone got anything that will open this?” The inconspicuous brown box was tapped up so well, I’d never be able to get into it without a hell of a lot of help.

“Here, use this.” Mal produced a small penknife. “Don’t ask,” he said when I raised my brows at him in question. I shook my head and sliced the tape at the edges and then along the top where the top pieces had been pulled together.

The unmistakable weight of someone’s gaze on me flared, and my stomach felt like it was filled with wasps. I darted my eyes around, and they snagged on a group of jocks standing over by the main quad. It seemed like they were looking everywhere but me on purpose, their posture too stiff. Everything about that group felt off. Was I on to something, or was it my overactive imagination?

“Are you going to open that, or what?” Ava goaded me, eliciting a laugh from me.

“I was waiting to see if you got impatient enough to do it yourself.”

She scoffed and crossed her arms as Mal leaned over the back of the bench, curiosity etched in his features. “Hurry up. Don’t keep us waiting.”

Exhaling, I brushed away the feeling of apprehension and pulled the box open. A loud bang boomed and echoed through me like I’d been shot. A scream pierced my ear drums and everything went dark for a split second as the whole world disappeared.

“Holy shit.”

“Jamie, are you alright?” Trying to hear past the ringing in my ears was almost impossible, like I was on the other side of bulletproof glass. My body vibrated as adrenaline surged through me. My hands were shaking so much, the slick box slipped from my fingers. I tried to open my eyes, but thick viscous liquid covered my features and glued my hair to my face. The heat of it had my gut churning and bile sitting on my tongue.

“I-I-I… c-can’t open m-my eyes,” I managed to get out between the chattering of my teeth. I licked my coated lips and copper burst across my tongue.

“Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you, Jamie.” Mal’s soft voice became clearer the longer he spoke to me in his calm, comforting tone. “Just stay still, and don’t move, alright?” There was a rustling noise, like someone was removing clothing. Something soft brushed over my face, making me flinch. “Keep still, JJ, I’m just cleaning you up a bit.”

Cleaning me up? Why? What was going on? Seconds stretched into minutes, and even though I couldn’t open my eyes, they itched and burned. My breathing grew faster and faster, my chest tight like a weight sat on my lungs.

“There you go. Try to open your eyes now?”

Tentatively, I peeled my eyelids back. Black dots burst across my vision as the bright glare from the sun made me squint. “W-what happened?” I lifted my hand to my face, the tremor running through it made it hard to control. “What’s that?” I hissed as I stared at the deep red staining my fingers. “Is… is that b-blood?” I skewed my eyes shut and sucked in a few deep breaths before opening them again, praying I’d been having a nightmare. My hand was still red, and whatever it was, was quickly drying on my face. “Mal? Ava?”

An arm wrapped around my shoulders as a shudder racked my body. “I don’t know, JJ,” Ava said gently, turning me to face her. Concern clouded her eyes as she wiped her thumb over my brows.

“Is it paint?” I shook my head. It was too dark, too thick. “B-blood?”

“No. Well, not real blood,” Mal said, staring at his stained T-shirt clutched in his hands. “I called the SRO to come speak to you about this.” I shook my head. I didn’t want anyone to know about this. It was embarrassing. Humiliating.

“Jamie, there’s a note,” Ava said, a hysterical lilt to her voice.

I grabbed it from the box sitting at my feet just as Mal said, “Don’t touch it!”

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