Deceptive Cadence (12 page)

I covered my mouth as a sob wrenched itself free. Flashes of Austin’s face burst into my mind, but they seemed faded and distorted. In contrast, James’ face came through clear and vibrant, his gray-blue eyes piercing right through me.

TEN

He gave me space for the next few weeks, but stayed nearby, waiting patiently. I’d caught him talking with Geri and Michael several times and they’d clam up as soon as I approached them.

Then, my birthday arrived.

I chatted with my friends during lunch, standing and leaning over the table. With the sweltering December heat, I did all I could to cool down.

Geri squirted me with water. “Ha ha! Happy birthday, Cay-Cay!”

“Oh! I’m gonna kick your butt!”

She screeched and sprinted away. We charged across the lower quad out onto the football field, right through the middle of a cricket game. The boys hollered at us to get lost, so she turned and headed back toward the buildings. We sprinted through the corridors with the teachers yelling at us to stop running inside, and she burst into the school hall.

I charged in after her. She danced around in circles.

“Geri, we’re not supposed to be in here!” I laughed.

“I know, but it’s actually a little bit cooler in here.”

I glanced back toward the door to the administration offices, hoping no one would look in and see us. “We could get detentions for being in here.”

She stopped mid-spin, ran up the stairs onto the stage, and disappeared.

I climbed the stairs and peeked through the door to the dark stage. “Geri?”

“I’m over here.”

“Geri, we’re gonna get so busted for this.”

Her giggling darted across the dark stage.

I stepped through the door and shut it behind me. At least no one could see us if they passed by. I walked out onto the stage, my hands outstretched, feeling for the curtains and any desks or chairs lying around. My fingers found a curtain and I followed it out onto the stage. Then I felt a shirt and warm, firm abdominals. I pulled back, startled.

A pair of hands clasped mine and placed a small box into them. I held my breath as I opened it. A blue light burst out, and inside, a crystal sat on top of a light. Round cut, but with grooves cut along it, the light distorted and burst out at different angles. The light faded to purple, then red . . .

The hands wrapped around mine, blocking the light. James moved closer to me, I knew just by the smell of him. His hands found my face and he pulled me closer.

“Happy birthday, beautiful.”

“James . . .” My heart tore apart.

“I have something special for you for Christmas, too, if you’ll agree to be my girlfriend.”

I ran my hand over his chest, just to feel his presence, but I paused over his heartbeat. I held my hand there as it pulsed steadily. He was so alive. I took a deep breath and shut my eyes.

What should I do?

I thought about Austin and Melody, and everything that happened. The last time I saw them, they were dead. I’d been shot back in time to save them, but Melody hadn’t even been born yet, and Austin was miles away and didn’t even know I existed. I’d had boyfriends the last time and it hadn’t harmed our marriage . . . then it struck me.

I wasn’t
married
.

I was a teenage girl again, with a second chance to live life exactly how I wanted. I would be with Austin again eventually, and we would have Melody and I would save them, but right now, I could be with James if I wanted. I could see what lessons he had to teach me. I could feel something with him that I’d never felt with any of my other high school boyfriends.

My hand slid up onto his shoulder. “James?”

“Yes, Cadence?”

“Why do you like
me
?”

He chuckled. “Because you’re incredible.”

I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck and stroked his hair. “James?”

“Yes?”

“Be my boyfriend?”

He let out a short laugh. His arms wrapped around me and his lips slammed against mine. I kissed him openmouthed and with passion, my heart pounding as a rush of excitement surged through me. I couldn’t get enough of him as I ran my fingers through his hair and over his face. Being so engrossed in each other, we didn’t hear the bell ring.

“Cadence!” Geri’s voice echoed around us.

I pulled away, startled by being brought out of such a passionate kiss. “Geri?”

“The bell went. We have to go.”

I stroked James’ face in the darkness, wishing I could see it. “James, I wish you could come with me.”

“Let’s just leave, right now.” He stroked my cheek.

“No, I have to go to class.”

“I know. You’re such a good girl.” His hand ran through my hair. “But you’re my good girl now.”

I giggled and gave him a quick kiss. “I’ll see ya later.”

“Okay. Goodbye, beautiful.”

I pulled away hesitantly, and Geri and I slipped out the backstage door. We hurried to PE as she rambled about how she and Michael helped plan the whole thing. I giggled at her excitement. My butterflies rushed out of my stomach and tingled all over my skin. James was my
boyfriend
! How could a guy I’d never known before be constantly on my mind, making me feel things I hadn’t felt until I was twenty?

Outside the change rooms, Geri swung to face me. “Okay, we have to stop talking about him now because Melanie will freak out.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, James told me what she did. She’s less than happy about the prospect of you and him.”

“Oh.” I scowled, lifting the little box in my hand and opening it. It didn’t seem so vibrant and beautiful in the sunlight, but I still smiled as it changed color.

Geri giggled. “Cadence, I’ve
never
seen you this into a guy. It makes me so happy!” She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed. “I love you, Cay-Cay. You’re the best friend ever. When it’s my turn, you better return the favor.”

I laughed as she let me go. “Deal.”

We rushed in to change. I set the box on top of my bag to pull off my shirt and laughed when Geri poked my belly button. As I lifted my dark blue sports shirt, I jumped at someone pressing against me.

Melanie stared intently at the box. “Where did you get that?”

Geri snatched it up and shoved it in my bag. “It was a birthday present.”

“From who?” Melanie’s eyes narrowed on me.

“Me and Michael,” Geri answered a little too quickly.

