Page 16 of Bleed Me

I was surprised to be feeling the residual of anger. A part of me was so angry, yet I didn’t know why. So, I handled it the only way I knew how. Under the school’s bright hallway lights, I gawked at Viola. “What are you going on about now?”

Leaning against a locker, she now looked confused. “Huh? Me? You are the one who was just—”

Delilah interrupted, asking Viola, “Did you finish that science report?”

Viola appeared to have many thoughts plaguing her, but replied, “Uh… Yes, I did.” She almost winced. “You okay, Pretty D?”

Viola drove me nuts at times, but she knew her girl well, so now I was worried. “You okay, darlin’? You look pale—”

Delilah yanked me into an incredible embrace as if relieved—as if I had been… gone. “Kenny...” She sighed before quickly kissing me, getting me lost for her all over again. “Yes, I’m fine. Will you walk me to class?”

“Hell yes.” I took her soft hand in mine, thankful to have her by my side.

After she was delivered safely, I headed toward my own class until Cole jogged up next to me. “Hey, got a minute?”

Cole was a shorter, stocky guy with a thick Georgian accent.

I stopped by a classroom door. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Umm, not my business, so try not to take offense—”

“Take offense?”

He ran his hand through the hair that almost looked naked without his cowboy hat. “Well, uh, yeah. Delilah’s been seemin’ a little out of it. Do you know why?”

Feeling bad for her, I nodded. “Yeah, she’s been having some nightmares. I think they have her on edge.”

“Nightmares? Oh.” He grabbed his chest in relief. “That explains it then.”

“Explains what?”

His relief faded, his green eyes full of caution. “Uh, once again, not trying to offend you and have ya beat my ass, but—”

I laughed. “What are you talking about? Why would I beat your ass?”

Cole lifted a brow in question. “Well, you know how you get a little touchy when Delilah’s the subject.” He waved off the comment. “Anyways, I saw her talking with our local illegal, if ya know what I mean. He handed her a bottle of pills, but maybe she needs them to sleep ‘cause of her nightmares—”

Then it happened again. I lost time…

Next thing I remembered was Viola yelling, “Kenny! Hands off, Caveman.”

The front of Cole’s shirt was bunched up in my fists, and I had his back shoved up against a row of lockers. In shock, I instantly released him, utterly in dismay with my actions and lapse of time.

Rightfully so, Cole was offended and pissed. “I was actually believing you when you seemed shocked over the mention of this rage thing you got kickin’. You’re a fucking asshole, Kenny.”

Houston and Bryce approached us, their eyes scanning and reading the situation.

Hu was the tallest and lankiest guy in our school. Bryce was a goofy lookin’ kid that somehow was dating hot Viola. Pushing his glasses higher on his nose, he shook his head.

Hu asked, “Again?”

Again?

Everyone was staring at me as if I were a stranger, not the guy who’d had their backs for years now. The betrayal made it feel like my head was going to explode. Turning and walking away, I held my hands to my head until I could get to the one who could put it back together.

Delilah.

Then, as if I’d experienced major time travel, I was suddenly in Delilah’s room, tying my shoe. I stopped when noticing my knuckles were all marked up. My heart started beating erratically. What the fuck is happening to me?