Chapter Twenty Three

Chelsea's POV

The next day is not only strange, but surprisingly amusing. I'm back to school and as I walk through the hallways, I'm greeted with looks of curiosity and suspicion. Overnight, I have become the most fascinating thing to them. But I don't blame them, considering the fact that Jasper literally has my hand in a death grip.
The day I woke up, he told me that students had already come up with theories of what might have happened to me in that room. Some were mean, others outrageous, some even really funny. So when we left for school this morning, he was a bit worried about me being picked on or asked unbelievable questions. Hence the overprotectiveness and death grip on my hand. Let me not forget the overprotective big brother face and death stare sent at anyone that even as much as glances my way. I am honestly trying not to laugh out loud right now.
We get to my locker and he turns me to face him. Both hands on my shoulders.
"Will you be alright on your own?" He asks, eyes stern.
I roll my eyes at this and place both my hands on his shoulders and look him right in the eye. "This isn't first grade or my first day in school Jasper. I'll be just fine. I can handle myself."
He sighs and lets go of me. I do same.
"I'm sorry I'm acting all overprotective. Kids can be cruel. You didn't hear half of what I did."
"I know. But I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. They are the ones who should be scared though. Considering they think I made a blood covenant with the devil in there." I say and nudge him with my shoulder. This makes him laugh and he visibly relaxes.
"Fine. But be rest assured I will still throw some punches when it comes down to it."
I put my hands on my chest and feign doe eyes. "My hero." I say. "Now get out of here. You’re spoiling my rep." I add and push him towards his lockers.
I open my locker and I almost scream when I see Torin staring at me with a hard glare through the mirror. I turn around and face him, mustering the biggest smile possible. He is leaning against the lockers across mine, glare still in place.
"Um, hi Torin. You almost gave me a scare there." I say warily. When he doesn't respond, I clear my throat and go on. "Jasper told me what you did back at the creepy tower. Thank you."
He gives a gruff reply in response and I am suddenly pissed. I walk up to him and get in his face. Which makes him visibly stiffen.
"Do you have a problem with me?" I ask in a low tone, making sure no one overhears our conversation. He just stares at me without a single word. I sigh.
"From the very first day I came to this school, you've done nothing but shout, glare and stare at me. If you hate me so much, why bother saving me?" I say exasperated. I'm mentally stressed out and he's inevitably adding to my stress. Why can't he just make my life easier and be nice, for once. Urghh! Boys and they're weird moods and hormones.
He's still quietly staring at me and I'm looking into his criminally beautiful face when I realize something. His anger and broody attitude might have absolutely nothing to do with me. Maybe I'm just present whenever he gets this way, making me the recipient of his attitude. This makes me sigh. Again.
"I'm sorry." I say and put an arm on his shoulder. This finally gets me a reaction from him. He's now startled and confused and this makes me smile. He tries maneuvering past me and I block him.
"You do know it's rude to stare at someone, not say a word and try and scurry away..."
"I'm not scurrying anywhere." He says.
"Ooh he speaks." I tease. "Finally. I was beginning to think you've gone mute."
"Chelsea. Move." He demands audibly. The hallway is beginning to clear as students head to class, making his voice echo.
"Say please." I say adamantly. This makes him visibly angry and he grabs my arm. Painfully might I add.
"I'm not in the mood for your childish behaviors. Move." And he growls. Which is sorta hot, but he growled. What's wrong with him? And me? I'm still thinking of this when he walks past me.
"You're welcome." I shout to his back.

***

"So you really can't remember a single thing at all?" Kayla asks while we are all seated at our table for lunch.
"Not really. I can only remember things from when we got to the tower. Everything after that is a blur." I say distractedly. I still can't believe I have zero memory of what happened.
"That sucks then." Kayla pouts and this makes me laugh. She's been warming up to me lately and it feels really nice having friends around here. Genuine friends, might I add.
Sometimes I sit and wonder, maybe this bankruptcy was meant to happen. Like it was part of destiny. It hasn't all been rosy, but so far, apart from the obvious fact that we have zero money to our names, it's been all good. We've gotten to meet people who genuinely like us for who we are and not what's in our bank accounts. And let the feeling in surreal. I have total peace of mind and I've never felt like I belong anywhere as much as I do right now.
Kevin and Jasper are messing around, making Kayla and I laugh. I look up from our table and immediately lock eyes with Torin from across the hall. He stares at me intensely for a while before abruptly walking out of the lunch hall.
"Uhmm, hey guys, I gotta get something done before the next class. See you guys later?" I ask. They all turn and look at me. All of them look confused but there's also a trace of worry on Jasper's features.
I reach for his arm and look him in the eye. "I'm fine. I promise." I say to him and he reluctantly dismisses me with a nod.
As soon as I get out through the lunch doors, I sprint in the direction that Torin went. I end up through the back doors of the school cafeteria and I find him under the shade of a tree.
"Why are you following me?" He asks. "Haven't you been warned enough to stay away from me?" He adds.
"How do you know I've been told to stay away from you?" I ask back.
"I just know Chelsea. Now what do you want?"
"They said you're the one who found me. What happened?" I ask carefully. I have this urgent need to remember what happened in that tower and I strongly feel like he has the answers I will need. But I also don't want him to go all Torin on me and shut down.
"What happened with what?" He asks nonchalantly making me sigh. Again. I seem to sigh a lot around him.
"You seem to sigh a lot." Mr. obvious states. I roll my eyes and decide to try again.
"Torin, please. I need you to let me know if you can remember even the slightest thing while we were there." I say.
"I don't know what you want me to say, Chelsea. I walked into the room, say you unconscious and deemed it wise to call the teachers. What's so wrong with that?" He says, exasperated.
"Are you sure that's all that happened?" I press.
"Chelsea. I'm not dumb. I do not have amnesia. I'm not that old. And you're definitely acting crazy. More than the usual amount." His voice is rising now and I have to take a step back because he seems like he's about to blow and it's really scary.
He paces around and takes deep breaths.
"Leave me alone Chelsea. Please."
"I wasn't holding you back in the first place." I bark and he gives me a look that shuts me up. We're both silent for a while and I dare to break the silence. Again.
"Why do you always stare at me?" I ask quietly.
"What?!" He snaps.
"Why do you always stare at me?" I ask more confidently. "If you aren't staring at me, you are giving death glares. Why?" I add.
Now it's his turn to sigh. He shakes his head. "Drop it."
"Why?!" I shout. "Why do you always brush off all my questions?"
"Because I owe you absolutely no explanation Chelsea." He shouts back. "Now drop it, and leave me the hell alone." He adds and walks away angrily.
I stand still for some time after he leaves and I don't even realize it when I start crying. What's worse is that I have absolutely no idea why I am even crying.