Shy

seven

SEVEN

"Hello."

At the beginning of Indianna's second class of the day Ace, Greyson's friend, sat in the seat next to her as she was reaching into her bag for her notebook. Indianna quickly sat up and looked at Ace with wary eyes.

"Please don't be silent around me," Ace said with a soft chuckle. "I know you talk to Greyson, and I am a lot nicer than Greyson."

But you can't talk to me in your head, Indianna thought. She was a shy person, but she wasn't with Greyson and it was confusing her. Was it because he made her angry? Was it because he could get inside her head? Or was there just something about him that made her not feel like the shy girl that she had been for so many years?

"Indianna?"

Indianna forced a nervous smile, hoping it didn't look too fake. "Yes?"

Ace grinned, glad that she wasn't shutting him down. "How are you finding it here so far?"

Indianna paused for a moment, pondering her answer. "Invasive."

Ace raised his eyebrows and nodded knowingly. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely and continued talking when it was clear that Indianna wasn't going to say anything else. "Greyson mentioned that you weren't feeling too well. I hope you're feeling better now?"

"I'm fine," she said. Her voice was quiet. She was lying. She was starting to feel nauseous again and there was a constant ache in the back of her head, and it wasn't the feeling of Greyson pushing his way into her mind.

"Are you sure?" Ace asked. He sounded genuinely concerned and Indianna frowned at him, scrunching her eyes as she studied his expression. He seemed honest and kind.

But he was friends with Greyson.

"Do you know?" Indianna asked suddenly. Asking the question made butterflies form in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer.

Ace raised a brown, bushy eyebrow curiously. "Know what?"

"About..." Indianna paused, her voice going even quieter, "Greyson. In my head?"

"Ah." Ace swallowed, eyes flickering away from her awkwardly. "That. Yes, I am aware of that, Indianna."

"Right."

"I hope that's okay?"

"Nothing about any of this is okay," Indianna said truthfully.

"I promise that it will make sense," Ace said reassuringly. "In time."

"Can you tell me how it's possible?" Indianna asked, her eyes darting to Ace's as she bit the end of her pen anxiously.

"I'm really sorry, but I can't."

"Why?"

"Greyson's orders," Ace said simply. "I'm sorry, Indianna, I wish I could put you at ease somehow."

"Greyson's orders?" Indianna repeated. "Orders?"

"I know you must have plenty of questions and I promise you will get answers eventually. Greyson will tell you when the time is right."

"Eventually?" Indianna echoed. "He said some very strange things to my mother. I want to know what is going on. Now."

"What did he say?"

"I'm surprised you don't know. Greyson seems to know more about me than I do."

"All of this will be explained. At the right time."