“I was worried you would get lost,” he said smugly as I walked closer.
“Where’s Talbott?” I asked, realizing his absence was strange.
“He didn’t want to be late for class,” Kiran rose to his feet, waiting for me to ascend the steps.
“Me either,” I breathed, picking up my pace, but brushing shoulders with Kiran as I passed. As soon as our bodies connected, the strong shocking sensation seized my shoulder, forcing me to grab it with my other hand for support. I gasped for air and pulled my body away, but I still felt the impression of his skin hot underneath my shirt.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his English accent sounding more like mockery than concern.
“I’m fine,” I steadied myself and continued up the stairs as quickly as I could, although I was still out of breath from what felt like tiny lightning bolts in my blood. The shocking sensation encompassed my entire circulatory system and I cursed underneath my breath, determining that I would not faint today.
“Eden, you are ridiculous!” Kiran sounded exasperated as he caught up with me on the stairs and grabbed my wrist with his hand.
The force of his touch was too much to handle. The electricity surged through my body at an alarming rate, causing my heart to beat wildly. I forced myself to focus, but my vision blurred and a high-pitched ringing sound pierced my ears. I tried to say something but the world darkened around me. I felt myself falling and wondered for a moment if fainting down a flight of stairs would hurt.
“Eden…. Eden…. wake up, Love….” a soft, foreign voice pulled me out of darkness.
I opened my eyes slowly, but shut them swiftly when blinded from the light of the crystal chandelier hanging from a lofty ceiling. My blood flowed at a rapid pace and burned with a strong current of electricity. My heart, beating quickly, but somewhat controlled, made me realize that I was lying in someone’s arms.
“Come on…. let me know you are all right,” the voice turned stern. Obeying, I opened my eyes slowly and let them adjust to the light around me.
I groaned audibly when I looked up to find Kiran looking back at me. His expression read concerned, and when I finally focused on him, I watched his facial muscles relax. His piercing aqua colored eyes gazed into mine; I started to remember what happened and how I ended up in his arms.
“Did I faint again?” I mumbled as memories slowly started to come back.
“Mmmm…. hmmm….” Kiran smiled and I realized that we were still positioned on the marble staircase. He must have caught me before I fell down the entire flight.
“Thank you,” my voice was a little hoarse. I found that I was very comfortable lying in his arms. Despite the temperature and activity of my blood, I was hesitant to get up. I groaned again, milking it just a little longer.
“How can you really not know what you are?” Kiran’s voice was soft and soothing, and although I didn’t understand his question, he seemed to find it amusing and laughed a little.
“Mr. Kendrick, Ms. Matthews I believe you are supposed to be in class right now,” Principal Saint hollered at us from the middle of the lobby. Unaware that anyone was around, my cheeks blushed with embarrassment.
I tried to sit up quickly as I heard Principal Saint’s footsteps come closer, but Kiran held me down. I looked at him with pleading eyes, mortified by the predicament Principal Saint had found us in. Kiran laughed again, but slowly helped me into a sitting position.
“I apologize, sir,” Kiran addressed Principal Saint, disdainfully. “You see, we were on our way to class, when Ms. Matthews fainted and nearly took a tumble down the stairs.” I could hear the amusement in his tone and felt like punching him in the shoulder.
“Is this true, Ms. Matthews?” Principal Saint stopped walking when he reached the bottom of the stairs, and eyed me skeptically.
“Yes, it is true.” I defended, terrified of the consequences I was about to face. “Luckily, Kiran, um, Mr. Kendrick was here to catch me,” I stood up, shakily and looked as grateful as I thought I felt; although I realized it was all Kiran's fault to begin with.
“Hmmm…. I suppose it was lucky,” Principal Saint did not look completely convinced and eyed Kiran with more suspicion. “Ms. Matthews, are you all right to continue on to class?” I nodded silently. “Fine, then go on. I will inform Ms. Woodsen of the incident. Mr. Kendrick, please come with me, I have an errand for you to run.”
Principal Saint turned on his heel without waiting for a reply from either of us and headed for the doors that exit the building. Kiran gave me a roguish look and a familiar smirk before following behind Principal Saint. More confused than ever, I stared after them, before turning in the opposite direction to Drama class. Electricity still rushed through my veins, leaving me overwhelmingly weak and shaky.
By the time I arrived at lunch, I was exhausted. My nerves were completely fried and my hands could not stop shaking from the violent current in my bloodstream. Every small physical contact with another student sent more electricity running through my body, and my head buzzed from trying to function through it all.
When I finally took a seat next to Lilly at a table in the corner of the lunchroom, I was physically ill from the trauma that racked the inside of my body. I knew that I looked like a terrible mess. Beads of sweat dripped down my temples and the back of my neck. My hands, shaking so violently, caused me to clasp them together tightly to keep from making a scene.
“Are you Ok?” Lilly looked at me, concerned.
