Ember X (Death Collectors) - By Jessica Sorensen Page 0,30
going to make it to my class this morning?”
I shrug. “I’m not sure.”
“Oh. Okay.” He seems distracted and keeps shooting Asher dirty looks.
Taking it as a signal to leave, I wave goodbye to Asher. “See you around, I guess.”
Returning to his easel, he picks up the paintbrush, avoiding eye contact with me “Yeah, sure.”
Trying not to take it defensively, I walk out of the room and head to the other side of the building. It’s a very small walk, due to the lack of size of the college. When I arrive, Professor Mackerlie is writing on the whiteboard. He also teaches high school English, so this is pretty much my third time around with his teaching tactics.
I walk to the back of the classroom without him noticing. My bag lands on the floor loudly and he turns with the marker in his hand. “Oh, Ember, I didn’t see you come in.” He clicks the lid on the marker and sets it in the tray.
We are studying William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and one of his poems is written on the board. I read the book when I was fifteen after Raven made me watch the movie—the newer version starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes—so I already know how the story goes: love, rivalry, violence, and tragedy.
Professor Mackerlie shifts through papers on his desk as people start wandering into the classroom. Then suddenly, he’s directing his attention on me.
“I really enjoyed the poem you wrote for last week’s assignment.” He taps a finger on the paper in his hand, stained with my penmanship.
“Thanks,” I reply, shifting uncomfortably. I never meant to turn in that particular poem. I wrote it in a weak moment and then didn’t have anything to turn in, so I had to make do.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to read it aloud to the class,” he says. I shake my head in protest, but he’s already turning away.
Sighing, I lean back in my chair, but then sit up again as Mackenzie Baker walks in with Cameron in tow. I’ve known Mackenzie since I was in kindergarten and we’ve never been friends. I secretly wished that once high school was over, she’d leave town, but like almost everyone else, she was pretty intent on staying. Sometimes, I swear the town is haunted and it’s actually impossible to leave.
Mackenzie has strawberry blonde hair, green eyes, and wears clothes that allow her cleavage to pop out. She’s kind of like Raven in a way, only maybe a little less forward.
“He’s sitting in on one of your classes,” she states to the professor. “To see if he wants to take it next semester.”
Cameron grins at me, like he’s up to something, which he probably is since this is English and is a prerequisite to pretty much every major.
The Professor barely acknowledges anything’s going on and Mackenzie takes a seat, holding onto Cameron, urging him to sit by her. But he slips his arm from her grip and heads over to me.
“You look a little upset.” Cameron slides onto my desk, trying to act nonchalant, but sorrow haunts his eyes.
“I’m fine.” I take a pen and notebook out of my bag. “I’m just having a rough morning.”
“Did you find your friend?” he asks. “The one with the pink hair?”
I shake my head. “No, but that’s Raven. She’s very sporadic.”
He studies my face closely, as if he’s looking for cracks that will reveal some hidden secret. “I saw you in the art room this morning.”
I pull the pen out of my mouth as my jaw falls. “When?”
He bites at his lip and I can’t tell if he looks annoyed or intrigued. “I just saw you walk in and start talking to some guy.”
“That guy was the other new person in this town that I was telling you about this morning.”
“I know.”
“You seem like you know him?”
“Only from word of mouth.” Placing his hands on the desk, he leans in, smelling of mint hued with a woodsy aroma. “I’m finding out you were right about the whole new-guy thing. Even the Dean seemed overly excited by my appearance.”
“I told you they’d eat you up,” I remark with a small smile.
“No, you told me they’d be star-struck by me.” He smirks, inching his face closer to mine. “The only one who looks like they could eat me up is you.”
I fight my instinct to look away from him. “No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do.” He dazzles me with a challenging smile and I shake my head,