“Let me see it.” Melanie lunged toward my bag.

“Hey!” Geri grabbed her hand. “You can’t just go through people’s bags.”

“Let me see it!”

I yanked on my shirt and grabbed my bag to hold the zipper together. Several more girls rushed in. Melanie screamed and tried to wrestle my bag out of my and Geri’s hands.

One of the female PE teachers burst in at the yells and sounds of a fight, and blew her whistle. The piercing sound echoed around the tight change room, making us all jump and cover our ears.

“What’s going on? Who started this?”

Everyone pointed at Melanie except me.

“Melanie Gordon.” She scowled and rested her hands on her hips. “I would expect this from your brother, but not you.”

She turned bright red.

“Miss,” I said, wanting to try and make amends with Melanie. “It wasn’t her fault.”

The teacher raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”

“No, it was my fault.”

“Cadence!” Geri grabbed my elbow.

The teacher looked me over and placed her hands on her hips. “I doubt that, Miss Anderson. But since you owned up to it, I’ll need you to come with me, too.”

“No!” Geri shot in front of me. “She didn’t do it, miss! Melanie was being a jealous brat and tried to steal something from her bag.”

“Geri!” I grabbed her shoulder.

“It’s true,” one of the other girls piped in.

“Yeah, she tried to rip Cadence’s bag open,” said another.

All the girls murmured in agreement. Geri opened my bag and pulled out the box. “She wanted this. It’s a birthday present.”

The teacher looked at it with a scowl, then looked at me. “Cadence?”

I looked at Melanie, who stared at her feet. “I . . . ah . . .”

What could I do? Everyone accused Melanie. But I couldn’t get her into trouble. That would just make things worse. “She was confused. I should have just shown her. So it’s still my fault.”

“No, it isn’t, Cadence,” the teacher answered. “She shouldn’t have tried to go through your bag. That’s a very serious issue.” She looked to Melanie. “Come with me, Miss Gordon.”

Melanie shuffled out after the teacher as the rest of the class went about their business as if nothing happened. No one cared what happened to Melanie. She was nobody.

I hurried onto the field with the rest of the class and set up the cricket stumps. Brian came up beside me and shoved the last stump into the ground. “Happy birthday, Cadence.”

“Thanks.” I forced a smile on my face, but couldn’t help feeling guilty about Melanie.

“So . . .” He scratched his head. “Did you get your special birthday present?”

“Huh?” I rested the wicket on top of the stumps.

He cleared his throat.

“Michael told me that, ah . . .” He grinned sheepishly.

I giggled. “Oh,
that
present.” I walked away from him.

He stood beside me as teams were divided. “Well?”

Geri walked up beside him and punched his shoulder. “Well what?”

I giggled, enjoying the game.

“Are she and James together?” he asked in a loud and exasperated voice.

Geri burst out laughing.

The class tried to look indifferent, although obviously listening. I tugged on Brian’s sleeve and he bent down so I could whisper in his ear.

“Yes.”

A smile flashed across his face, but he suppressed it and glanced around. He whispered, “Where’s Melanie? Is that why you’re being so quiet?”

I shrugged, then heard my name called for a team. As the teams split up, I thought about Melanie. I needed to do something to try and get along with her. I didn’t want to cause James grief and drive a wedge between him and his sister.

Melanie eventually returned to class and stood on the outfield a long way from everyone. I watched her during class and tried to approach her several times, but when she noticed me creeping closer, she’d dash across to the far end of the field.

Determined to talk to her, I hurried to change after class to follow her out. She changed quickly too, so I had to finish buttoning my blouse as I ran out after her. “Melanie!”

“Get away from me,” she responded.

“Please hear me out.”

“No!”

“I don’t know what you want me to do!”

She swung around and glared at me. “Stay away from my brother.”

I stared at her in frustration. “Really?”

“Yeah. He can do
way
better than you.” She headed toward the front of the school.

“He’s my boyfriend now.”

She flinched and clenched her fists, but kept walking. “Then dump him.”

“I don’t want to. I really like him.”

She gagged. “That’s disgusting.” She rushed through the main building to the parking lot and paused, glancing around. “You’re disgusting. You’re not even pretty. I don’t see why everyone thinks you’re so wonderful.”

“I’m sorry you got into trouble.”

She scoffed and folded her arms. “No, you’re not. It just made you look even better because you tried to take the blame.
Saint Cadence
tries to save the day.”

I forced my anger aside. “I don’t want to fight with you.”

Her eyes narrowed on me. “Then stay away from James.”

I groaned, exasperated.

James walked up behind her. He glanced at me, then rested his hand on her shoulder. She jumped and turned to him.

“Hey, Mel.”

She flushed and bit her lip.

“Why are you being like this? We’ve talked and yelled about it, but you’re still holding on to this. I’m going to date Cadence whether you like it or not, so just let it go.”

She slapped his chest. “She got me a detention! Mum will be here any second and will yell at me because they called her and told her I tried to steal something from
her
bag!” She pointed at me accusingly. “I hate her, James! All she ever does is make everything worse for me!”

James looked at me. “What happened?”

“Don’t ask
her
!” Melanie shoved him. “She’ll do her sweet girl thing and make me look like the bad guy!”

James glared at her. "You’re doing a really good job of that all on your own."

She slapped his shoulder and opened her mouth to speak when a car pulled up. They both turned to face it as an auburn-haired woman dressed in a tight, black, A-line skirt and ruffled blouse jumped out. She was slender, and didn’t reach my shoulder in height.