?Helen? You?re scaring me. Here, sit, please. Do you need
something?? Lucas asked, making her look him in the eye. She still
seemed to be throwing off sparks.
?I do need something,? she said, struggling to control her diction
and her fuzzy brain as best she could. ?I need to tell you what?s going
on, so that you and I don?t accidentally kill each other over a
dumb misunderstanding, and I need you to promise me that if I
tell you, you?re not going to beat anyone up.?
?I don?t think I like this deal,? he said dubiously.
?Tough.?
He nodded his agreement. She looked around for a moment and
then decided to sit down on the top step of the outside stairs before
she fell down.
?Zach was the one who saw me chasing Creon. He dropped some
pretty threatening hints in class the other day, about me and about
you and how abnormally fast and strong we all are. Now he keeps
trying to talk to me alone and I think he might be trying to
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blackmail me or something. I?ve been dodging him for as long as I
can because . . .?
?The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the whole thing
turns into a big fish story and no one believes him, anyway,? Lucas
finished for her with a knowing nod.
?Right. You are so smart,? Helen marveled.
?And your brain is fried,? Lucas said, smiling at her indulgently.
The smile fell away. ?Because of me. I?m such an idiot,? he
mumbled, looking down at his twisting hands.
?Correction, you?re a jealous idiot, and that has to change right
now,? Helen replied seriously, still feeling light-headed, but fighting
her way through it. ?You have no reason to be jealous. I told