CLAIRE
The silence that followed my confession was deafening. I clamped my mouth shut, bracing myself for Blakeâs reaction. But nothing could have prepared me for what came next.
He laughed. He actually laughed! The kind of laugh that has you rolling on the floor, tears streaming down your face.
I sat there, stunned and a little hurt, as he laughed. When he finally stopped, he wiped the tears from his eyes and looked at me, his eyes sparkling with mirth.
âClaire, that was hilarious. Seriously. I think you might have taken one too many hits to the head. Why donât you get some rest and Iâll come back in the morning, okay?â Blake suggested, starting to stand up.
I managed a tight smile, fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill. This was the first time Iâd ever told someone from school about my true identity. Even Ashley didnât know!
Blake leaned down and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead. âIâll be back in the morning. I promise,â he whispered, then he left.
Tears trickled down my cheeks as I berated myself. ~Of course he would laugh! Iâm a nerd! Iâm supposed to be weak!~ I thought bitterly.
I wiped my runny nose with my hand and snuggled into the covers. A twinge of pain in my lower abdomen reminded me that I still needed Nancy to patch me up.
With a frustrated groan, I lifted the cover and carefully pulled up my sweatshirt. A grimace crossed my face as I saw the purple and black bruises on my stomach.
Thankfully, my stitches hadnât reopened, but the area was badly bruised.
Suddenly, a thought struck me: ââ¦~You wouldâve died either way.â~ What did Logan mean by that?
A wave of nausea washed over me as I considered the possibility of him leaving me there to die. Would he really want me dead? And what about James?
He had told me he would always love me, before he left. So, did that mean he still loved me, but just hadnât told Logan?
At this point, I didnât even know James anymore. He was a complete mystery to me!
Just then, the door opened and Nancy walked in, carrying a bag filled with medication, gauze, and other medical supplies to treat my wounds and bruises.
Nancy sat down next to me and began to clean the dirt and blood from my stomach. I tried not to wince as the disinfectant wipes stung my cuts.
We sat in silence, neither of us knowing what to say. I closed my eyes, replaying the moment when Blake had laughed in my face after I told him I was White Wolf.
~Is it really that hard to believe?~ I sighed and sank back into the bed, my eyes still closed, trying to escape from reality.
~And to think, all this happened on Christmas!~
~
Isnât my life just wonderful!
âBlake left in a hurry. What happened?â Nancy asked casually, wrapping some gauze around my likely sprained wrist.
I opened my eyes to look at Nancy, but she was busy cleaning the dried blood from my lip and face. She didnât meet my gaze.
I looked away and let out a soft sigh.
âI told him,â I whispered so quietly, I was surprised Nancy heard me.
She stopped cleaning my wounds and looked at me, her blue eyes narrowing.
âAnd he ran away?â she asked, taking a deep breath.
I shook my head, a bitter chuckle escaping my lips as I remembered the scene.
âNo. He laughed. He didnât believe me. As for why he left, he just said that heâd be back tomorrow morning.â I shrugged, turning my head to give her access to clean my neck.
She nodded. âDonât be so down, Claire. Itâs for the best. But you need to be more careful. By being friends with Blake, youâre putting his life at risk,â Nancy said softly, discarding the used wipes.
I nodded. âI donât have any matches until March, remember. Weâll figure something out when the time comes.â
I yawned, suddenly feeling exhausted. âBy the way, did you like your present?â I asked, grinning. I had given her and Molly their gifts that morning and left before they could see me.
Nancy grinned and pulled her hair back, revealing the dangling diamonds I had bought her. âTheyâre beautiful. Thank you for getting them for me,â she said.
Then, a smirk spread across her face, and she tilted her head to the side. âYou didnât think I wouldnât get you anything, did you?â
She laughed, pulling out a small box wrapped in blue paper with a little bow on top.
She pushed it towards me. âWell, open it.â She urged, biting her lower lip in anticipation.
I chuckled lightly, but began to unwrap the paper. I saved the bow and tore off the rest. When I saw the blue Pandora box, I smiled. ~I love that place.~
~
I opened the box slowly, and a gasp of delight escaped my lips.
Inside was a silver bracelet resting on a soft, smooth cushion. A single charm was attached to the chain: a pair of golden boxing gloves.
I ran my fingers over the smooth metal. A sudden surge of excitement shot through me, and before I knew it, I was hugging Nancy tightly.
âI love it, I love it, I love it! Thank you so much!â I told her sincerely, leaning back to put the bracelet on my wrist.
She smiled. âI saw that charm in the store and immediately thought of you. It seemed perfect.â Nancy admitted, her smile never fading.
I nodded, fastening the bracelet and lifting my wrist to admire the charm.
âYou can add more charms to it. I just got you the boxing gloves to start with,â Nancy explained, starting to clean up.
I just nodded, still captivated by the beauty of the bracelet. It was perfect in every way! Absolutely beautiful!
Nancy kissed my cheek and zipped up her bag. âYou have school next week, Claire. Enjoy the break while it lasts.â
She grinned, then turned and left the room. The lights went out as she closed the door, and I laid back down.
Despite the lingering hurt from Blakeâs reaction, I felt happy. ~But did he really need to know? Would it be better if he didnât know and we avoided the complications that would come with the truth?~
~
~Why does it sting so much? Why does it matter if Blake knows or not? Could it be that I have feelings for him?~
~
~No! Thatâs impossible! Weâve only been hanging out for a few weeks! Can feelings really grow that fast?~
~
I let out a silent groan. Blake Johnson, what have you done to me? Ever since he came into my life, everything has been spiraling out of control. Well, except for Mom and Dad.
Then, an idea popped into my head. It was something that would require all my strength to pull off, and I knew I wouldnât like it. But it was the simplest way to keep him out of harmâs way.
~I would have to start avoiding Blake, just like I used to.~
~