Absolute Zero (15 page)

“Got your books already?” Nate asked.

“There are books for PE?” I panicked. Hadn’t thought of that. I’d just bought the massively thick philosophy book.

Nate laughed. “You are new to this college thing. I forget.”

“Okay, Mr. I’ve Been to Three.” I elbowed him. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and tugged me close.

Yeah, I was kind of loving that part of Nate. He was so strong and freely gave hugs. And they were good hugs. I’d found myself craving them more and more each day I was around him.

“Hi.
Mandy
,” a voice screeched behind me.

“Oh, crap,” Georgia whispered.

Her blue eyes bore into me, and it made my heart jump a little. I turned my head to the side to see Samantha and Zach approaching. More like Samantha dragging Zach toward us.

Nate removed his arm from my shoulder and stiffened beside me. I swallowed that bite of food a little early, and it clogged my throat. I coughed and reached for my soda. A couple of strong gulps, and I avoided an embarrassing choking incident.

“You okay?” Tim asked.

Of course he didn’t know Zach. Never met him. My heart slammed against my chest and made the leap to my throat. My hands went sweaty.

The first time seeing the ex-boyfriend.

God I hated that word. Never had an ex-boyfriend before. Sure I’d messed around with a few guys, but they were just dumb little make-out sessions. Never any attachment.

It was
sooo
different when you actually had been in love with a guy only to have him dump you for your worst enemy.

The happy couple strolled up and stood next to our table. I glanced at Zach, then back to my sandwich. My hands trembled enough to register on the Richter scale.

I could do this. I could remain civil, no problem. It was just like any other day. Oh, God, what if I had a class with him?

“So,
Mandy
, how are you doing?” Samantha said.

“Like you care,” I said, then reached for my soda again. My mouth went arid. “And the name is Amanda.”

Tim stared at me with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry, Tim. I know Samantha from high school. She already knows I can’t stand her, she just likes to egg me on.”

“Well of all—”

“Let’s go, Samantha,” Zach said.

I glanced to the side to see Zach shake loose from Samantha’s grip and step away.

“Oh. No. I thought we could join you guys. Compare class schedules, stuff like that,” Samantha said. “You wouldn’t mind,
Mandy
? Would you?”

“First of all.” I stood and faced her. “You’re not on the short list of people allowed to call me Mandy.”

Her eyes shot wide. My heart rate flared. I cast a quick look at Zach. His jaw tensed, but he looked everywhere except me.

“Second, get away from me and my friends.”

“Oh my God, Mandy, what happened to your face?” Zach said. He reached out for my cheek. I batted his hand away.

“You don’t get to know things about me anymore, do you?” I stared right into his steel eyes. “Now, take your new little girlfriend and find another table.”

Samantha reached for Zach’s hand that was still raised toward my face. He shrugged out of it and shoved his hands into his front pockets. He turned and walked away. Once a person who stood tall, his slouched shoulders curved his back, and his stare seemed to focus on the cement floor.

And I once thought he was all that mattered in the world. Had I stolen all his confidence? Why the hell did it hurt so much to see Samantha draped all over him?

It was just because he was my first love.

Yeah, that was it.

Samantha brushed my shoulder as she walked by. “Told you it wasn’t over.”

“Again with the clichés. Keep walking,
Sam
. Keep walking.”

She gasped, then scurried toward Zach.

Why’d it have to be her? Fine, Zach and I broke up. It happens. Right? I was only eighteen. It wasn’t like I’d met my soulmate on my first try, right?

But Samantha Jones? Why her of all the freaking chicks on the planet?

“What was that all about?” Nate’s voice sounded close.

I turned. He stood by my side.

“That Samantha chick is crazy,” I said. “I’m going to go check out the ladies room. Be right back. Georgia will fill you in on wonderful Miss Samantha Jones.”

He squeezed my elbow, then let me go.

I glanced at Georgia as I passed by. She held out her hand, and I gave it a quick grab. My gut soured. I’d only eaten half of the sandwich, but it felt like a load of lead in my stomach.

I dodged past the few students mulling around the small cafeteria-type place. Its attempts at making it look like a coffeehouse failed miserably. I turned right, toward the bathrooms but skidded to a stop when I saw Zach standing next to the ladies room.

