Read Online PRIME by Samantha Boyette - Free Book Online Page A

Noah’s body over the wall.” Simon bit his lip at the thought of Dodge and the others hauling Noah’s half eaten body back into the base. Tears welled in his eyes, and though he willed them not to fall, they slid out. His cheek stung as they ran through the fresh lacerations.
    Tessa let go and sat back. She handed Simon a white hand towel already spotted with blood. Simon dabbed his face, wincing when he touched the cuts. He handed the towel back to her when he managed to stop crying. He nodded once and turned his cheek to her again. Tessa sighed and took his chin in her hand. Her hand was warm and sweaty, but Simon was glad for the touch.
    “You’re both lucky you weren’t pulled over with him.” Tessa shook her head and dropped another small pebble onto the glass table between their chairs. “Honestly I thought you were better than that.”
    “Better than what?” Simon asked defensively. Tessa sat back, studying Simon. Simon’s heart hammered under her scrutiny. In that moment, she was more important than everything that had just happened.
    “Better than the rest of the guys.” Tessa shrugged. “It seemed like you were above all their chest pounding gorilla actions. Then yesterday you’re fighting with Matt in the gym.”
    “He started it,” Simon muttered, looking down at his lap. Her words stung. He hadn’t realized until that moment that he’d hoped standing up to Matt would impress her.
    “He always does,” Tessa said. Simon looked up to see her smiling. “Just do me a favor and don’t turn into him, okay? You seem like a good kid.” Tessa reached out to take his face again. Simon winced, not from the pain, but from being called kid.
    “I’m thirteen, you know.” It was hard to speak with her holding his chin. Tessa dug out another small pebble and dropped it.
    “Yeah, I know.” Tessa leaned back to look at him again. “I just think of you as younger.” She took his chin and tilted his face into the sunlight.
    “Is that why you never talk to me?” Simon asked. The question had come out before he could stop himself.
    “No,” Tessa frowned. “I talk to you.” Leaning forward, she blew on his wound. Her breath felt cool on his hot skin.
    “You didn’t even smile at me yesterday when I saw you in the gym.” Simon wondered if he had somehow damaged his brain out there on the wall. Why was he asking her these things?
    “Not everything’s about you, Simon,” Tessa said. The words stung worse than his wounds did. “I’ll rinse this again, but I think I’ve gotten out everything I can.”
    Simon watched as she grabbed the bottle of water from the table, unsure how to respond to her words when she was acting like she hadn’t said anything. She stood over him and poured water slowly down his cheek. Most of it ended up soaking his pants, but it didn’t matter. The cool water was a relief to his face, which felt like it was on fire. Tessa sat back down and squeezed a large glob of ointment onto her fingers. Gingerly, she spread it across the cuts; it too was cool on his wounds. Next came a large bandage which she folded in half and taped awkwardly to his face. She sat back and looked at her work.
    “Well if you don’t smile it might stay in place,” she mused, which of course made him smile unwillingly. She smiled back at him, reaching over to pat his hand. “It’s going to be okay, Simon. We’re alright in here.”
    “Yeah,” he answered thickly, hoping he wouldn’t cry again. Then she really would think he was some crying baby. This time he was able to push the tears back. “It was just surprising, you know?”
    “I know.” Tessa turned, looking off toward the wall. The breeze lifted her hair, making red strands dance into her eyes. “I mostly try to forget what’s out there, but I guess that’s no better than you three climbing around on that stupid wall while those things snap at your heels.”
    “Safer though,” Simon admitted with a small smile. Tessa turned and