Deceptive Cadence (10 page)

Michael’s eyebrow rose. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am serious.”

“What’s happened to you, Cadence? You’ve always been a good girl, but you used to be daring, too. Over the last few months, you’ve become a real prude.”

My mouth snapped shut as I stared at him in shock.

“Yeah, you heard me right. You’re one of my best friends, but lately you’ve been pretty boring.”

“Are you saying I should’ve skipped school with a guy I barely know and has a reputation for drug use and generally being a huge jackass?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

My eyes widened. “Are
you
serious?”

“Well, okay, realistically if he was still that way I’d say no, but he’s been changing to get your attention. Did you know he was even seen
in class
yesterday?”

I saw the odds piling up against me. Michael thought I should date him, and Geri did too, and if I was completely honest with myself, I wanted to as well. I dropped my head into my hands trying to force my feelings for Austin to surface, but they seemed to be buried deep within me, lost in some abyss of an alternate reality. What was happening to me? My feelings from that time seemed to be just labels attached to images in my head, not real at all.

“You should give James a chance,” Michael said.

I gnawed on my lip. My feelings for James were so raw and real, but my feelings for Austin, try as I might, simply felt like a dream.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t just run off with him,” Geri muttered during science.

“It’s been two weeks and you’re still harping on about that?”

She flicked a piece of sheep’s brain at me. “Yeah, because it would have been romantic, you idiot.”

I brushed the brains off in disgust. “I just don’t know if I could date him.”

She scowled. “And you think I’m harping on? You’ve beaten that excuse to a pulp. You really need a new one.”

Our teacher ordered everyone to clean up. We hurried to obey, then took down our final notes before the bell rang. Geri and I shoved our books in our bags and hurried toward the door. I paused when I almost ran into someone, and was met by a pair of gray-blue eyes that caused me to jump.

Melanie gazed steadily at me with eyes identical to James’. “Stay away from my brother, Cadence. You’ve already ruined him.”

Geri scoffed. “Um, hello? He’s smoking hot now, and he’s been going to classes,
and
he’s stopped using drugs. How is
that
ruining him?”

She glared at Geri, then shoved my shoulder. “Of course
you
don’t get it.”

She skulked out of the classroom.

“Seriously? When did she get so surly?” I asked.

“As I said before—Tasmanian-style crush.”

I glared at Geri, but giggled. As we passed out of the science corridor into the grounds, someone knocked me to the ground and tore my bag from my shoulder. They hit me in the face, causing my braces to tear my lip open. I spat at the taste of blood. A hand grasped my hair, yanking me backward, then smashed my head against the concrete.

Someone knelt on my chest as feet gathered around me. Finally able to register what happened, I saw my assailants—Carla and her cronies. The one sitting on me, Becca, flicked her long, dark hair back and leaned closer to me so our faces were only inches apart. “Stay away from James, you little slut.”

I squirmed, and she smacked me across the face again. “Did you hear me?”

“Yes!”

She pressed her thumb into my cheek, causing my braces to cut into me. I hollered, which made her smile. “We can do so much worse than this.”

The other girls fell around me, pulling at my clothes and hair. I screamed, having never been bullied so brutally before. What was happening? Wasn’t my second chance supposed to be
better
?

One of the girls flew aside, soon followed by another and another. Harper, her face red with rage, plowed through to me. She knelt beside me and winced at the sight of my face. She softly touched my cheek, then launched to her feet and charged screaming at Becca.

Her friends fought with the girls. I sat up as Geri rushed to me.

“Cadence!” She swore as she touched my face. “There’s blood everywhere!”

Teachers rushed around trying to break up the huge catfight. My head spun as I tried to stand, and I stumbled back onto the ground.

“Cadence! Oh, Cadence! Don’t pass out on me!” Geri’s voice sounded high-pitched and trembled.

I met her gaze. She looked more frightened than ever as her hands clenched my arm. Her eyes shot up and she gasped. I looked around just as James plucked me off the ground like I weighed nothing. He scanned the scene before hurrying me away.

“Geri,” he said gently. “What happened?”

“Those girls just jumped her! She wasn’t even doing anything!”

James looked at my face and took a sharp breath. “It will be all right. I promise.”

“They told me to stay away from you,” I said.

His arms tightened around me as fear filled his eyes. “You’re not going to listen to them, are you? They’re just stupid, jealous girls.”

I didn’t answer, which made him look at me with wide, fear-filled eyes.

We arrived at the sick bay. The first aid lady gasped at the sight of me. “Lay her on the bed.”

James gently placed me down and stepped back as the lady cleaned my face. I watched him as he stood beside me, tense and stiff as he kept chewing on his lip. I stretched out my hand and wrapped my fingers around his.

“Open your mouth, dear,” the lady said gently.

I tried, but it hurt like crazy. I moaned. James’ hand clenched mine as he looked away.

Geri rushed up onto the end of the bed and sat over my legs. “Cadence, your parents are coming.”

“Dad too?”

She nodded. “He’s leaving work to come here.”

A knot formed in my stomach. “Let me see my face.”

Geri tried to force a smile. “It’s not too bad, just a lot of blood, really.”