God he looked good with the tight T-shirt and cargo shorts and flip-flops. I shook my head.

Zach stepped toward me, and the hairs on my arms stood on end, like lightning was about to strike. He shoved his hand into his pocket, then pulled out a little envelope. I shifted my weight, debating whether or not I should just bolt. I looked around expecting Samantha to materialize from the walls or something.

Or swoop in on her broom.

“Hi, Mandy.”

Was I within my being-dumped rights to revoke permission to use my nickname?

He stopped within a few feet of me. “I’m sorry about that scene out there.”

“Whatever. I’m used to it. She’s been like that since I first saw her. She’s always been after you.” I shoved my hands in my pockets. “Well. I gotta go.”

“Wait.” He held out his hand to stop me from leaving. He didn’t touch me, but still. “I just—well—I wanted to say Happy Birthday.” He handed me the little envelope.

It was a smaller than normal sized, and pink. Kind of our joke. I wasn’t into girly fashion stuff, so he insisted on getting me pink things when he could. Stupid joke to pretty much anyone else, but it was our joke.

“What’s this?”

“Birthday present.”

“Your new girlfriend okay with you giving other chicks gifts?”

He looked downward. “Look. I—” He rocked from his heels to his toes, then back to his heels. He always did that when he was nervous. “Please. Would you just take it? I bought it for you a while ago. I was waiting for—”

“The special night you had planned? The one where you wanted me to yourself?”

“Mandy—”

“Sorry.” I snatched it from his hand. “Look. You know how I get when I’m uncomfortable. And this is
way
uncomfortable, Zach.” My cheeks burned.

“I know.” He looked straight into my eyes. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t plan this. I—”

“Don’t, Zach. Just tell me one thing. Why her?
Samantha Jones
? I mean come on. You’ve always said how much you can’t stand her. You said—”

“I know what I said!” He looked around, then stepped closer. “Look. I have to go. Just know something. I’ll never tell anyone about you. Or Georgia and Jasmine. You’re secret is safe with me. I’ll always protect you. No matter what.”

“I never doubted that, Zach.”

His nostrils flared. “Good. Now tell me what happened to your face. That guy you’re with, he didn’t do that to you, did he?”

“Oh, please.”

“Then what? And why didn’t you heal yourself?”

“Remember? You don’t get to know all this stuff about me anymore. You’re not my boyfriend.”

“I still c—” He cleared his throat. “Fine. Well. Happy Birthday tomorrow, Mandy.”

With that said, he gave me one last look, then turned and walked away.

Again.

Chapter 20

“S
o, what’d you think of the restaurant?” Nate asked, as he drove down Center Street.

“Good. Spicy food!” I pounded my chest. “I think my tongue’s going to be on fire for a week.”

“They said it was going to be authentic Mexican food, that’s for sure.” The dashboard light illuminated his face.

“I still can’t believe you don’t know your parents. I mean, your real parents.”

“Being adopted is the pits. Never know if you’ve got a medical history, or, if you get your nearsightedness from your mom’s side or your dad’s side. Or who do you look like.” He shrugged.

“That’d suck.”

“I’m not sure which one I’d prefer. Having folks for fourteen years, like you, then having them both die in a car crash or never having known them. They both suck, but I think yours sucks the most.”

“Yeah, well. I’m glad I had them for as long as I did, because I know I get my blue eyes from Mom.”

“But jeez. To lose them like that.”

If only he
really
knew how I watched them get slaughtered by the
Coats
. That’d put a twist on things. “Next topic, please.”

Nate skimmed his hand across the leather and grabbed mine. “So, you have a birthday tomorrow. That’s cool.”

“Then college on Monday. Moving right along.” I glanced out the windshield. “Where are you taking me anyway?”

“To show you your birthday present.”

I turned toward him. “You got me a present?”

“Well, yeah. Why not?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I just—well—I don’t know, we’ve only been hanging out a couple times.” My cheeks flamed. “I wasn’t sure what—er—if you…” Gosh, I couldn’t think straight.

“Hey. It’s okay. What is it?” Nate asked.

