Page 11 of Visions & Shadows

“Jane–”

I drag my chair forward, scraping it across the floor to cut offwhatever he wants to say.

I can feel his gaze on me as he continues, “Please, could you just–”

Grabbing the textbook from my bag, I place it in front of him, figuring I’ll have to share anyway.

“I just want–” He tries again.

“Do me a favor,” I snap. “If you’re going to insist on sitting next to me in every damn class, will you please not talk to me?”

He stares at me with a frown, and I can see he’s struggling not to say anything else.

I glance away, not wanting to have any more contact with him unless it’s absolutely necessary.

I haven’t had a bad day like this in a while and can’t wait for it to end.

My day doesn’t get any better, and as we move from one class to the next and Ryan keeps sitting next to me, my frustration continues to grow.

Maybe his initiation is an all-day thing? It sucks ass.

By the time school ends, I’m exhausted from all the tension I’ve experienced today.

When I leave the building with all the other students, I’m slapped in the face by an icy wind. I pull my jacket tighter around me and begin the five-mile walk to Fish Creek Falls, where I prefer to spend my afternoons.

I seriously hope tomorrow’s not a repeat of today.

When I’m a few minutes away from the forest, I hear a car coming down the road. I cut into the thick bushes and trees to make myself scarce.

A brown truck passes by, and when I recognize Ryan behind the steering wheel, my heart falters for the zillionth time today.

I thought he’d hang out with Robert. What’s he doing all the way out here?

Shaking my head, I enter the forest, taking an overgrown trail people hardly use until I reach the waterfall.

I sit down and pull my knees up to my chest before wrapping my arms around my shins.

A sigh escapes me as I replay the whole messed-up day over and over in my head.

God, I hope tomorrow is better.

Ryan / Raighne

Today didn’t go as planned, and I’m frustrated as hell.

I don’t know where I went wrong and why Alchera’s upset with me. It’s taking a lot of self-control not to enter her mind so I can find out why she’s angry.

When I walk toward my truck, a group of guys and girls catch up to me.

“Hey, man,” one of the guys calls out, “hold up.”

In a hurry to leave, I give the group an impatient look.

“I’m Robert,” the leader of the group says, “and these are my friends.” He throws his arm around Megan, who introduced herself to me this morning.

Megan stares at me with a seductive smile while she leans into Robert’s side.

I don’t have time for this shit.

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