Frostbitten Past

VI

"ARE YOU feeling better?" Kyle asked, first thing. They sat in the cafeteria, and Andorra was staring down at her plate. She didn't want to eat it, was almost afraid she had been drugged on Friday, but she was determined. If she had been drugged, she needed to be sure.

She eyed the cafeteria ladies. No one was watching her. Would a school employee really drug their students anyway?

"I guess." Andorra's voice sounded despondent, even to her own ears. "I'm sorry about Friday."

Kyle shook his head. "Don't be sorry. I'm sorry you were going through that. Whatever it was." Kyle placed his hand on top of Andorra's, smiling at her. It was warm and comforting, and Andorra found herself falling into it a little bit.

She enjoyed his presence. Enjoyed feeling welcomed. For once, someone was talking to her, befriending her. It warmed her chest to finally feel included.

"How bad was it?" Andorra asked in a whisper. She had been too embarrassed to ask, but she could feel the looks on her as people came in and out of the cafeteria. The morning bell would ring in a few minutes now, and Andorra was dreading it.

Kyle shifted. "You were pretty loud. You looked terrified."

Andorra rubbed at her arms. A chill crawled up her spine. "I... I thought the walls were melting. It was like a sick hallucination." She closed her eyes, trying to fight the scene in her head. "Again, I'm just sorry you had to see it happen."

"Don't be. Seriously. Hey, how about we go to class early. Avoid some of the crowds." His eyes were sympathetic. He stood and offered his hand, waiting patiently as Andorra bit her lip and thought about it. Part of her wanted to go home. Part of her wanted to never come back to school.

She took his hand. "Yeah, okay." She took her tray and threw it away, releasing Kyle's hand as they entered the hallway. Andorra was hoping for a quick and easy walk to class, but there in front of her locker was Shaniah. She smiled over at Andorra and Kyle, but it was anything but kind.

Andorra took a step back, but Kyle wove his arm through hers. "It'll be fine. It's just Shaniah."

Kyle propelled them forward, but Andorra could hear the laughter. She could hear Shaniah's whispers about her. "What a freak."

Andorra ripped her arm from Kyle's. She took a stumbling step back, her chest growing tight with anxiety and panic. Watching as Shaniah grinned at her had Andorra spinning to run back to the cafeteria.

But as she turned, Andorra ran head first into someone else. Like a frightened animal, Andorra pulled herself away and hunched in on herself, trying to make herself smaller. But when she saw the person in front of her, she let out a whimper.

It was the boy from the pond. He looked a little bit different, with his eyes a normal shade of blue and his body dressed in school clothes. He tilted his head at her, as if to challenge her to say something. Something about her dream, something about Friday, anything at all.

Andorra felt Kyle's hand at her back. "Andorra?"

"You-" she started, but didn't finish.

"Me?" His voice held a hint of humor, but there was something cold about his face. Something cold about his sharp features, his expression, his voice. He was toying with her, he had to be. Andorra found herself staring at his eyes, wondering if she had dreamt him into reality.

"Come on, let's get you to class." Kyle said, his tone nervous. He slung an arm around her shoulders, ushering her away from the hallway and from the boy. He was watching them, eyes dark and mouth flat. She barely noticed him as she let Kyle steer her towards her class, dazed and certainly confused.