Secrets Within the Resounding Sound

Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Those green eyes locked on mine, a smile gracing his lips. In those woods he had felt larger, more powerful. Somehow it felt like he was somewhat less in this small cramped room.

"Jaxon Hatter!" Those green eyes turned toward Mr. Parker who had a Expo marker in his hands. He pointed the marker at the young man and threw it towards him. It was fast, like a missile going through the air. Jaxon, the young man with the cat like eyes, stretched up in his seat, his back arching slightly. I reached out with my mind to stop the marker, but before I could Jaxon had already reached out and snatched the marker from the air. His reflexes were almost too fast for me to follow. He looked at the marker, unimpressed before missiling it back at Mr. Parker. This time I stopped the marker an inch away from Mr. Parker's nose. The Mad Hatter grinned from ear to ear at me.

"You can drop it, Echo," he said, his hand underneath the hovering marker. I let go, and glanced back over at Jaxon. He was watching me, appraising me in a way that sent a shiver up my spine. I felt like I was no longer invisible like I had been when I was in Chicago. These hands of mine could shape my own future. I never even thought about making my dreams come true. Whenever it would come within reach, I'd give up.

Maybe I had always made myself invisible on my own. I turned away from those eyes and looked back up at Mr. Parker. Let's see what this school was all about.

An hour later the class ended, Sam hopped over to me from his seat across the room. The look he gave Jaxon in passing was almost venomous. Jaxon returned the side glance before shrugging it off and wandering away. His hands buried deep in his pockets and eyes heavy lidded. Sam slid on top of my desk and tapped my hand.

"Lunch? The food here isn't horrible." Juni rolled her eyes and stood up quickly. She swung her backpack into Sam's shoulder, knocking the boy off of my desk. Her eyes flashed angrily at him. I blinked, surprised by her reaction to the student council president. Sam, unbothered, rubbed his shoulder and adjusted his shirt.

"Thanks, but no thanks, Echo and I are off for an adventure." I looked up at her, astonishment on my face.

"We are?" I don't remember making any plans to do such.

"Yes, we are." Juni took my hand and stuck her tongue out at Sam. Sam rolled his eyes at her and nudged Ethan from his crouch position, unbothered by her dismissal. I smiled all the way behind her. I was really beginning to like this girl. She glided through the hallways, holding my hand the entire time, and for some reason, I wasn't bothered by the contact.

I looked over at one of the classrooms and saw a man standing underneath the shadows. Ice blue eyes met mine and a small serpent underneath his eye slithered. I shuddered, my mind going blank. No, he couldn't be real. My eyes were flickering everywhere, looking over all of the faces of everyone else. Why had no one else noticed him?

Pain exploded behind my eyes. It stretched tight, threatening to strangle even the air from my throat. The lights in the hallway blinded me, the pain was so intense. I jerked to a stop, pulling Juni back with me. I squeezed her hand hard, closing my eyes, focusing on the pain. It swirled, and threatened and expanded.

Hands touched my shoulder, soft, warm, reassuring. I squinted up and found Jaxon standing beside me, everyone in the halls was surrounding us, worried looks on their faces.

"Let go," Juni's voice was soft as she pulled at my fingers, trying to release my death grip, Jaxon ran a hand down my arm to where I gripped Juni, he touched the base of my wrist and then pushed down. I released Juni's hand. Breathing hard, the pain still threatening to pull me under, I wanted to cry out but my voice was caught in my throat. From within the crowd, those blue eyes that were watching me before, blinked and turned away.