The Healer: A Young Adult Romantic Fantasy (The Healer Series Book 1) (13 page)

A strange cry to the right of me caught my attention, and I flashed my eyes in that direction. I was in another place and time watching Tie crumple to the floor as his assailant—someone who looked vaguely familiar—stood over him ready to attack. My need to save Tie became overwhelming, but I couldn’t move toward him no matter how hard I tried. I screamed in frustration, but my screams didn’t make a single sound. I watched helplessly with my arms outstretched while Tie’s assailant continued his attack.

There was a loud popping noise that rang in my ears as white light engulfed me again. I was almost relieved to see it, as it signaled my return to a place and time to which I knew I actually belonged. I found myself standing in the cafeteria, my hands clutching the edge of the table, watching as Nathan began to lift his fist again. A loud, nearly hysterical voice rose up from the silence and screamed out, “Stop!”

Nathan’s fist dropped abruptly. His attention turned from Tie and landed squarely on me. Everyone’s eyes were on me. I had been the one screaming at Nathan to stop? Without considering the possible consequences of my actions, I rushed around the table and sprinted toward Tie’s prone figure. I dropped to my knees once I reached him and put my hands on either side of his bloody face. I thought I might immediately connect with his life force, but nothing happened. I’d been connecting with people all day, but not with him.

And not with Victor either.

It didn’t take any kind of connection to know that Tie’s nose had been pulverized. It looked like it had been relocated to the left side of his face. The sight of it made me want to cry. His eyes were closed, and I panicked, thinking he might have a concussion or worse.

“Tie, can you hear me?”

My inability to connect with his life force in the same way I had with every other student that day saved me from slipping up in a very big way. As I adjusted my hands on either side of his head that strange little hint of a smile he’d given me just before he let Nathan hit him appeared on his now bloodied lips. His eyes opened and closed quickly, and in that instant I realized that Tie knew what was coming. He knew I was getting ready to heal him. He was waiting for it.

My first instinct was to get up and bolt for the cafeteria doors. Fortunately, I managed to stay in a kneeling position next to him while I pretended to be helpless and pitiful in an effort to get someone to help me. I searched behind me for Victor, knowing he’d be watching for my reaction.

“Victor,” I yelled as my eyes met his. “You’ve got to help me get Tie to the nurse’s station.”

His eyes narrowed, and then he glared at Tie with something close to reproach. From the look on his face it was obvious I wasn’t reacting the way he’d expected.

I felt a hand grab me roughly on my shoulder.

“Stay outta this Fairmont,” Nathan said practically growling at me. “I’m not finished schooling the new guy.”

Victor’s powerful fist pummeling into Nathan’s jaw was more than a little unexpected. Nathan hit the ground hard.

“You will never touch Hope again,” Victor said softly.

Nathan nodded in quick agreement and slowly backed away.

I gave Victor a surprised look and a nod of thanks before focusing my attention back to Tie, doing my best to fight the need to heal him.

“Tie, can you talk to me? Can you hear me?” I tried again, gently shaking his shoulder.

“I can hear you,” he said. His voice sounded muffled. It was like his nasal passage had collapsed. I felt sick inside.

“Victor and I are going to take you to the nurse’s station and get you some help, okay?”

“Victor’s going to help too? Now isn’t that cozy.” He opened his eyes and scowled up at us. At least I think it was a scowl. There was so much blood on his face I really couldn’t tell.

“Hey, I’m not thrilled about this either, cousin. I can’t think of anything more nauseating than helping you get to the nurse’s station looking like that.” Victor’s cheerful voice suggested otherwise.

He was clearly enjoying this.

I motioned for Victor to get on Tie’s other side. His cheerful look disappeared, replaced with some serious disappointment. He wasn’t happy with the outcome of this little experiment.

“Okay, on the count of three we’re going to lift you to your feet,” I said.

We slowly brought Tie to his feet, making sure he could stand with our support.

“Angie?”

“I’m here,” she said arriving next to me. She took one look at Tie and grunted in dismay. “I’ll get in front of you and open some doors or something.”

We took slow steps, while Tie leaned heavily on both of us. He was hurting, but I knew I had to do everything I could to avoid healing him. The sounds of students getting back to their lunches, their gossip, their normal everyday lives taunted me as Victor and I slowly walked Tie’s shaky frame out the door.

“You’re insane,” Angie said once we were halfway down the hall. “What exactly were you trying to accomplish in there?”

“Victor dared me to grab some random girl and kiss her in front of everybody. I never back away from a dare,” Tie said in his now muffled, almost mushy sounding voice.

Victor was trying and failing to stifle his laughter.

I didn’t believe his explanation for a second. These two were in cahoots together, intent on forcing my hand, playing on my sympathies and searching for a confirmation of their own suspicions. They posed a threat to me and my perfect charade of normalcy, but they had no idea who they were messing with.

“You mean the ten cheerleaders sitting on your lap didn’t seem like much of an option for you?” I asked sourly.

“Not much of a challenge, really. Victor and I like ‘em when they’re already taken. Isn’t that right, Vicky?” There was an edge to Tie’s voice that hadn’t been there before.

I looked at Victor to see what he would say, but all he did was tighten his jaw and stare straight ahead.

“So you just thought a guy like Nathan would sit there and watch you kiss his girlfriend without beating the living crap out of you?” asked Angie.

“I was pretty sure I’d survive the encounter.”

“Yeah, well your face didn’t. It’s not like your nose is going to magically heal itself within the next couple of hours.”

Angie’s last comment hung in the air, tempting me to prove it wrong. I noticed Tie and Victor glance at me expectantly, and I gave them a bland smile.

