Read Online Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer L. Armentrout
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don’t get in trouble.”
“Why are you arguing with me about this, Alex? You stood up to them today, but you sound like you don’t think any of us should. Why? Only you’re allowed to, and the rest of us should just go along with whatever they want?”
“No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. It’s just that this is serious, Caleb. It’s not about sneaking into rooms or leaving the Island. People could get expelled or worse.”
“You didn’t.”
“Yeah, well… I’m different. And— and I’m not saying that to be like I’m super cool, either. The only reason I’m not in trouble is because Lucian stepped in—why, I don’t know. But you guys will get in trouble.”
Incredulous, he threw up his hands, shaking his head. “You’re being way too… ”
“Way too what?”
Caleb frowned. “I don’t know, too rational about this or something.”
For a moment I did nothing but stare at him, and then I busted out laughing. “Do you know you’re the only person to accuse me of being too rational?”
A smile broke out across his face, reminding me of the younger, more carefree Caleb—the Caleb who didn’t get excited about taking a stance against the pure-blooded Council. “Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
We grinned at each other, but then my smile faded. “Caleb, you’ve changed.”
His smile disappeared. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. You’re just different now.” I didn’t think he was really going to respond, especially when he stood up.
He walked around the table to sit next to me, and his lips pursed for a thoughtful moment. “I am different.”
“I know,” I whispered.
A brief smile appeared. “You know, I keep thinking about when we were… in that cabin and I couldn’t do anything to help you. I don’t know what I’d thought it would be like to face a daimon. I guess I really had no idea.” A muscle along his jaw ticked as he rubbed his fingers over a scuff mark on the table. “All I keep thinking is there had to be something I could’ve done to make them stop hurting you. I should’ve fought through the pain or something.”
“Caleb—no.” I grabbed his cool hands. “There was nothing you could do. And that whole, messed-up situation was my fault.”
He faced me, lips twisting into a cynical smile. “I just never felt more… powerless in my life. I don’t want to feel that way again.”
“You’re not powerless. You never were.” I scooted over and wrapped my arms around his stiff shoulders.
Caleb responded a little awkwardly at first, but then he rested his chin atop my head. We stayed like that for a little while. “You have mayo in your hair,” he murmured.
Giggling, I pulled back. “Where?”
He pointed. “You’re such a messy eater.”
After I got the mayo out of my hair, he studied me. “What? Do I have more mayo in my hair?”
“No.” He glanced around the empty cafeteria. “How are things between … you and Aiden?”
I dropped the napkin. Usually Caleb sensed Aiden wasn’t something I wanted to talk about. “I don’t know. Everything is the same, I guess.”
He rested his chin on my shoulder. The edges of his soft hair tickled my cheek. “Was he mad about the Guard thing?”
“He didn’t say anything about it, but I’d go with a yes.”
“Have you guys, you know, done—?”
“No!” I jerked back, hitting his arm lightly.
Caleb shot me a knowing look.
“Nothing can happen between us, you know that. So stop looking at me like that.”
“Like not being allowed has ever stopped you before, Alex. Just… just be careful. I’m not going to lecture you—”
“Good.”
He flashed a grin. “But if anyone finds out about what almost happened between you two…”
“I know.” I glowered at the rest of my fries. “It’s nothing to worry about, all right?”
The topic thankfully switched to less serious subjects. Way too soon, we had to head back to our dorms, and I was feeling
“Why are you arguing with me about this, Alex? You stood up to them today, but you sound like you don’t think any of us should. Why? Only you’re allowed to, and the rest of us should just go along with whatever they want?”
“No. That’s not what I’m saying at all. It’s just that this is serious, Caleb. It’s not about sneaking into rooms or leaving the Island. People could get expelled or worse.”
“You didn’t.”
“Yeah, well… I’m different. And— and I’m not saying that to be like I’m super cool, either. The only reason I’m not in trouble is because Lucian stepped in—why, I don’t know. But you guys will get in trouble.”
Incredulous, he threw up his hands, shaking his head. “You’re being way too… ”
“Way too what?”
Caleb frowned. “I don’t know, too rational about this or something.”
For a moment I did nothing but stare at him, and then I busted out laughing. “Do you know you’re the only person to accuse me of being too rational?”
A smile broke out across his face, reminding me of the younger, more carefree Caleb—the Caleb who didn’t get excited about taking a stance against the pure-blooded Council. “Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything.”
We grinned at each other, but then my smile faded. “Caleb, you’ve changed.”
His smile disappeared. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. You’re just different now.” I didn’t think he was really going to respond, especially when he stood up.
He walked around the table to sit next to me, and his lips pursed for a thoughtful moment. “I am different.”
“I know,” I whispered.
A brief smile appeared. “You know, I keep thinking about when we were… in that cabin and I couldn’t do anything to help you. I don’t know what I’d thought it would be like to face a daimon. I guess I really had no idea.” A muscle along his jaw ticked as he rubbed his fingers over a scuff mark on the table. “All I keep thinking is there had to be something I could’ve done to make them stop hurting you. I should’ve fought through the pain or something.”
“Caleb—no.” I grabbed his cool hands. “There was nothing you could do. And that whole, messed-up situation was my fault.”
He faced me, lips twisting into a cynical smile. “I just never felt more… powerless in my life. I don’t want to feel that way again.”
“You’re not powerless. You never were.” I scooted over and wrapped my arms around his stiff shoulders.
Caleb responded a little awkwardly at first, but then he rested his chin atop my head. We stayed like that for a little while. “You have mayo in your hair,” he murmured.
Giggling, I pulled back. “Where?”
He pointed. “You’re such a messy eater.”
After I got the mayo out of my hair, he studied me. “What? Do I have more mayo in my hair?”
“No.” He glanced around the empty cafeteria. “How are things between … you and Aiden?”
I dropped the napkin. Usually Caleb sensed Aiden wasn’t something I wanted to talk about. “I don’t know. Everything is the same, I guess.”
He rested his chin on my shoulder. The edges of his soft hair tickled my cheek. “Was he mad about the Guard thing?”
“He didn’t say anything about it, but I’d go with a yes.”
“Have you guys, you know, done—?”
“No!” I jerked back, hitting his arm lightly.
Caleb shot me a knowing look.
“Nothing can happen between us, you know that. So stop looking at me like that.”
“Like not being allowed has ever stopped you before, Alex. Just… just be careful. I’m not going to lecture you—”
“Good.”
He flashed a grin. “But if anyone finds out about what almost happened between you two…”
“I know.” I glowered at the rest of my fries. “It’s nothing to worry about, all right?”
The topic thankfully switched to less serious subjects. Way too soon, we had to head back to our dorms, and I was feeling
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