Rise of Alpha (The Prodian Journey #1) (22 page)

“Haven’t you heard?” she asked.

“Heard what?”
 

Most of the girls in class were crying, and even the guys appeared grief-stricken.

“Mr. P was shot last night at a gas station.” Shannon’s voice quivered.

“Where is he?” Maybe I could pay him a visit at the hospital or his home and give him lecture for not listening to my warning.

“Brian, he’s dead.”

My whole body went cold.
No! No! This isn’t happening.
 

Guilt wracked me, and I buried my face in my trembling hands. I should’ve forced him to listen to me. He shouldn’t be dead.
 

“Are you okay?” Shannon touched my arm.
 

I shook my head. How could I tell her that I’d seen this and failed to stop it from happening?
 

Shannon scooted closer. “What is it?” she whispered. “You’re scaring me, Brian.”

Before I had the chance to respond, heavy footsteps stopped in front of us.

“Isn’t this a lovely picture? My ex-girlfriend is getting all cozy with the weirdo,” Kevin said in his usual mocking voice.

Despite my grief, anger coursed through my veins when I felt Shannon stiffen. I looked up to find Kevin scowling at her.

“Will you shut up? You just said the magic word, Kevin.
Ex
-girlfriend! In case you forgot what it means, it’s over. O-V-E-R!” Shannon yelled.

Kevin’s expression darkened while he glared at her. In one stride, he seized Shannon’s arm, yanking her to him. “You used to be all over me, but now that you’re hanging out with this loser, you have the nerve to talk shit?” He skimmed his mouth along her cheek.

Shannon recoiled. “Stop it.” She tried to push him away.

At this particular moment, with guilt and grief short-circuiting my better judgment, I jumped from my seat and gripped Kevin’s shoulder, snatching him away from her.
 

“You heard what she said. Get your hands off her,” I said, pushing him back.

He dragged Shannon back with him, but I caught her waist. Although I’d expected a tug-of-war, he released her arm at once to focus his wrath on me.
 

“You think you can tell me what to do, freak boy?” Kevin threw his fist at me.
 

Reacting fast, I sidestepped to avoid the hit and then punched him in the stomach. He staggered backward and the room erupted in applause.
 

Then out of nowhere, Kevin barreled into me like a battering ram, his head hitting my ribs. The sound of a crack came just before we hit the floor, and pain radiated across my body. My anger kept me going, fighting him with every ounce of energy I had. We struggled with each other until we heard the principal’s voice above the clamor around us.
 

“Stop it, right this minute!” Mr. Delson ordered.

Several kids separated us, dodging Kevin’s attempt to get in another kick.
 

My eyes burned with unshed tears of rage. The sharp ache in my chest made breathing hard, so I tried to keep my breaths shallow.

“Both of you in my office! Now!” Mr. Delson shouted and turned around, leading the way.
 

Despite the excruciating pain, I was able to follow, my head held high and my hand clutching my side. I’d broken something for sure. When I glanced back to check on Shannon, I found Kevin right behind me, literally breathing down my neck.

I wasn’t scared at all.
 

While we waited outside the principal’s office, I fought against the unbearable pain, refusing to give any sign of discomfort. My pride wouldn’t allow me to wimp out, and nothing was allowed take away from the thrill of standing up to Kevin.
 

After half an hour, my mother came running down the hallway.
 

“Brian, what’s going on?” She rushed to my side.
 

“Nothing,” I straightened my body and tried to mask my discomfort, but the stress was bringing on my tics again. My shoulder tightened while I fought the pressure to shake.

“Fuck!” I blurted out before I could clamp my mouth shut. I leaned against my seat, unable to suppress the violent movements I knew were coming.

Kevin snickered, and my mother swung her head in his direction to glare at him. Her comforting hand rubbed my back while I struggled with the barrage of jerks and shudders.
 

Soon after, a man with graying hair and beard entered the office. With his swagger and the striking resemblance to Kevin, there was no doubt that he was Kevin’s father.

“Kevin, what have you done now?” he shouted.

The door to the Mr. Delson’s office opened. It struck me as funny how I had avoided trips like this to his office over the past. Since meeting Shannon a few weeks ago, I had been racking up the points as if I were making up for lost time.

“Mr. Delson’s waiting for you,” the secretary informed us.

I dragged myself up and tried to ignore the stinging burn, piling into the principal’s office with the others.
 

Mom looked at me with concern. “Where does it hurt?” she whispered.

Not wanting to call unnecessary attention to myself, I tried to walk straighter.
 
“I’m fine,” I said, although I was unable to hide my grimace.

We sat on chairs lined up in front of the desk. Mom sat on my right, while Kevin took the one next to me. I looked straight ahead, avoiding the principal’s condemning eyes.

Mr. Delson cleared his throat. “As you already know, your children got into another fight. We have zero tolerance for violence in this school. I’ve spoken with a few eyewitnesses, and I believe I have my facts straight. This is the second time this has happened, so I’m not going to be lenient.” He stood up, moved around the desk, and stopped between Kevin and me.