“I hear Hope works at the hospital. Maybe she could use her mad skills and heal me right now,” Tie pushed.

I could feel my face getting warm again. I tried to steady myself. As long as they had no idea I was on to them I could buy myself a little more time. I could play dumb. Maybe not convincingly, but I still needed to try.

“I refuse to heal anyone who sustains injuries through reckless behavior and pure stupidity.” I mentally congratulated myself on how normal my voice sounded.

“That’s you on both counts, man,” Victor said barking out another laugh.

I was weak with relief when we finally managed to make it to the nurse’s station. Angie opened the door to let us all in, and we slowly eased Tie into a nice soft chair. I grabbed some Kleenex from the counter.

“That nose needs some professional attention. Unfortunately, all we can offer here is our extremely high strung school nurse. Victor and I will go get her for you,” Angie obligingly volunteered.

“We will?” Victor looked out of sorts with the strange turn of events.

I knew what Angie was doing. She thought she was being sneaky, trying to get me and Tie alone. How could she want that after eavesdropping on that alarming conversation between he and Ms. Mori? She should have been more concerned about my welfare rather than my love life.

Victor didn’t appear to like the situation any more than I did, but someone had to go get the nurse. He left in a hurry while Angie slowly sauntered toward the door and gave me a wink just before she walked out. I looked at Tie and let out a resigned sigh.

“Don’t act like you’re upset,” he said. “There are millions of women in this world who would love to be alone with me in a nurse’s station.” His smile was more of a grimace.

“Looking the way you do right now? I think not.”

I knelt down in front of him and raised a tissue toward his face. In a flash he had me by my wrist.

“What are you doing?”

His suspicion of me made me want to laugh. It was so ironic.

“I’m cleaning the blood off your face. Believe me, it needs to be done.”

“It hurts too much for you to touch it.” He released my wrist.

“You’ll survive.”

I reached my hand up to his face and slowly began to wipe the blood from his chin and then his lips. I cupped the side of his face in my other hand to keep his head steady.

“Alone at last,” he whispered.

“Was it everything you hoped for?” I asked breezily.

His gaze studied me as if searching for something lost that needed to be uncovered. “No, but it’s about what I expected. It’s ridiculous for me to wish for more, especially from you.”

Tie reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from my face. The light contact on my cheek gave me goose bumps. I puzzled at his cryptic remarks.

“What is it that you wish for?”

His gaze softened as he took me in, staring into the depths of my eyes, almost inviting me to know the answer to my own question.

“What I’ve always wished for. Something I can never have.”

In that moment I felt as if there was far more about my life and my own secrets that I’d never fully grasped. My life could be compared to a ballet filled with stumbling movements and incomplete choreography. In that moment, it felt as if Tie might be the one capable of leading me across the dance floor.

“I think your name suits you,” he said, changing the subject and bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Thank you. My parents didn’t actually come up with it themselves. Someone else gave them the idea.”

“Is that so?”

“Yep.”

“Did your parents mention who gave them the suggestion?” He behaved as if my answer didn’t matter, but he was too nonchalant in his delivery.

“No. Just some friend from their past. Someone they must have trusted, I suppose.”

A knowing smile briefly graced his lips, and then it was gone, replaced with an earnestness I wasn’t expecting.

“You could do it, you know.” His soft voice broke me out of my thoughts.

“Do what?”

“You could heal me.” He said it without any hesitation.

I stopped wiping the blood from his face and gave him a steady look. My face was only a few inches from his, but I couldn’t work up the energy to put more distance between us. His confidence and knowledge about my gift made me feel nervous and happy all at the same time. I wanted to pour out my heart to him and tell him everything I was capable of. I wanted to show him what I could do. I wanted to heal him.

Then I remembered who he was and why he was here. If I healed him there would be no going back.

“I should
take you to the hospital and have my father set your nose. It’s leaning toward the left side of your face, and I’m fairly certain it wasn’t like that when I first met you in mythology.”

“Don’t do that. Don’t play dumb with me.”

He grabbed both my hands in his. His beautiful blue eyes searched mine intently. I felt my world shift.

“I know who you are. I know it’s you. So heal me, Hope.”

His sincerity was compelling. I was no longer positive his intentions toward me were malicious, but I still didn’t know enough about him. I didn’t know enough about Victor either.

I reached my hand up and touched his cheek as gently as I could.

“Tie, I think you have a concussion. You’re talking crazy here. As soon as you feel better you’ll remember that people like me can’t work miracles like that. I can’t heal you the way you want me to. I’m sorry. I’m so very sorry.”

His face went from warm and sincere to cold and cocky. It made me feel like his sweet and possibly caring attitude had been an act. Maybe he was just trying to get me to reveal who I was by charming me.

“I didn’t realize you could be so unfeeling. All this power to heal and you’re going to sit back and watch me suffer for no good reason?” He gave me an appalled look.

So he was going to throw some guilt my way. I wondered what approach he’d take after this one failed. I shook my head and continued to wipe the blood from his face.

“If you’re expecting me to feel so overcome by your not-so-silent suffering that I magically become endowed with powers of healing and take away all of your pain, you’re in for a very long wait,” I said. “I know a little something about waiting.”

The tissue was saturated in blood. I threw it in the waste basket and grabbed another one. At this point I was just trying to stay busy and distract myself. He may have had a nasty bloody nose, but his lips were deliciously tempting. It was like having a snickers bar sitting right in front of me, irresistible, even with his face smashed.

“You better tilt your head back a little. This nosebleed is only getting worse.”