Chapter Twenty Three

I was still deep in thought, something was off around here. I claimed it from the look that Asher gave me when Ren and I were chatting about the new school's program since he told me he liked to get into art designs.

He looked cryptically at me before we went to class and I had a feeling there was a new plan in his head. I wished I knew but nobody would tell me and Ren didn't know anything.

I had to expose it myself. For the time being, Mrs. Stella bored us to death about the genes theories and I wasn't thrilled about taking a DNA test in our lab coats. It was hard enough to roll up the coat and the wind through the opened windows wasn't doing me any good.

My focus shifted back to the blonde curls that sat on the other side of the class, he had the pencil between his slender fingers as he dazed off in class. He wasn't as focused as the rest of the students. He parted his lips, his hand on his chin as his eyes were clouded with ideas.

That made me want to bust him up even more. He was an incolent jerk to me and I couldn't believe that I tried to help him out.

Ren held his hand up and the short brunette teacher chose him to answer the question.

"Gene splicing occurs post-transcription to code for several proteins from one gene, resulting in a huge protein diversity." He answered with a pleased look on his face and Mrs. Stella proudly clapped at Ren's enthusiasm while everyone gawked at the smart, good looking guy, but he was looking at me and I flushed in response.

"Why can't everyone be like Ren Benson?" She spoke as she gestured at Ren, who squirmed uncomfortably under the students' glares and some winks thrown his way.

The class finished and I didn't notice until Ren tapped my shoulder with a wary smile at me. I got up and walked out of the class with him.

That was when Jocelyn trapped me to the corner beside the exit. She had a devilish grin on her face like she was about to end my life.

Ren tried to help me out but her grip was like steel. "Asher wanted to get rid of you by performing some love scene so you could leave him alone. He wants to die with no dead weight."

I paled at what she said, the beats of my heart were soundless to me. But one thing caught my attention.

"Why are you telling me this?"

She huffed in annoyance.

"Because I don't want him to die in peace." She snapped before she stormed off.

Ren fidgeted uncomfortably and that caught my attention, truth rang in my ears as I looked at him incredulously.

"Are you in his plan?" I asked, his sheepish smile told me the answer and I walked angrily towards Asher's locker. He was oblivious that he was going to get it from me, I pushed him hard and he turned around with a raised eyebrow.

"Jocelyn told you." He stated the obvious and I pushed him once again. He gripped both of my arms to stop me.

"Get your hands off of her." Ren intruded, and he sent a glare to him and looked at me again.

"Guess you got my cousin in love. Was it the kiss or the nerdy notes?"

By instinct, I slapped him as quick as his breathing when his hands let go of me.

I looked at them both next to each other. "You guys are sick and disgusting. I never want to see you again." Ren looked sincerely bothered and Asher was back with his cold expression as he turned and left.

I went for the other way and my phone rang. I stopped dead in my tracks when the police number was evident on my phone.

Why would they want to call me? Unless it was something about Vera or Asher. . .

I answered. "Yes?" I got direct to business.

"Vera was shot. Yere Hospital now." Officer Carl announced and I hung up as soon as he told me the hospital name. Ren followed behind when I dashed out of school, I couldn't let the blur of my tears get in the way to the hospital.