Unbound (Unbound, Book 1) ~Formerly Casting Power~

Chapter 55

After leaving school I went to Maible's to put off going to the Manor and check in on her. Sadly, she was more interested in how Calin had carried me out of the school—she'd seen it on Facebook a few minutes before I'd arrived—than the fact that another prank had been pulled, so I couldn't vent to her. Perhaps, if Mr. Corbin continued with the water main break story, he couldn't blame me for it. What I didn't understand was why he was covering the prank up—I had felt magic in the hallway.

Maible fell asleep before I could ask her anything about that, though she likely wouldn't know.

After leaving Maible, I still didn't want to go back to the Manor. I drove through the town twice and only killed a half hour. I pulled into a parking space in front of Celestial Java and turned off the engine. It took a few minutes of self-coaxing to get out of the car, promising myself that the stares wouldn't matter. I could deal with curiosity no problem, especially when dealing with it brought me closer to caffeine.

Everyone looked up as I walked in and conversation died. I pasted a smile onto my face and forced myself to the counter to place my order. Luna, the only friendly face in the room, hurried to help me.

"How are you doing?" she asked, looking as much of a hippy as the first time we'd met in a pair of washed-out jeans that flared at the hem, a flowered top, and tie-dyed bandana holding her hair back. She looked at her customers with a pointed glare and chatter resumed around us. "I heard classes were canceled."

"Yep." I shrugged and stared down at my nails. She watched me too carefully for the conversation to be considered idle chatter.

"Want to talk?"

"Nope." I shrugged.

"Double-double?"

"Oh, yes, please." I sighed and then looked away. My eyes focused on the back table in the room, narrowing as I recognized its occupant. Mr. Corbin sat alone, but standing at the edge was Duvessa, and they seemed to be arguing.

Why would they even be talking outside of school? A teacher and a student outside of school would surely be frowned upon, even in a place as backwards as Wickenton. Usually, the principal dealt with improprieties like that—who could deal with the principal? The High Council? The School Board? It was so wrong on so many levels. Is that why the prank had been covered up today? For Duvessa? It was no wonder I'd taken the flack so easily.

"Here you go," Luna set my coffee down and I pulled out my wallet with jerky movements, distracted by Mr. Corbin and Duvessa. "On the house."

"What?" I looked up and met her friendly gaze.

"Come back soon." She winked at me and went back out into the crowd to refill coffees for other customers who I'm assuming had been charged for their drinks. I left a couple of dollars on the counter and took the cup of coffee. Everyone watched me leave as intently as when I'd come in.

Yeah, no, I wouldn't be back soon. Only Nancy would want to go somewhere to be gawked at.

I took a sip of coffee and looked up. Across the street, with his hands in his pockets, was Trevor. My mouth dropped. Trevor? Why? I looked up and down the street. Where were Nancy and Julian? We'd only met once—there was no way a guy I had had one blind date with came all the way to Wickenton to see me.

How would he know where I was?

I pocketed my keys and took a step off the sidewalk, determined to get answers. In truth, I didn't care why he was here. I was so happy to see my very first connection to Briarville since leaving, it didn't matter.

But before I could cross the street, the boy got into his own car—a Tiburon—and roared down the street. Trevor wouldn't do that. I mean, the guy had seen me. But Trevor had told me he didn't have a car, and the one that drove down the street wasn't Julian's unless he'd had a paint job. I must have been wrong, seen something I wanted in someone who clearly wasn't.