The Huntress

Chapter 37

With getting back to school, Jared and I hadn't had much time to be together. I'd spent two weeks away from him because of The Organization, and now there were only two times a day when we were in the same room, both of which was under supervision of teachers and cameras.

I remembered taking him down the hallway by the gym on his first week. The way I'd been royally pissed at him, when he'd told me that he wasn't sorry that he'd kissed me, and that he'd wanted to do it again.

My mind was wandered to what might happen if we were in that situation now, when Jared and Alex both sat down at the table across from me. Jared smiled warmly at me and I returned the gesture.

"Hey, El. What's up with you today?" Alex asked in her usual perky self.

"Just trying to get through another day."

I'd thought about how mundane class seemed anymore. I'd been determined to get through school and go off to college, but the more I saw and the more I experienced, the less of a point I saw in all of it.

What was any of it going to do to help me through life? When I thought of my future and how there was the possibility of endless running, what would getting a high school diploma do for me?

"I was wondering if I could drop by tonight, get another lesson?" Alex sounded hopeful with the idea.

I looked to Jared with a raised brow. He shrugged.

"If you're up for it."

"Totally!" Alex chirped

"We'll both be over then. What time?" Jared asked.

I tried to contain my excitement at those words. Both. He was going to be there too.

Alex didn't have a free period like we did at the end, so she would have to wait until the end of the day. I was trying to decide if it would be better to get them over and situated before my father came home, or after. Before would probably be better so I could keep Jared as far away as possible from my dad.

"How about four?"

"Sounds good," he said.

We talked some more, laughing. I glanced around the cafeteria and my eyes found Stacey. She looked slightly hurt that I wasn't sitting with her. The two weeks had just widened that gap back up between us. It was like that separator that first appeared when my mother died had come back in full force and I didn't really care if I talked to my friends again or not.

I knew it was a bad feeling to have, but I just didn't find myself caring. I wondered if that was my coldness coming through, the lack of connection that I formed with people.

No, you form connections. If something happened to Jared or Alex you wouldn't be okay with it.

That was true, if something happened to them, I would be devastated. That was another reason I wanted to teach Alex how to defend herself. It may not stop a speeding bullet-not much would be able to do that though short of a vampire-but it would help her get out of a dangerous situation.

Alex stood up, dismissing herself. I looked up into Jared's probing stare, his dark eyes trying to read me.

"I'm coming along to make sure you don't corrupt her," he said quietly.

My jaw dropped at his words. Did he really think I would do something like that to his sister? I saw his slight teasing smile. I realized it was probably a fear of his, but that he-at least for now-trusted me not to.

"Darn, you're ruining my plans," I said back with a smile.

We both dumped out trays, walking side by side through the school until we had to part ways to go to our next classes. Jared squeezed my hand slightly before continuing on down the hall.