Fire & Ice

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Journal Entry:

This is the day I'll test my reaction to seeing Portia again. I'm a little nervous. What if nothing happens? What if it does? Should I tell anyone about it? It's not a normal connection. I researched it online last night; floating through some links we have from different covens, trying to find out any information. Apparently, there are some other cases, and they all involve people who became each other's mate. Ha, ha! What a joke! I can't even manage to keep a girl long enough for her to be called my "girlfriend". There's no way I could handle a mate. The only thing I see that's different with the stories I found online, is both partners could hear each other. Portia can't seem to hear me, though. I wonder if that'll change once she comes into her powers?

***

It was after lunch and I felt her before I saw her this time; the jumble of her emotions washed over me. She was running late and in a hurry to get to class. Searching around quickly, I spotted her coming through the main door. Grabbing the strap to her backpack, she shifted it higher on her shoulder and started walking faster.

"Ouch! Watch where you're going!" Another student seethed when she accidentally hit him with her backpack. Her face flooded with color.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She stopped, apologizing sincerely. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Whatever, dork," the guy grumbled, continuing on his way.

Hurt washed through her and I had to resist the urge to run after the guy. He could stand to learn a few manners.

Portia glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed the encounter. She quickly caught me staring. I turned away nonchalantly, hoping it would appear as if I hadn't seen anything or didn't care.

Her thoughts immediately changed as she continued on her way. There's the new guy, again. What did Shelly say his name was? Van? Vance! That was it. He's so hot. Love the leather jacket. Ugh! I've got to stop.

No, you don't, I thought as I continued down the hallway behind her. I like hearing what you have to say. I suddenly wondered if she could hear or feel me too. That's something I should probably try to find out, immediately. It would be bad if she could and suddenly started freaking out because she didn't know what was going on.

"Portia," I called to her forcefully through the mental link, but she didn't even break her stride. Guess that answered my question.

Ironically, she entered the same classroom I was headed to. I chuckled to myself. If I'd only gone to class after lunch yesterday, I could've experimented to my heart's content. Oh, well. Live and learn. I could play with my new toy today. This might be fun. Guys always wished they knew what girls were thinking. Here was my chance to find out.

Entering the classroom, I saw her near the front of the room. Sean's warning flashed through my head, so I chose the seat furthest away from her, back in the far corner of the room. Settling in, I dropped my notebook and pencil on the desktop. Since I'd ditched yesterday, I hadn't met the teacher; but, according to my schedule, his name was Mr. Ben Spacey. That alone was enough to make me question his knowledge, in addition to pondering if his parents hated him. This was an Honors English class with students from multiple grades. I generally tested high overall, but often wondered if it was because I was truly smart, or if magic made learning and studying easier for me. Recalling things I'd read with perfect clarity was something I'd always been able to do. I assumed it was the same with any witch or warlock.

The room filled quickly and I noticed the eyes of many glancing in my direction. Judgment had always been an easy thing for me to read and even though I couldn't hear their thoughts, it was obvious they were thinking, "What's he doing in this class?" Maybe they'd never heard the phrase, "don't judge a book by its cover."