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

Chapter Sixty-Five

"Noreena!" The door slammed against the burgundy walls as Maible raced in, completely out of breath. "Oh, my God! I've been looking all over for you."

I looked up and managed a smile. I'd only made it halfway to the bed from the bathroom and I needed a break. It was just too far. The sweat from the chills racking my limp body was now replaced with the perspiration of exertion, like I'd just run a 10k race. I was so tired.

"Wow, you really are sick." She sat beside me as I gave up, sprawling on the floor. "Everybody said that you and Calin... But I didn't believe it. I mean, Nora and Calin? No freaking way, I said. You guys aren't even friends!"

I snorted.

"And then everyone was saying you were pretending to be sick to get out of trouble, but Duvessa said there were condoms and you and Calin took off to some bedroom?" She looked up from ranting to gaze around the room and grunted. "Nice room, by the way."

"Maible—" I croaked and reached up. "Calin helped me, but he left."

"He left you like this?" Anger sparked in her eyes. "So, what about all that other crap?"

"True?" I lowered my eyes to the floor, afraid to see the questions I couldn't answer, like she knew I was holding back more than I was saying. What did she expect? "But not in the way that everyone is saying."

"Well, what about the con—"

"That's not why, Duvessa, and you know it!" Calin's voice cut in loudly from the hall.

I looked up at Maible's curious gaze and tried to shrug. My eyes were too heavy, though, and my shrug turned into a twitch and an eye roll.

"I forgot to close the door," she mouthed.

Thank God. I didn't want them to know that we could hear. I might be sick, but this was interesting. It might even fill in a few of those blanks I had about Calin. Plus, it meant that he'd come back.

"Tell me what you want, dammit, and I'll do it!" Duvessa pleaded, trying without success to sway his resolve.

"Ooh, she tried to grab his arm!" Maible squeaked from her new spot at the crack in the door. "Ha! He can't even look at her without looking as sick as you do!"

I smiled and the room started blinking in and out as I struggled for consciousness.

"We broke up, Duvessa, because you are an attention-hungry, selfish... jealous person who has zero regards for other people. I told you all of this already, so why don't you understand?" His voice was low, quiet but harsh.

"I know it's because of her," Duvessa sneered.

I wanted to get up and join Maible at the door, to be able to see Duvessa at that moment. It would make everything leading up to this worthwhile. All the arguments I'd had and the pranks I'd been blamed for would have all been worth it to be able to see the look on her face right now. There were times that I had no reason, despite all that my mother had taught me, to feel compassion for others. I would prefer to have seen her be handed a dose of justice for her actions.

"This isn't about her," he flung back. "It's about you, as always. It's always about you. And the problem is that I don't think that'll ever change."

"Oh, my," Maible whispered with fake sympathy, clutching at her heart with one hand while putting the other to her forehead, swooning like a Southern Belle. "I think she's crying. I didn't think she had tears."

"Shh." I put my finger to my lips.

"Right. Then why did your mother warn me away from her? Why are you always sticking up for her? Don't tell me that she isn't the reason we're breaking up—"