“I will suspend you both for a week. After that, you’ll be on probation. If something like this happens again, expulsion will be next.” Mr. Delson’s head swung from Kevin to me, as though expecting a response.

My mother gasped in obvious disbelief, but I had been expecting this.
 

“Is there anything else?” Mom asked. At Mr. Delson’s shake of the head, she got up, tugging at my hand. I tried to stand, but the pain blazed across my chest. I slumped back in the chair, and another round of freaking tics hit me. It was impossible not to cry out.

Mr. Delson rushed over and knelt on the floor. “What’s wrong, Brian?” he asked.

Through gritted teeth, I tried to answer. “I think . . . I broke . . . my rib.”
 

Mr. Delson called his secretary. “Call the nurse,” he ordered.

The pain continued to radiate, and I closed my eyes, overcome.

When I opened my eyes again, unfamiliar white walls and the sterile scent I associated with hospitals surrounded me.
 

“He’s awake,” I heard Shannon say.
 

I turned toward her voice, but the slight movement brought back the pain. When I made a noise of protest, she took my hand and squeezed it. The warmth of her hand was reassuring.

“Oh, thank God.” Mom rushed over to my side.
 

“Where am I?” I asked, feeling weird.
 

“The emergency room. We rushed you here when you passed out,” Mom answered, smoothing my hair.

I moved my head to avoid being petted in front of Shannon. Passing out was embarrassing enough, but having my mother treat me like a two-year-old was downright mortifying.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in class?” I asked Shannon, making the effort to turn my head in her direction.

“I asked permission to come with you,” she said.

“Now that I’m awake, we can go.” I moved to sit up, but the next thing I knew, I was flat on my back again.

“Mr. Morrison, you’ll have to take it easy for the next few weeks. You’ve broken a rib. I suggest you stay in bed and let your body heal,” a man wearing green scrubs said.

The doctor scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to my mother, while Shannon stayed next to me, still holding my hand.
 

“Take one pill three times a day for pain and then another to help you to sleep. You’re going to be sore for the next few days.”
 

I nodded, feeling like a complete idiot. How was I going to protect Shannon if I couldn’t even get out of bed?
 

On our drive home, I watched my mother and Shannon from the back seat, but no one spoke. When we stopped in front of my house, Shannon turned back to me and smiled, although it looked strained. “I’ll call you later,” she said.

Dad took it easy on me that night. He asked almost nothing about the incident from school, and his reprimand was mild.
 

After dinner, I walked ever so slowly back to my room. Every movement made me groan. Without trying to get out of my school clothes, I lowered myself back into bed.

The sleeping pill took effect, and I conked out for another five hours until a noise at my window woke me. I gingerly turned my body toward the window, and to my surprise, it slid open and Shannon let herself in.
 

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“What does it look like? I’m visiting you.” She cleared the windowsill.
 

Whatever possessed her to climb up to my room? I coughed, and a round of tics overcame me. Once the worst was over, I glared at her. “Damn it, Shannon! We have a door. Use it.”

“Will you just shut up and sleep?” she retorted, making herself comfortable next to me. “Besides, I can’t have your parents know I’m here.” She wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

“You’re silly,” I heard myself say before I succumbed to the warmth of her presence and fell right back to sleep.

Cannus Ride

It had to be a dream. I was one hundred percent sure. Shannon and I wouldn’t be spooning in my bed if it were real life. I couldn’t kiss Shannon as if she were mine in real life. My real life couldn’t hope to compete with this dream.
 

I snuggled closer, running my nose through her hair and inhaling her scent. My arms tightened around her waist, staking a claim. It felt good, even if it was just make believe. No chance I was letting her go anytime soon.
 

A strange yet familiar voice pulled me out of my reverie. “Dream on, lover boy.”

I opened my eyes. Sunlight poured in from the window, stinging my eyes. Matro was looking down at me, his eyes filled with contempt and his mouth turned up into the annoying smile I’d grown accustomed to. My body still ached like a mother. I sank into the mattress.

“What the hell are you doing here?”
 

Matro walked to my desk and sat down. “I’m watching Shannon, of course.”
 

He must have been making sure I wasn’t going to make a move on Shannon.
 

Matro smirked and shook his head. “Um . . . no. I wouldn’t go there. Someone had to keep an eye on our princess while you were snoring away. She left an hour ago to get ready for school.”

I took a deep breath. Although the pain had incapacitated me, I had to find a way to be with Shannon and take care of her.
 

I rose, favoring my injured chest. “I’ll just shower and head to school,” I muttered to myself.

“Sit back down,” Matro ordered. “You may be her Prodian, but you’re still human. You’re not going to do her any good right now.”

I shook my head. My responsibility was to watch her, to protect her.
 

“I can’t leave her on her own,” I protested, even though the pain in my chest intensified with every movement.

“From what Car told me, you got hit hard, but you fought back. That is impressive. Besides, you’re suspended, boy. I don’t think your principal would appreciate seeing you in school right now.”
 

Matro rose to his feet and walked over to my bookshelf. He checked the titles before pulling out a book.

“But she can’t be alone,” I said, moving in the direction of my bathroom.