“Um, I think I might be coming down with something,” I lied, but knew there was no better explanation. This feeling defied explanation and I preferred not to let Lilly know just how crazy I was. I tried to think of a way to sneak back into the theater after lunch. I needed to blow something up, before I blew up instead.
“You’re lying,” Kiran’s stern voice accused unexpectedly. I nearly jumped out of my seat. He sat down next to me, so close that our bodies almost touched. Electricity pulsed through me in waves now and I realized I could be sick at any moment. The close proximity to Kiran had sweat pouring down my face and I could feel my blood boiling.
“About what?” I deflected. My shoulders begin to shake more violently. It was hard to believe; I was still trying to play this off. My hand reached up instinctively to wipe my forehead, but I quickly brought it down again when I saw how badly it was shaking.
“I saw what you did in the theater,” he whispered. He leaned in so that only I could hear him. “And we both know what happened on the stairs. Now look at you; you are clearly about to go into some type of shock.” I should have been grateful for his discretion, but his nearness caused my vision to blur from the intensity of energy. His warm breath tickled my ear, but a cold shiver ran down the back of my neck.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I tried to deflect again, but now I realized Kiran and Talbott weren’t late to English because they had continued their argument; they had gone to investigate the theater after I passed them. It was stupid of me to rush up the stairs so quickly, and it was stupid of me to linger on the stairs with Kiran. Why was he so damn nosey?
“Yes, you do,” Kiran leaned in closer to my neck, his lips nearly touching my ear. His silky and soft voice lost its edge; his lips brushed my hair. “What’s wrong with you?” He sat back quickly.
I began to convulse, and wondered to myself if this was a seizure. Surely, I was too coherent for a seizure, but my body shook so violently, I could barely stay seated. A small part of me wondered if I should bite down on a spoon, but before I could react, I felt myself falling backwards, slightly aware I was causing a scene.
I fully expected to hit the floor, but instead, I felt strong arms reach out and catch me. I looked up assuming to see Kiran, but instead I was shocked to see Principal Saint looking down at me. His eyes were full of concern and I could see his mouth was moving, but the ringing in my ears drowned out the sound. That was the last thing I saw before I lost consciousness for the second time that day.
Chapter Nine
I regained consciousness in an unfamiliar place. My head was pounding and my mouth felt like sandpaper. The electricity inside me slowed to a soft hum and my blood temperature cooled down a bit. I must have been in the Nurse’s Office because I was lying on a soft cot and a metal medicine cabinet sat directly to the left of me.
As I slowly pulled myself into a sitting position, I realized I was not alone. I rubbed my eyes and moved my tongue around in my mouth, but it was no use. I needed a glass of water.
Arms folded, Principal Saint sat at a desk, staring. A wave of trepidation swept over me.
“Are you feeling alright, Ms. Matthews? You took quite a fall,” his distinct, elegant voice was crisp and serious. He stood up and reached over to hand me a glass of water. I took it, my hands trembling a bit, and drank it quickly.
“I think so,” I still felt weak, and my head was especially fuzzy. “Thank you,” I said hesitantly. He took the cup out of my hand and walked over to fill it again at a sink positioned behind him.
“For what?” he sounded surprised.
“For the water.… and for not letting me fall,” I replied matter-of-factly.
“I did no such thing. You did fall; you fell hard. The student, who brought you here, said you possibly had a seizure. I am here to make sure that you don’t have another,” his voice was full of conviction, but I could have sworn I saw him catch me.
“A seizure?” I said pretending to be confused. Although confident that I was conscious of what was happening to me, I was not so sure now. I didn’t remember hitting the floor at all. I rubbed the back of my head, but nothing felt sore or tender.
“Yes, Mr. Angelo said you began shaking uncontrollably before passing out; you were fortunate he was near and able to act so quickly. Do you not remember any of this?” he looked at me skeptically.
“No,” I said simply. I leaned my head forward to look at the ground, letting my long hair fall in front of my face. I could not look at this man in the eye when I lied to him; he seemed as if he would be impervious to a dishonest student. Obviously still confused, I didn’t remember Talbott being there at all.
“Hmmm…” he clearly didn’t buy it; but I wasn't sure I bought it either. “Well, the important thing is that you are alright. Do you have any idea of what could have caused this? Has this happened before? What is the last thing you remember?”
“I don’t know,” I paused, trying to remember what happened. What made me convulse so terribly? “I remember talking with Kiran and then nothing.”
“Mr. Kendrick?” Principal Saint’s voice raised in alarm, although I had no idea why. “This is worse than I thought,” he mumbled cryptically under his breath. “Eden, I am afraid there is something we need to discuss. This has gotten out of control,” he looked at me gravely, but did not attempt to stand or come closer. A feeling of dread washed over me, but before he could continue, Mrs. Truance stepped through the door.
“Eden’s aunt is here, sir. Would you like me to send her in?” I was amazed at the tone of respect Mrs. Truance used with Principal Saint. Her quiet, subservient demeanor was nothing I had ever seen her exhibit before.
