Chapter 7

All of her breath rushed from her lungs as though it was sucked directly out of her as the guy toppled onto her, pushing her into the ground, and falling smack dab on top of her. Jayde felt like she’d been hit by a truck or something as she gasped for breath, pushing at the heavy body on top of her. She looked up into the guy’s face, staring hard when she thought she saw his emerald green eyes shift to a metallic silver before they stayed green. She gasped in another breath, taking in his sweaty, woodsy, fiery male smell. He smelled good, like really good, which was really weird.

The tension between them built as they continued to stare at one another. With the tension came a slow burn of attraction. After a moment more, he finally stood up, and then held a hand out to her. Jayde stared between his face and his hand, fighting against the attraction she felt. With that, her temper rose in a quick flash that had her pushing his hand away as she glared at him. She got up, slower than she had intended, and winced from the sharp pain in her back.

He had stiffened when she had pushed his hand away, his eyes turning a darker shade of green with his own anger. He stood staring back at her, silent with his arms crossed over his chest. Jayde took a few deep breaths, getting her air back and easing the pain away slowly before she continued glaring at him.

“You should watch where you’re going next time, seriously,” Jayde snapped, her voice cold. She knew she should have been nicer, seeing as he had offered to help her up, but she didn’t care. Nor would she change it now, no matter how much she wished to hug or kiss him.

She frowned at that thought, shaking her head to make it go away. What the heck was wrong with her? Did that hit make all her screws loose?

The guy was now scowling at her and made a soft sound like a growl as he bent down to pick up the football he’d barely caught before running her down. “Should I? Maybe it’s you who should watch where you’re going.”

His voice, oh, lordy, she thought. It was deep, husky yet smooth with a soft tinge of smoke built all into one man. The timber of his voice made her ache to hear it again, her body feeling as though it was vibrating from it as a shiver went down her spine. It took a moment, but his words and the rude tone he used registered. She gritted her teeth.

“You know what, asshat? You’re the one who should be more considerate of people as they walk, especially those who are walking plenty far away from your game so as not to have this happen. No one likes being run over by some guy trying to catch a football!” She glared at the ball in his hand a moment before glaring back at him. “So, get your head out of your ass and think before you act.” Jerk.

A flicker of movement behind him had Jayde looking over his shoulder to watch the blonde running to him. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes before turning and walking away from him before he had a chance to say anything else. As she pulled her hood back over her head, she heard the girl call out to him.

“Are you alright?!”

Jayde blocked them out as they spoke, uncaring for the way she was responding to him. Mentally, physically, and especially not emotionally. Her heart was beating fast, her ears felt like they were still ringing with the song of his voice, and she felt like her body was tingling in every spot his body had touched hers. Or maybe that was just where his boulder-like ramming into her had bruised her and the pain was radiating from them in a tingly way because her body was half-numb from the knockout.

Once she reached the trees, Jayde found a large shady spot under one and sat beneath it. She couldn’t help the wince that crossed her face as she lowered herself, her back and rib protesting the movement needed to sit down. When she was finally sitting, though, she leaned back against the tree with a soft sigh, relaxing.

“You know, I don’t think anyone’s ever talked to him like that here.”

Jayde snapped up, yelping as pain shot through her back, breath rushing out of her again. She looked around, wondering who had spoken, then looked up when she didn’t see anyone. There was a girl sitting in the branches above her, swinging a leg back and forth as her eyes sparkled down at Jayde. Jayde caught her breath then shrugged, not knowing if the gal was right or wrong since it was still her first day at the school.

Unfortunately.

The girl jumped down from her branch and immediately sat down next to Jayde. Now that she wasn’t above her and out of the shadows, Jayde could tell that the girl’s hair was a bright, sunrise red with swirls of blonde through her curly hair. On top of that, the girl had perfect curls. They were tight enough to be super curly but not make her hair turn into an afro. It kind of made Jayde jealous since she had jet black hair that stayed straight even when she did try to curl it. Nothing her mother or a hairdresser had done could make a curl stay longer than half an hour in Jayde’s hair. The only time it had its own slight curl was after a shower and would only last until her hair was dry.

Jayde smiled at her and held her hand out. “I’m Jayde.”

Said girl grinned and vigorously shook Jayde’s hand. “I’m Ophelia, it’s nice to meet you. You’re a new face around here.”

Jayde shrugged, pulling her hand back to stuff back into her pocket. “First day here.”

Ophelia studied Jayde, curiosity plain on her face even as she narrowed her eyes. “Hm. Well, since you have no obvious signs, do you mind if I ask what you are?”

A little shocked, Jayde stared at Ophelia in silence for a moment. Did kids just go around asking what someone was? Wasn’t that considered rude though? She studied the red head for a moment, taking in her olive green combat boots, black skinny jeans, and Disney shirt. It made Jayde think about how it wasn’t easy to differentiate one species from another unless a species had something that showed what they were no matter what. Ophelia looked just like a regular human, just as Jayde knew she looked human.

“Yes… it’s okay.” Jayde paused, studying the curious face. “I’m a vampire, I guess.”

Ophelia’s expression quickly turned from curiosity, to fear, and ended in shock. “Huh… We haven’t had a vampire around here in awhile.”