Phantom [h.s]

Seven

"Hey! Jane, right?"

I turn at the sound of a soft voice, stopping to wait for Ria to catch up with me. She pushes a lock of jet black hair over her shoulder, lips curving into a friendly smile.

"Yeah," I say as we fall into step.

"Where're you headed?"

"Biology," I tell her my last class of the day.

"Hmm."

"You?"

"Art."

It's times like this that I wish I had any mild sense of social skills, to just keep a conversation going. But I don't, so Ria and I walk in silence.

I stop in front of my biology room, turning to force a smile at Ria.

"Hey, Nate's throwing a party this weekend," Ria says, flashing me a smile. "You should come."

I shift. "I don't know, I'm not a huge partier." I laugh nervously.

"Oh, come on," she says. "We'd love to have you there."

The bell rings and Ria looks over her shoulder. "Well, I've got to go," she says. "I hope you'll consider coming to the party." She smiles one last time before taking off down the hall.

Biology bores me, as usual. I rest my chin in my palm, letting out a sigh.

"I miss that."

"Miss what?"

"Breathing."

"...Geologic mysteries of this world continue to put scientists to work from all nations. Can anyone give me an example of a geologic mystery that is continuing to be studied?"

I tune out Ms. Monroe's lecturing with thoughts about Harry and what he's asking of me. Find his murderer? What am I getting myself into? Is it worth it?

I remember the look in his pale eyes as he watched me exhale air from my lungs. What must it feel like to not be able to do something as simple as breathe?

I decide that it's worth it. I'll help him.

"Miss Marx?"

I snap to attention and look up at Ms. Monroe.

She raises an eyebrow.