Page 65 of We Thought We Were Invincible
“I thought you'd do anything I asked.”
Confusion rose in his eyes for a moment before understanding dawned.
“I'm asking you to kiss me, Jamie,” I said with a confidence I didn't feel. “Right here. I don't care what anyone says anymore.”
“I thought you liked the excitement of sneaking around?”
“It's not exciting anymore,” I admitted. “It's painful.”
His face was serious and for a moment, I was scared he was going to walk away. Then, before I had time to process, he closed the gap between us and kissed me harder than he ever had before.
His arm came around me to pull me in closer. I worked my hands up around his neck, holding his head in place. It felt different from before. This time we weren't trying to hide. The adrenaline was replaced with peace; my escape replaced with home.
I don't know how long we stood in the crowded gym, kissing as if our lives depended on it. There were sure to be stares and whispers, but I didn't care.
I smiled against his lips, finally pausing to catch my breath as a scream pierced the air around us.
“Gun!”
II
When We Were Broken and Strong
24
Callie
We thought we were invincible.
Impenetrable.
Separated from all the evil in the world, high school our protector.
In an instant, the glass surrounding our lives shattered.
Chaos took no time at all to develop. It just happened. We didn't get a warning.
Cries rose up from the mayhem. No one knew what was going on.
I couldn't think. Couldn't move. My muscles were heavy with disbelief.
People ran to hide under tables, behind the stage, anywhere they could get away from the unknown assailant.
Someone gripped my arm, jerking it back and pulling me from my state of immobility.
“Callie,” Jamie yelled above the noise. “California.”
I looked into his wide eyes as he pushed me through the door. He followed close behind, running toward the nearest door as soon as we were in the hall.
“Locked. Dammit.”
“They lock the classrooms during dances,” I said, just needing to say something.
Jamie pushed his hair back out of his face and looked around frantically. A couple other students had the same idea as us, getting out of the gym. No one knew where the gun was or even if there was one. But the terror was real. It was here.
A boy ran past us down the hall, but he wouldn't get out of the school without going to the other side of the gym. We were in the hall that led to the locker rooms.
As soon as I had the thought, it was like Jamie read my mind. We ran down the hall and around the corner.
