Read Online Tainted Energy (The Energy Series Book 1) by Lynn Vroman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lynn Vroman
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me, really. I'd secured a
permanent spot on the team when I was in ninth grade and Stump caught me racing
all the kids in class for money.
I wouldn't
let Dad take my future away, no matter how much he wanted to repair our broken
family. It didn't need to be repaired–it needed an amputation. An alcoholic,
abusive prick amputation.
I
avoided Zander in Gym and English, even though he made it difficult. I still
felt that tug when he was in the same room, but I shook my head when he tried
to talk to me.
He
skipped lunch. Good. When I finished eating, I'd cut the rest of the period and
Chemistry to go to the library, do some research. Having him around would only
piss me off, and it'd make it hard to come up with an excuse to leave without
him, too.
The last
time Belva sat in the cafeteria she shoved my lunch on the floor–and shit her
pants afterward. Today, she sat by herself. There were plenty of jokes directed
her way. Most people didn't even bother to hide it. She just sat there, in her
sweatpants and hoodie, ignoring everyone. Against my better judgment, I felt
sorry for her. Maybe I'd sit with her, force her to talk to me.
I slid
my tray closer to Wilma and noticed the dark bags under her eyes. Everyone in
front of me handed her their money without her acknowledgment. She kept her
hand out and shooed them along when money landed in her palm.
"Ah,
hi, missed ya this morning. Had to ride with the rest of the trash." I
handed her my ticket. My grin faltered as she pinned me with her blue darts,
refusing to accept it. "What's wrong?"
Her
voice was flat as she shook her head. "You have fun last night?"
Chattering
sounds at the round tables began to sound slushy in my ringing ears. "What're
you talking about?"
"When
are you going to learn to control your fear?" She slammed a fist on her
register. "Better yet, when will you stop chasing it?"
I shoved
my ticket closer to her, trying to hide the shakes attacking my sweaty hand. "I
don't know–"
"You
know damn well what I'm saying." She kept her voice low, hissing like a
rattler.
I scanned
the cafeteria, no one interested in our conversation. When I faced her again,
the expression on her face reminded me of that calm in the atmosphere before a
tornado ripped through.
Like any
smart human being, I wanted to get as far away from the storm's eye as
possible. "Just punch my ticket. I'm hungry."
She held
her hand out to another late straggler as he paid for his lunch, continuing
with the crazy as soon as he left. "Do you think you're safe, Lena?"
She gestured toward my face.
Numbness
taking over my lips made it impossible to answer.
"Tell
me, was it the squid or the river you liked most?" Her face was no longer
dull, but bright red, combustible.
"How'd
you know?" Oh, shit. Hold on… "You were there."
The
panic racing through me must've transferred to my face because she softened her
voice. "There's a lot I know, and a lot you need to know. Things you
should've never found out." She adjusted in her seat, keeping her voice
low.
"Jesus,
tell me! I'm going crazy, right?"
Wilma
punched my ticket and collected her things. "Come by the house tonight."
She stomped into the kitchen, not waiting for a reply.
∞ ∞ ∞
"Can
I come over after work?" Zander pasted that ridiculous half-grin on his
face, but it didn't have the same effect. As usual, he managed to get me
talking by the end of the day. His apology was weak, but fighting with him took
too much energy. Besides, the brain fuzz…so totally like a drug.
"Not
a good idea right now. Dad's on a mission." I did my best to sound bored,
but Wilma confirmed there were bigger monsters out there than my born-again
dad.
"Well...how
about I sneak in your window." He pulled me closer. "I could help
keep you warm, maybe stay until dawn."
All I
wanted to do was get away from him, withdrawal from the Zander heroin. "Ah,
don't think so."
"Well,
when can I see you again...outside of this place?"
I shook my
head, trying
permanent spot on the team when I was in ninth grade and Stump caught me racing
all the kids in class for money.
I wouldn't
let Dad take my future away, no matter how much he wanted to repair our broken
family. It didn't need to be repaired–it needed an amputation. An alcoholic,
abusive prick amputation.
I
avoided Zander in Gym and English, even though he made it difficult. I still
felt that tug when he was in the same room, but I shook my head when he tried
to talk to me.
He
skipped lunch. Good. When I finished eating, I'd cut the rest of the period and
Chemistry to go to the library, do some research. Having him around would only
piss me off, and it'd make it hard to come up with an excuse to leave without
him, too.
The last
time Belva sat in the cafeteria she shoved my lunch on the floor–and shit her
pants afterward. Today, she sat by herself. There were plenty of jokes directed
her way. Most people didn't even bother to hide it. She just sat there, in her
sweatpants and hoodie, ignoring everyone. Against my better judgment, I felt
sorry for her. Maybe I'd sit with her, force her to talk to me.
I slid
my tray closer to Wilma and noticed the dark bags under her eyes. Everyone in
front of me handed her their money without her acknowledgment. She kept her
hand out and shooed them along when money landed in her palm.
"Ah,
hi, missed ya this morning. Had to ride with the rest of the trash." I
handed her my ticket. My grin faltered as she pinned me with her blue darts,
refusing to accept it. "What's wrong?"
Her
voice was flat as she shook her head. "You have fun last night?"
Chattering
sounds at the round tables began to sound slushy in my ringing ears. "What're
you talking about?"
"When
are you going to learn to control your fear?" She slammed a fist on her
register. "Better yet, when will you stop chasing it?"
I shoved
my ticket closer to her, trying to hide the shakes attacking my sweaty hand. "I
don't know–"
"You
know damn well what I'm saying." She kept her voice low, hissing like a
rattler.
I scanned
the cafeteria, no one interested in our conversation. When I faced her again,
the expression on her face reminded me of that calm in the atmosphere before a
tornado ripped through.
Like any
smart human being, I wanted to get as far away from the storm's eye as
possible. "Just punch my ticket. I'm hungry."
She held
her hand out to another late straggler as he paid for his lunch, continuing
with the crazy as soon as he left. "Do you think you're safe, Lena?"
She gestured toward my face.
Numbness
taking over my lips made it impossible to answer.
"Tell
me, was it the squid or the river you liked most?" Her face was no longer
dull, but bright red, combustible.
"How'd
you know?" Oh, shit. Hold on… "You were there."
The
panic racing through me must've transferred to my face because she softened her
voice. "There's a lot I know, and a lot you need to know. Things you
should've never found out." She adjusted in her seat, keeping her voice
low.
"Jesus,
tell me! I'm going crazy, right?"
Wilma
punched my ticket and collected her things. "Come by the house tonight."
She stomped into the kitchen, not waiting for a reply.
∞ ∞ ∞
"Can
I come over after work?" Zander pasted that ridiculous half-grin on his
face, but it didn't have the same effect. As usual, he managed to get me
talking by the end of the day. His apology was weak, but fighting with him took
too much energy. Besides, the brain fuzz…so totally like a drug.
"Not
a good idea right now. Dad's on a mission." I did my best to sound bored,
but Wilma confirmed there were bigger monsters out there than my born-again
dad.
"Well...how
about I sneak in your window." He pulled me closer. "I could help
keep you warm, maybe stay until dawn."
All I
wanted to do was get away from him, withdrawal from the Zander heroin. "Ah,
don't think so."
"Well,
when can I see you again...outside of this place?"
I shook my
head, trying
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