“Good. Do you want to know what I’ve learned about you so far?”
I couldn’t stop my whispered “yes.” Stupid curiosity.
“I’ve learned that you are stubborn, willful, funny and—”
I pounded a fist into his chest. “Hey!”
“Well, you are.” He flattened his hand over mine, keeping me from delivering another blow. “And you’re vengeful.”
“Why would you want to know more about a person like that?” I practically snarled.
“Maybe because those are my favorite qualities.”
Hardly. “Then you should get back together with Mackenzie.” Whom he might still have feelings for, I reminded myself.
“Ouch. There’s that vengeful side again. But you’re also sweet. You don’t smile very often, but when you do…” He leaned down, his nose rubbing against mine. “I find myself thinking very naughty thoughts.”
I gulped. That wasn’t a very friend-like thing to say, now was it. “Wh-what kind of naughty thoughts?”
“Can’t repeat ’em without violating several laws.” He traced his fingers over the back of my hand. “Why had you never been kissed before? How is that possible?”
I studied his boots, the mud streaked on the sides, the brand-new laces. “My dad never allowed us to go out at night, which meant no dinner or movie dates. I didn’t want anyone to pick me up at home for a day date because I didn’t want a potential boyfriend to meet my dad and see how crazy he was. How crazy I thought he was.”
“Well, I already know all about your crazy life, so that’s not an issue.”
“I know.” Wait. Was he trying to tell me that he was now ready to date me? “That doesn’t mean you’re good for me. I thought I could handle you, but I soon learned how wrong I was.”
“Please. I’d love to meet the guy you couldn’t handle, and give him an award,” he replied darkly. “Now, are you ready for the vision or not?”
The vision. Right. Nothing else mattered right now. I squared my shoulders, forced my mind away from my confused state, and said, “I’m ready.”
I raised my head. He pushed back his hat. Just like that, the shadows were gone. Our eyes met. Annnd…nothing happened.
I blinked, shook my head. Still nothing. Frowning, I cupped his cheeks with more force than necessary and shook his head. Again nothing.
“I don’t understand,” he said with a frown of his own. “Even when you were poisoned and drugged out, I saw something.”
Yeah. Us kissing, he’d said. “This is weird.” And I never would have guessed I would think not having a vision was weird. My arms fell to my sides, slapping at my thighs. “Unless…maybe we don’t have anything we need to avoid today.”
Scowling, he said, “You just had to go there, didn’t you? Throwing my words in my face.”
“I wasn’t—” Well, crap. I was, wasn’t I? “Well, you have only yourself to blame. I thought you liked my vengeful side.”
The front door opened, and Nana peeked out. She spotted Cole and eyed him up and down. “I thought I heard two voices out here.”
I jumped away from him as if someone had wrapped a rope around my waist and pulled. “Uh, hi, Nana. This is Cole.”
“Another friend?”
“Yes. He’s from school. He’s driving me.”
“Not without talking to me and your grandfather, he’s not.” Uh, oh. She had just used the same stern tone she’d used with Justin. “Inside, you two. Now.”
The door to the house shut, the ensuing bang echoing in my head. Cole tried to follow her, but I grabbed his wrist.
“I’m sorry,” I said, and I wasn’t sure whether I was apologizing for what was about to happen or for what had already happened.
He pried my fingers from him, then wrapped his arm around me and tugged me back into the line of his body. “Forget it. I deserved it. For the record, I don’t think the visions are things we need to avoid.”
I considered the journal. “I stand by my guess that they’re glimpses of the future.”
“Maybe. Probably.”
Somehow, I caught the words he didn’t say: that would mean we had no future today. I dug my nails into his chest, and I peered up at him with wide eyes.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine. You’re still recovering, and I’m sure that’s the only problem.”
“All right.” I would believe him.
He kissed my temple, an offer of comfort, before flattening his hands on my shoulders and forcing me to spin. “Let’s go in before your grandparents come out and drag me in, then decide to lock you in your room for your own protection.”
I sent up a silent prayer that no slang would be used, no accusations of drinking and having sex would be hurled, and everyone would walk away smiling.
Nana and Pops were waiting in the living room. They had their recliners pushed in front of the couch, the only place available for Cole and me to sit. The moment we were in position, the interrogation began.
Pops: Plans for the future?
