Page 12 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

I suddenly feel much too small for my age.

“Trinity, this is Reuben. He’s in the same grade as you.”

“Hi,” I manage, although I doubt he can hear my whisper all of a yard away.

His dark eyes take me in, not changing one bit, and then fix on Father Gabriel. “She’s a girl.” His voice is deep, like I expected, but so melodious. The sound tugs loose a contraption that releases a million butterflies into my belly.

“Acute observation,” Father Gabriel says through a laugh. “Trinity is my?—”

Gabriel’s cell cuts him off. He lifts a finger, sending an apologetic smile first my way, then Reuben’s, before he slips out of the room to take the call.

When I turn back, Reuben’s standing less than two feet away.

My heart jumps out of my chest as I stumble back.

“What are you doing here?” Reuben demands.

“Um…Going to school?”

His dark eyes scour mine. “You don’t sound so sure.”

I open my mouth to protest, but then I hear fabric rustling behind me.

“Reuben, child, show Trinity to the lunchroom.”

I turn pleading eyes to Father Gabriel, willing him to understand the psychic message I’m yelling at him.

Don’t leave me alone with this guy! He’s a fucking psychopath!

But Father Gabriel just gives me a warm smile and a pat on my shoulder before saying, “Jasper should be in the lunchroom. He can show you to your first class this afternoon.”

My skin itches, and I’m sure it’s because Reuben’s staring at me.

“Father—!”

“I’m sorry, I must go.”

Reuben watches Gabriel leave then his eyes flicker back to me. He ducks his head and slips a rosary around his neck with reverential care. The wooden beads rattle as he tucks it under his shirt.

When he looks back up at me, my spine turns to ice.

Eyes like pools of frozen tar pin me where I stand. If I could have turned tail and run, I would have been scampering out of here like a mouse who’s spotted a cat. And the cat was ready to pounce.

Reuben steps past me. I catch a whiff of something sweet and musky in the air he disturbs as he reaches back and grabs my wrist. I have no choice but to trot after him. It’s that or have him rip off my arm. He doesn’t walk fast, but big as he is, he covers a lot of ground even at his slow pace.

Reuben says nothing as he leads me from the prayer room and down the hall to the lunchroom. I catch a glimpse of Father Gabriel before he disappears around a corner. If I’d had a shred of common sense, I’d have called out to him. All he’d have to do was glance back. When he saw how Reuben was manhandling me he’d realize something was wrong.

But he doesn’t look back.

Guess he’s forgotten all about his newest charity case.

I watch Reuben’s back the rest of the way, both mesmerized and horrified by the way his muscles move under his shirt.

How easily he could have snapped my neck back there.

No one would have seen.

No one would have known.

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