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

Chapter Fifty-Seven

"Miss Fallyn, name one way that the Canadian judicial system differs from the United States, please," Mr. Joseph directed the following Wednesday morning.

"The Canadian system doesn't use gavels?"

"Anything else that you can recall?" he asked, leaning against the front of his desk and folding his arms over his chest, looking more like a nature guide than a teacher in faded jeans and a red plaid shirt opened at the collar to reveal a plain white undershirt. Even his shaggy hair and unshaven face screamed tree-hugger.

"Canadian lawyers can't approach the bench like Americans," I added. "They either go to the judge's chambers or clear the courtroom for privacy."

"Good." He smiled, looking around the room for his next victim. "Sarah, what else is there?"

"Um..." The girl hesitated and ducked her head from view.

When I'd arrived at Grimas, Sarah had been a part of Duvessa's group when they'd interrupted my lunch on the first day, and like the rest of her friends, she'd been shiny and beautiful—flawless. I hadn't seen her with their group lately, though, as if she'd been exiled. She sat alone at lunch now.

"Jason?" Mr. Joseph asked the boy beside Sarah.

The class turned their attention to Jason, but I watched as Sarah breathed a sigh of relief. She'd taken to wearing clothes she could hide in and leaving her hair down to conceal her face from others. It was understandable, I guess. The last time I'd seen it she had been riddled with blemishes that had seemed to get progressively worse over the last couple of weeks, like she no longer washed. I knew, judging by her fresh scent and clean hair, that that wasn't the case.

The bell rang and I grabbed my books, continuing to watch Sarah as we headed out into the hall. My third-period classroom was right next to Law, allowing me the time to stare after her from the doorway.

"Whatcha doing?" Calin asked, sneaking up on me from behind. His face was so close to my ear his cheek nearly rested on my shoulder.

My head had to stop my heart from jerking with happiness at the sound of his voice and I twisted to face him, trying hard not to smile. Maybe it was just my body reacting to his testosterone, though I knew it wasn't. It was him looking deliciously yummy in dark jeans and his trademark plain t-shirt with hair that fell into his eyes.

"Nora?" he prodded.

"Huh?" I jerked back into reality and tried to discard the feelings being so close beside him had summoned.

"What are you doing?" His eyes were smiling with humor and I looked away.

"Oh, I was just wondering"—I cleared my throat— "what was going on with that Sarah chick."

"Sarah?" He looked up in the direction Sarah had disappeared and shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess I haven't noticed her since she stopped hanging around with Duvessa."

"Why'd they stop hanging out?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "They were arguing about something, which kind of sucks because they're both too stubborn to give in."

"Have you seen her?"

"I haven't really been looking, to be honest with you." He smiled with half his mouth and watched me, sending my heart into overdrive.

"Well, I have. Her face is full of blemishes and it keeps getting worse." I pointed to my face and grimaced. "It's really weird."

"Maybe she's just cursed with bad genetics?"

"Cursed," I whispered to myself. There was no way that she would have inherited it so quickly. "You said her and Duvessa are arguing or something?"