Clocked by Elle Strauss Read Free Book Online

toward his voice.
    “ You’ve been hurt,” I said to her when we reached the carriage.
    “ I’ll be all right,” she said, but her voice was a thin whimper. “I caught someone’s elbow. It didn’t break the skin.”
    The police had arrived with bats in their hands, pounding at anyone in their way and aiming especially at the backs of the men in the mob. The street had exploded with onlookers, and those just wanting to get into a good fight.
    “ Get in the carriage!” Sara demanded, her head poking out of the window. I helped Casey inside and Willie took the reins. The sudden jerk thrust Casey up against my side. She didn’t try to right herself. I slipped my arm around her shoulders.
    “ I hope Samuel is okay,” Sara said. She held a handkerchief to her blanched-out face. We rode the rest of the way home in silence.
    Once back, Sara offered to tend to Casey’s cheek, but she declined. “I’ll be fine, Sara. I’ll put a cold cloth on it in the cabin.”
    Except we didn’t make it there. Casey pulled me sharply out of sight behind the hedges. Next thing I knew, I was blinded by a white light and felt like my legs were knocked out from underneath me.
    And then suddenly, I was back in the gym holding Casey, swaying to a top forty tune. She wore her cute little yellow dress and I was back in my blue suit. I felt dizzy and drew in a long breath. Everything was exactly the way it had been when we left it. Casey’s friend stood against the wall, watching us like we were the only couple in the room. The guys grinned stupidly by the punch bowl, still chuckling over the dare. Jessica had her arms wrapped around that sophomore, but her eyes were set on me, full of fire. All of this was sprinkled with the jarring motion of scattered light cast by the large disco ball hanging from the rafters.
    “ Wow,” I finally said. “Did that really...did we really...?”
    We were mid song, and it would’ve looked strange to everyone else if we quit dancing, forcing awkward and untruthful explanations to nosy friends. Casey laid her head on my shoulder. I could feel the rapid pulse of her heart.
    Everything was different now.
    The song ended, but I didn’t want to let go. I whispered in her ear. “This is so unreal.”
    She steadied her gaze on me. “You can’t tell anyone. Promise me.”
    “ Were we really, uh, just there ?”
    “ Promise me!”
    I stared back at her, hard. She was frightened, and quite frankly, so was I. “It’s okay,” I said. “I promise.”
    I pulled her close and brushed her cheek with my lips.

Chapter 6
     
    My life had changed, and as I watched that amazing girl walk away from me across the dance floor, I didn’t realize how much.
    I felt like I’d just wakened from a crazy dream, and couldn’t stop myself from rubbing my eyes. Jessica stormed over and took a piece out of me.
    “ Did you just kiss her?”
    I denied it. “No.”
    “ It sure looked like it. What were you talking about? You were so intense. Why were you dancing with her anyway?”
    I shook my head. “I don’t know. The guys dared me.”
    “ They dared you to dance with Casey Donovan?”
    “ Yeah.”
    “ So, if they dared you to jump off the roof, would you?”
    “ Jessica, it was nothing. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
    Tyson punched me playfully in the arm. “Did the girl clock you in the face, man?”
    I yawned. “What’d you mean?”
    “ Your eyes, man. They’re black and blue.”
    Then I remembered what Casey said about dark rings around the eyes. I did notice that hers looked darker, but thought it was the bad lighting on the dance floor.
    And extreme fatigue. I let go of another yawn.
    “ Are we that boring?” Jessica said.
    Yeah, kind of. Next to Casey....
    I wasn’t going to look for her, but I couldn’t help myself. I snuck a peak over at the wall where she and her friend had been hanging out. They were gone. I scanned the gym and couldn’t spot her anywhere. She must’ve left