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"What are you doing home?" she asked, dropping her backpack and coat onto the couch.
What was it with everyone today? Couldn't anyone say hello before interrogating me?
"I skipped my classes," I explained, knowing that Sarah would push for more. I never skipped classes. Ever. Even my junior year when I had been deathly ill with a fever, I had dragged myself to class.
Sarah walked in front of me and put her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowing. "What's going on? You look like you haven't slept at all." Her expression softened. "More visions?"
"No," I answered, shaking my head. I wasn't ready to tell Sarah what my aunt had told me, but I didn't want to lie to her either. There were enough complications in my life without that. "I'm just trying to process through things right now."
"What things?" Sarah demanded.
"I'm sorry, Sarah. I really can't go into it now. I promise I'll tell you when I'm ready."
"How can I just let it go? I can see it in your face, Caitlin. It's something more. Something worse. I've never seen you look so...haunted."
I rubbed my hand against my forehead. My exhaustion from my lack of sleep was starting to weigh me down. "Please Sarah. Don't push. I just need to work through some stuff on my own before I can share it with you. But you'll be the first person I tell. The only person."
Sarah looked at me sadly. "I didn't mean to pressure you. It just hurts me to see you looking so upset. Just know that I'll do anything to help you. Even if it means backing off."
I gave her a grateful smile as I felt a rush of love towards her. She was the one light in my darkness - something good and real I could hold on to. My mind wandered to Simon, but I quickly squelched the thought. I had ended whatever had been possible between us. For both our sakes. Now I just had to figure out how to keep him safe.
There was a loud knock on our door. Sarah walked to open it and I gaped when I saw Simon standing there. He was the last person I expected to see on our doorstep.
Sarah glanced back at me before she turned to Simon again.
"Hi Simon," she said, a little uncertainly. "This is a surprise."
He arched a brow. "A good surprise?" he asked ruefully.
"Of course," Sarah replied, although she glanced at me again. "Come in."
She stepped back to allow Simon to enter, and his presence seemed to overwhelm the living room. I wished I could run to my bedroom to escape him, but decided he had seen me looking foolish enough already.
"Hi Simon," I said, cursing my unsteady voice. He walked over to me and I had to fight the instinct to step back. I didn't know which side of Simon I would be getting.
He stopped before getting too close. "Why did you run off earlier?"
"I told you, I had something to do."
Simon looked over at Sarah who was still standing by the door, watching us.
"Do you mind giving us a second to talk alone?"
Sarah glanced over at me and paused. Then she looked back at Simon. "Yes. I mind."
Simon looked surprised at Sarah's response but I wasn't. She knew I was feeling anxious and cornered and didn't want to leave me alone. Sarah was all fun and frivolity most of the time, but she also had a fierce protectiveness when it came to her family and friends.
Simon frowned. "I'm not going to ravish her or anything."
I felt a blush growing at his response. Why did he always have to say things to make me off-kilter?
Sarah looked at me again and I shook my head slightly. It wasn't a good idea for me and Simon to be alone. I didn't think I could take the intensity of Saturday night's encounter right now. It was already an effort to keep myself standing.
Simon looked back at me and shrugged. "Okay. Well, I guess there's nothing I can't say in front of Sarah. I have a feeling she knows a lot more than I do."
I gulped but said nothing and waited.
"What's going on between you and Claudia?" Simon demanded.
