Shadow Mutation (Book Seven) [UNDER MAJOR EDITING]

Chapter 10: Seeing Her Again

Casey sits outside the principal's office with a tissue pressed to his nose. He doesn't get why they would call him to the office just to make him wait. They're just going to lecture him, slap him with some stupid punishment, and then it'll start all over again tomorrow. Why put it off?

God, everything just sucks.

"Casey!"

He looks up as Annalise rushes up to him. He frowns.

"Aren't you supposed to be in class?" he asks.

"I asked to go to the restroom," she says. "Has Mr. Lewis seen you yet?"

"No."

"Oh, good." She grins. "I got James to send me the video of your fight. It totally proves that Brayden started it."

For a second, his heart squeezes with relief, but then the second ends and his shoulders sag. He pulls the tissue away from his nose, wrinkling it a little as he sniffs. Everything's clogged up. He can't smell anything other than blood.

Annalise seems to deflate. "What's with the face?"

"I still wailed on the guy."

"I mean, you looked super cool. Maybe a little crazy, but he was kind of asking for it anyway"

He snorts only to stuff the tissue back under his nose as he disrupts the clot. He exhales out his mouth. "He totally was," he grumbles. "But, they're not gonna punish the captain of the hockey team when they could punish me. I'm an easy target."

"Maybe, but if I show them this video, they'll have to acknowledge that Brayden was goading you on. I'll make sure of it."

He gives her a long look. The past year has been good to her, it seems. She has her light back. Must be the combination of continued therapy, a healthy relationship, and a happier home life. In a strange way, seeing that she's come back from everything she's been through makes him almost hopeful. Almost.

Annalise gives him a thumbs up and starts towards the office door, but it swings open just as she reaches up to knock. The school principal, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a potbelly, stands before them.

"Annalise..." he greets slowly, glancing over at Casey. "You'll have to wait until I'm done with Casey."

"I understand, but..." she says, unlocking her phone and starting to scroll. "I have video proof that Brayden started this whole fight. Can I please have a minute of your time?"

Mr. Lewis raises his eyebrow. "Oh?"

She nods. "I just want to make sure you have the whole story before you talk to him."

"Well, alright then. Casey, it'll be a few more minutes."

"Sure, whatever," he says.

The two of them disappear back into the office, Annalise shooting a wink his way before the door closes behind her.

Casey sighs and bunches the bloody tissue in his fist. He has no idea how much the video caught; kids only really started gathering around after Brayden started pushing him. There's no way they caught them knocking his legs out from under him or any of the times he tried to walk away. Nothing will really soften the blow he's about to face. And how is he going to explain the...

He groans. The shadow, the icy cold, the textbook flying from the crowd? It's like she's getting a kick out of interfering in his business. He doesn't want to believe it, but...

"Psst."

He looks up but there's no one around. He digs his pinky into his ear, twisting a bit. Did...someone just hiss at him?