A tear ran down my cheek. “I’m gonna be scarred, aren’t I?”

“No,” the lady answered. “But you will need to go to your orthodontist ASAP.”

The lady gently slipped some wads of cotton in my mouth, and the separation of my cheeks from my braces was a huge relief. She handed me ice packs for my face, and left us to fill out the paperwork.

With the cotton in my mouth, I couldn’t say anything. I felt like an idiot lying there in front of James with my cheeks all puffed up. I looked away, not wanting him to see me like that.

His hand tightened around mine as he shuffled closer. “Cadence, I’m so sorry.”

I nodded, but wished he’d go away until I didn’t look so ridiculous.

Geri climbed off my lap. I looked up to see James mouthing something to her. She nodded and slipped out.

He shifted closer to me and brushed his fingers through my hair, slipping out my destroyed ponytail. “Cadence, this is my fault. I’ll talk to them and the guys to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I promise.”

I nodded, too afraid to look into his eyes and see that he thought I looked ugly.

He took a sharp breath. “Please look at me.”

I shook my head, ashamed.

“Cadence.” He shuffled up next to me. He gently clasped my face and leaned over me. I shut my eyes as tears started to fall. “Cadence, please. Don’t let them get between us. I’m trying so hard to convince you to be my girlfriend, and now I’m afraid they’ve screwed everything up for us.”

My eyes shot open and met his. In his eyes, I didn’t see disgust with me at all. Instead, I saw how deeply he cared and his concern for me. I clasped his hands resting over my ears, and nodded.

“Oh, Cadence.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

“Cadence?” Mum stood by the door with her jaw hanging. “Who’s this?”

James leaped to his feet to face her. “I’m James. You must be Mrs. Anderson.”

“I am, yes.” She looked him over. “I’ve never seen you among her friends before.”

“I’m in tenth grade.”

“Oh.” Then it dawned on her, and her face fell. “Oh . . . James Gordon?”

“Yes, I’m James Gordon.”

“You don’t look like a druggie.”

He shifted uncomfortably and dropped his gaze. “I’m not anymore. Not that I was much of one before, just some smoking and beers every now and then.”

That didn’t please Mum at all and she scowled. “I think you should leave before her father arrives. He’ll eat you for breakfast.”

James glanced at me nervously, but shook his head. “I’m staying with Cadence.”

Mum sighed. “Oh, wonderful.” She looked out the door. “Geri, dear, come on.”

Geri shuffled in and climbed on top of me, resting her head on my chest. I sighed and stroked her hair, grateful for her unwavering loyalty to me. I hoped I could keep it forever.

James sat by my legs as Mum stroked my hair. “How are you feeling?”

I nodded.

“What happened?”

I raised my eyebrows.

“Well, of course you can’t answer.” She smiled and touched my chin. “It’s not that bad, don’t worry. Nothing the orthodontist can’t fix.”

I nodded again.

James’ hand rested on my leg. I was so glad I’d shaved that morning. With Geri and Mum focused on my face, his hand ran up and down my shin.

Mum suddenly stood and he pulled his hand away. “I’m going to go talk to someone and find out what happened.”

Geri’s head shot up. “I can tell you.”

I stared at James who gazed back at me, his fingers barely touching the side of my leg.

Mum cleared her throat and I looked up at her. “Can I trust him if Geri and I step out for a few minutes?”

I nodded.

“Hmm.” She shot him a warning glare as she and Geri slipped out.

James stood up and leaned over me. “Be my girlfriend.”

I shook my head. I looked like a beaver! It wasn’t the time for that!

“Why not? You want to. I can see it in your eyes.”

I dropped my gaze.

“Cadence, you know I’ll treat you right. You’ve been too much work for me to just screw things up.”

I shook my head, but couldn’t help the tear that ran down my cheek.

He ran his fingers through my hair. “Look at me.”

I did.

“You’re so beautiful.”

I whimpered and grasped his shirt.

He grinned. “I’d kiss you, but . . . you know."

I let out a short laugh, but stopped myself because it hurt.

“Be my girlfriend.”

I stared into his eyes, wanting to say yes, but hesitant all the same as my memories seemed to hold it back.

“What are you doing?” Dad’s voice boomed across the room.

I jumped and shoved James back. Dad advanced on him, but James stood tall and firm. Dad stood almost a whole head taller and twice James’ width across his shoulders, but James didn’t stand down as Dad towered over him.

“Who are
you
?” Dad asked.

“I’m James Gordon, sir.” James raised his hand for a handshake.

Dad ignored it. “What makes you think you can be
that
close to my daughter?”

James took a deep breath, but didn’t back away. “I care about her very much―”

Dad shoved him aside and sat beside me. “Who did this to you?”

I shrugged.

He touched my cheek. “Do you want me to press charges? Because I will. This is assault.”

I shook my head.

He sighed. “I’m going to at least make sure they’re suspended.”

“Dad?” Harper stood by the door. She had a black eye and held an ice pack to the side of her face.

“You too?” He jumped up and pulled her into the room to look at her.

James stared at me and mouthed,
Harper is your
sister
?