Groaning, I dropped my head in my hands. He’d kicked things off with Justin the exact same way. Guaranteed, he’d end the same way.
Cole: College, law enforcement.
Nana: Oh, I like him better than that other boy already.
Pops: Good, that’s good. Now finish this sentence for me. When a girl says no, she means…
Yep. Exactly the same.
Cole: No. And that’s that. I don’t push for more.
Nana: Another excellent answer. But here’s an even tougher sentence for you to finish. Premarital sex is…
I should have let the zombies have me.
Cole: Up to the couple. What happens between them is no one else’s business. Sorry, but not even yours.
Both Pops and Nana blustered over that for a minute, but they soon calmed down. I, of course, blushed the most horrifying shade of lobster. (That was just a guess.) However, I found Cole’s answer exceptional.
Pops: That’s fair enough, I guess. So how do you feel about drinking and driving?
Cole: I think it’s stupid, and that’s one thing you’ll never have to worry about with me and Ali. I never drink, and if she does, I won’t take advantage of her. I’ll bring her home. I’ll always look out for her safety, you have my word.
“I won’t be drinking, either,” I said. “Ever.”
Nana: Aren’t you just a breath of fresh air?
Pops: He is. He is indeed.
I think I was as impressed with him as my grandparents were. Underneath the muscles, scars and tattoos (which my grandparents couldn’t see, since he wore a long-sleeved shirt) he was a really good guy. And because they were so impressed, they let us go with no more fuss!
We stopped for a coffee to help wake me up, and still made it to school with time to spare. After he parked in the same slot he’d occupied before—I guess no one wanted to fight him for it—he tossed his hat in the backseat, whipped off his long-sleeved shirt, revealing a short-sleeved shirt underneath, then helped me out of his Jeep.
My stitches felt too tight today, every movement causing the skin around them to itch. “I can’t believe we survived that.”
“Your grandparents love you unconditionally. I would have been worried if they hadn’t been so tough.”
His words slammed through me, and I tripped over the curb between the school building and the concrete outside. Love was something I had associated with them, of course, something they’d told me, but I hadn’t viewed theirs as unconditional. Deep down I’d still assumed they considered me too much like my dad. Maybe Cole was right, though. They’d done so much for me, and they had grilled him pretty hard.
“What?” he said. “You hadn’t realized?”
“No. I’m just so…different from them. I’m not soft like my sister was, or happy and able to see the silver lining like my mom. I’m like my dad, who they hated.”
“Take my word for it. They don’t hate you. And just so you know, you’re great just the way you are.”
There wasn’t time to react to his words—not that I’d known how to react. Conversations stopped with every group of kids we passed, all gazes locking on us.
They’d seen Cole and me dance at the party, so why—ah. I got it. This was confirmation that I was sleeping with him. With everything that had happened last night and this morning, I’d forgotten about the rumor mill and my all-slut status. Anger washed over me, a shimmer of stars.
“You still think Mackenzie’s innocent?” I demanded.
“Yes. I confronted her about the rumors. She denies saying anything to anyone about you.”
Could he be any more clueless? “Oh, well, then. That must be true.”
He snapped his teeth at me, reminding me of the first day of school, after the first vision. So now I knew beyond a doubt that it was a gesture of irritation. “I’ll find out who started this. Trust me. I just need time.” He threw his arm around me in a show of support. “Meanwhile, if anyone says anything to you, tell me. I’ll make them sorry they were ever born.”
That wouldn’t save me from ridicule. Because really, words weren’t always needed to get a point across. Expressions worked just as well.
As we rounded a corner, Frosty, Bronx and all of Cole’s other friends caught sight of us and bounded over. They had smiles and good-natured punching for Cole, but only frowns for me. Whatever.
I pulled from Cole’s hold and closed in on Mackenzie. “Let’s chat after school, okay?”
“That’s not necessary,” Cole called.
Still she replied, “That will be my pleasure,” and flashed me a grin that was nothing more than a baring of her pearly whites.
I opened my mouth to reply but noticed the silence behind me. The boys were listening to our conversation, I realized. This would have to wait. I walked away without another word. Cole didn’t try to stop me. There was no sign of Kat or the other girls anywhere, so I went to class. Justin wouldn’t look at me, but I sat by him anyway. He had two black eyes, a swollen nose and a scabbed-over bottom lip.
