BREAKING SHADOWS (Shadows Book 1)

Chapter 10

Will had his arm around another girl.

He stood relaxed, his golden head reaching Kat's shoulder. Simon on her other side gripped her hand. They laughed and talked, forming an attractive group, all at ease with each other. As an outsider, the girl looked like she fit perfectly. I would have been jealous of that alone, how easily this girl slotted in with the three of them. She filled the mould of Will's previous girlfriends, narrow-waisted and glossy-hair. Charcoal-framed eyes and full lips.

From across the street, my heart crumpled. To say it broke would be a lie, but it was as if someone had taken the muscle in their hand and every so often squeezed until it became a fist, then let go again.

I'd toyed with the idea that it could be friendly.

Then he kissed her.

And I gasped.

Kat looked across their heads to where I stood on the other side of High Street, the paper bags of supplies Gran had asked Arden and I to collect cradled in my arms. "Shit, Riley."

Will unlocked his lips from the girl, eyes alarmed like a baby deer caught in headlights. "Riley."

I looked up and down the street looking for the clearest escape. Arden would have to catch me up. Each step was quicker than the last. I barged a woman out of the way, making her drop her shopping bags.

"Watch what you're doing!"

"Hey, wait!" Will called out.

"Screw you," I shot back, breaking out into a run, bottom lip quivering. I dodged on-coming shoppers.

"Wait. Let me explain," he caught up with me easily, taking hold of my upper arm as he spun me to face him. "Stop!"

"You stop," I spat. "How could you?" Tears burned my eyes, and I could admit to myself they were made more of relief and anger than sadness.

"Let me explain."

"Go on then, I can't wait to hear it. What's your excuse for kissing someone else? Did you trip and fall onto her lips? Were you performing mouth to mouth?"

"It's you," he said quite matter-of-factly.

I snorted. "I'm sorry. For a moment there, I thought you said it was my fault."

"Not your fault exactly, but you haven't proven you want to be with me. You've hardly been around since the festival. Kat and I have both called and texted and you never call back. I haven't seen you, so what was I supposed to do?"

"You didn't want to see me after the festival because of-"

"I forgave you for those rumours, only to get nothing in return."

"You forgave me?" My voice dropped dangerously low. I could taste salt, the sound of crashing waves filling my ears. My fingers twitched, hot blood pulsing. We drew attention from passers-by but I didn't care.

He let go of my arms. "For the rumours going around school about you being on the back of some guy's motorbike."

"The rumours I didn't start?"

"People don't start their own rumours, Riley, and you must have done something to fuel the gossip. They don't just materialise out of nowhere."

"Do you want to know what happened? You buggered off and left me in the clearing and a stranger came and helped me get away." I had to stop myself from adding from the demons, forgetting those who went had a different idea of what happened.