Read Online Rise of the Fallen 1 - My Soul to Keep by Sean Hayden - Free Book Online Page B

nodded. I didn’t want to look. I felt her drop the evil on a bun onto my tray.
I could feel it mocking me, teasing me, threatening my very innards. I tried not
to look down as I slid forward, grabbed two cans of Coke, and made my way to the
cashier.
    “Only one sandwich?”
    “Yeah, too much of a good thing and all that,” I said through gritted
teeth. She must have caught my sarcasm, because she let out a cackle, sending shivers
down my spine.
    I made my way back to the table and found Jeremy talking to Jessica.
“What up, Jer?”
    “Connor, what happened to you last night? I called you after work but
nobody answered.” I looked at Jeremy funny. I'd gone home and crashed, but the rest
of the family should have been home.
    “I crashed hard. Nobody else answered?” I set the tray down and sat
down next to Jessica. “Sloppy-joe or salad?”
    “Salad, please. I can smell the sloppy-joes,” she replied with a frown.
    I picked up the salad, soda, and Jell-o and arranged everything in
front of her. “I got you Jell-o, too. It’s usually safe enough to eat. If the sloppy-joe
kills me, call the paramedics would you?” She laughed at my joke and I tried not
to bubble over.
    Jeremy raised one eyebrow at me and looked at Jessica.
    “Did you two introduce yourselves?”
    “Yeah, she’s the new kid everyone’s talking about.” As soon as the
words left his lips, Jeremy regretted it.
    “Everybody’s talking about the blind kid, huh? Don’t worry about it,
I’m used to it.” It really didn’t seem to bother her and my respect level jumped
even higher for her. “I’ve been blind for ten years. Some things never change. I’m
guessing from the way your principal tripped all over himself to accommodate me,
I’m the only one at the school?”
    “You might be the only one in town,” Jeremy said without any hint of
embarrassment.
    “Sweet, I should start a club.”
    “How did you lose your sight?” I asked. It had been killing me all
day.
    “They diagnosed me with macular degeneration, but it ended up being
a series of small tumors on my optic nerves. They did everything they could.”
    “I’m sorry,” I said and meant it.
    “You son of a bitch, you gave me the tumors?”
    “Huh?”
    “Relax, Connor, I’m kidding. It’s not your fault I’m blind and it’s
sort of my way of saying, ‘Don’t say sorry.’ Trust me. I’ve grown quite used to
not being able to see. I miss it, but I’m not bitter or angry.”
    “You’re really cool, Jessie. I hope you know that.”
    “I do. Pass the salt. And don’t call me Jessie, ever.”
    “Why?” Jeremy finally piped in.
    “My last name is James. If either of you call me Jessie again, I’ll
beat you with my cane until you bleed.”
    “No problem, Jessie,” we said in stereo.
    * * *
    “Thanks for helping me today. I really appreciate it.” Jessie squeezed
my arm as we stepped through the front doors of the school into the chilly afternoon
air.
    “I didn’t mind at all. I’m kind of looking forward to helping you tomorrow,
too.” She didn’t say anything, but I think I saw a little blush rush to her cheeks.
“How are you getting home?”
    “My dad is picking me up. He works from home, so lucky me.”
    “Just wanted to see if you needed me to walk you home,” I said and
it sounded lame to me, too. “Maybe Friday?” I tried not to sound pathetic.
    “It’s a date.”
    “Is it?”
    “It is,” she said and gave me a little smile, warming me from the inside
out. “Do you see a black Cadillac waiting anywhere?”
    I tore my gaze from the little smile on her lips and looked around
the parent pick-up line. Sure enough, at the head of the line sat a shiny brand
new black Cadillac Escalade with blinding chrome rims. I cocked my right eyebrow
up in surprise. Not too many families in Cedar Hills were very well off. Since the
economic landslide, even they didn’t have the money to tote around their kids in
a car that cost as much as most houses in the