Never (The Ever Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

me.
    “Wren, I’m sorry.”
    I exhale.
    “That jerk tattooed my neck!”
    How or when, I can’t remember—which is probably for the best. Ever opens the door to the main office, and Mrs. Heinz looks up and smiles. I’m surprised she still remembers me from my first day of school. Then again, on my second day, I left school in an ambulance, which I’m guessing makes me a little more memorable than I would have been otherwise. When she looks at Ever, her pupils dilate and her expression changes.
    That young man is something else. If I was thirty years younger …
    Oh. No. I look down and hurry into the adjoining office.
    “Maybe it’s you we should be worried about,” I whisper to Ever. “Mrs. Heinz thinks you’re a tasty snack.”
    I give him a wry look as he takes my hand. For a few seconds, I can almost stop worrying enough to enjoy the simple act of walking to class with him. When we reach Mr. Gideon’s room, Ever gestures for me to go ahead of him, and the girl I’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of sitting next to since I got to Springview High School looks up. Her eyes narrow, and she treats me to an extra dose of silent insults the second she sees my hand linked to Ever’s. I smile when I think of how embarrassed she would be if she knew that at least two people in this school could hear her crass insults. Or maybe she just wouldn’t care.
    “Wren!” Ashley shouts from behind me.
    I turn around, and a second later she practically tackles me.
    “How are you feeling?” she asks.
    “Better,” I smile, trying to look like I’m recovering from the flu.
    She looks me up and down suspiciously.
    “Are you sure you didn’t fly down to Southern California and spend a long weekend on the beach? ’Cause I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”
    I stare blankly at her and start shaking my head.
    “I was in bed the whole time. … Why?”
    “You kind of look different.” She cocks her head and studies me. “Glowing almost—like you’ve been on vacation or something.”
    I force myself to smile.
    “I might have had a fever. Does that count? So? Did anything interesting happen while I was out?”
    “You could say that,” she laughs.
    I raise an eyebrow, but the bell rings before I can get any information out of her. Sitting down next to Ever, I look at my hands. I’m still pale by anyone’s standards, but my skin does have the slightest glow to it. It makes me think of Ever, Audra, Chasen, Alistair, Persephone. Iago-Alex, too.
    Had part of them rubbed off on me? I wonder.
    In second period, Mr. Bellarmine performs his usual feat—teaching straight from the textbook. This would be fine, if I already understood what was in the book. Unfortunately, I had been hoping to have a real human being explain the quadratic equation. Instead, I end up staring at the clock for the better part of class. When the nutrition bell rings, I go to my locker and unload the pile of books I’ve been carrying around. Slamming the locker door closed, I jump at the sight of Ever.
    Suddenly I know that I will always be a little jumpy. And I will never get over the sensation of someone pulling me into oblivion. This makes me desperate for some normalcy. I look at Ever, and he smiles.
    “Go.”
    I touch his hand and then hurry toward Ashley’s locker. Turning the corner, I’m thankful that at least one thing hasn’t changed. It’s just the girls hanging around during nutrition. Then I notice a fourth person standing with Ashley, Lindsay, and Taylor. I rock to a stop when I recognize who it is. Audra. With my friends. Just how much had changed in the time I was gone? I walk up a little more cautiously than normal. When Lindsay turns and sees me, she throws an arm around my neck.
    “How was quarantine?” she demands.
    I smile at her typical abruptness.
    “Like I’ve been gone forever.”
    I have an overwhelming urge to tell my friends exactly what happened, but I kill the thought as soon as it enters my head, remembering my