“Well, like, are we dating? Just hanging out?”

“I don’t kiss
just anyone
the way I kissed you, Mandy.”

Again with my cheeks flaming. “Well, me neither. But, I didn’t know, I mean, I didn’t want to assume anything.”

“I just want to get to know you. I really like you, is that okay?”

I nodded.

“Look.” He glanced at me. “I know you just broke up with a guy. I get that. It’s totally fine. No hurry. No rush.”

“Thanks.”

Nate veered the car to the right. For a Friday night, it seemed kind of desolate where we were. Dark houses on the left side of the street and a dark parking lot on the right side. A sign posted read, “Closed at Dusk.”

He stopped the car right in front of the sign.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m going to open the gate and we’re going in.”

“So, my birthday present is breaking and entering and going to jail?”

He laughed, then jammed the gear into park. “Just stay here.”

He hopped out of the car and scurried around the front end. He stopped in front of the gate and hunched over it. I rolled the window down and listened.

The sounds of chains rattling clanged against the darkness. Soon, he held the silver links and pulled the gate open and turned toward the car again. “Okay, drive it in.”

I climbed over the middle thing and shifted the car into drive. I pulled far enough for him to close it, latch the chain, then he ran to the car. I hopped over to the passenger side seat again, and he climbed in.

“There. Are you ready?”

“For what?”

“You’ll see.”

“Not liking the mysterious stuff too much.”

“Not one for surprises, huh?”

“Not so much.”

“Too bad. They’re kind of fun. Gets the blood pumping, keeps things from getting dull.”

“Things already dull with me?”

He looked at me wide eyed. “I did
not
mean that. I—”

“Just kidding. Jeez. Drive on, Mr. Criminal.”

He smiled and pulled ahead. The headlights gleamed, but the darkness swallowed up the beams. I couldn’t see crap out here. I leaned forward and looked up at the sky. The stars seemed miles closer. Even more so than out on our balcony at the apartment. Maybe we’d driven up to the top of a mountain or something.

Jasmine’s voice echoed in my ear about always knowing my surroundings in case I had to flee. She’d not be real happy with me right now. I had no clue where we were or how to get home. But Nate was right, this was kind of invigorating. Even a touch romantic.

But really, really dark.

The momentum of the car slowed, gravel crunched beneath the weight of the tires, and my heart thudded in my chest so loudly it echoed in my brain.

“This is where we get out. It’s just a little hike.”

“I’m wearing flip-flops.”

“It’s okay, it’s a trail. And trust me, way easy. It’s only about fifty feet.”

“Fifty feet to what?”

“Birthday surprise!”

He turned the engine off, then opened the door. The light sprung on, and it seemed like it was the sun it shone so bright.

“If I trip and fall and break a toe or something, Georgia’s going to be mad. She helped me pick out this sweet birthday outfit and shoes for tomorrow night.”

“What’s tomorrow night?”

“Family dinner for the birthday.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Kind of a family thing.”

“Gotcha. No boyfriends allowed?”

“So, does that mean you’re my boyfriend?”

“Most certainly.”

“Hmmm.” I wasn’t so sure how I felt about that yet. Initially the thought of Nate as my boyfriend warmed me up, but the cool side of my reality doused that.

The Center was back in the picture, had even made an attempt on me and Georgia. I really shouldn’t allow anyone else into my freaked up world. Nate could get hurt. Tim, too.

Then again, we had Jasmine and Jess in our corner. Georgia and I were wicked strong. We could take care of any threat that came our way.

And I deserved a little normal, right?

Nate climbed out of the car and so did I. I couldn’t see anything, though, so I stood by the door. “Night vision is so not my gift, Nate.”

His hand twined with mine, and he stepped close. The moon reflected off his wide eyes. Couldn’t see the color, just the glistening reflection.

“That’s okay. I know this place like the back of my hand. Just follow me.”

He was so close his warm breath brushed against my cheek.
Yikes.
He tugged me along. “So, what was the
hmmm
about when I said the boyfriend thing?”

“Oh, nothing.” The front of my flip-flop caught a rock. I squeezed Nate’s hand to keep up right.

“Didn’t sound like an
oh nothing
kind of sound. What’s up?”