Chapter 8

                                    

                                              






"Let me get my bag." I tried to shove my hand past Luke into his back seat.
                          
He didn't move. Just pinned me with his gaze. "You owe me an explanation."
                          
"I don't owe you anything."
                          
"You almost cost me my job." He glanced at my classmates gathering outside the front of the school. "You want to do this here? Or somewhere more private?"
                          
I followed Luke's gaze. Josh headed up the group, looking pretty puffed up about himself. No doubt the gossip would get juicier and juicier if Luke and I didn't get out of there quick.
                          
"Fine." I sank into the passenger seat. Anything to get away from being the center of attention. Luke stalked around the front of the car, dropped into the driver's seat, and peeled out into the traffic. 
                          
He didn't say anything. He just drove with anger radiating off of him. 
                          
"I didn't mean to lie," I said. 
                          
"But you did." He stared out the windshield, jaw tight. If he hadn't been driving toward my house, I'd have thought for sure he was going to dump me in the river. Somewhere deep.
                          
Of course I knew I was lying at the time, but what choice did I have? I didn't understand enough about what was going on to even explain it. Did that count? For anything?
                          
"I was shocked when you asked me about the visions. I didn't know what to say."
                          
"Did I act like I wouldn't understand?"
                          
"I don't know. I'd just met you," I said as the roadside sped by. "I hardly even know you now." Not a great time to realize that.
                          
He exhaled. "Did you know you were going to ditch it off my raft?"
                          
"No." 
                          
"I heard you tell Jasmine." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't lie again."
                          
Who was this guy? My dad? "What do you want from me?" 
                          
"The truth." He pulled into my driveway and turned off the car. "Do you think you can handle that?" 
                          
"What's in this for you?" I narrowed my eyes. "Can you handle that?"
                          
"What're you talking about?"
                          
"You've been all over me about this seeing-the-future stuff ever since we met. Why?"
                          
"I have a few questions, but I'm not going to get to those today."
                          
"Why not?"
                          
"Because I want to know why you put my job in jeopardy."
                          
"I didn't do it on purpose, if that's what you mean. That was one of my first visions," I said before I could stop myself. "I didn't know it was actually going to come true."
                          
His voice quieted. His whole demeanor softened. "You mean the visions just started?"
                          
"I didn't even know they existed until a week ago." My breathing came a little easier.
                          
He frowned and spoke almost to himself. "I figured they started a few years ago."
                          
"What did you say?" 
                          
"Just stuff you hear." He shrugged. "You know?"
                          
"I've never heard it."
                          
He put his hand on my knee. "Look, I'm sorry. I thought you were trying to put one over on me." Warmth spread all over my leg. Oh, his vortex was strong.
                          
But he still wanted something from me. That much was clear.
                          
I melted into the seat beneath his hand, just a little. "So ask me one of your questions."