Karma Bites by Nyrae Dawn Read Free Book Online Page B

reach his cabin, I walk slowly. A girl’s got to get her kicks somehow.
    When we reach his rickety stairs he puts his other hand on the opposite side of my waist and leads me up. A little slam of guilt hits me because I’m not dizzy anymore. My legs don’t feel rubbery like I could fall, but still I let him hold me.
    Caleb manages to hold me and unlock his door at the same time. A second later, we’re walking into the darkened cabin.
    He turns on a light. All sorts of warmth and tingles dance around inside me when his arm stays in place. I can’t believe this is happening. Too good to be true usually means that - Oh my God - It probably isn’t true. I’m probably lying outside, bleeding to death from Heather’s death push and imagining this whole thing.
    “Are you sure you’re okay? You look like you’re about to pass out on me.”
    I decide then this can’t be a dream. If I were dying and creating this in my head, I wouldn’t do stupid things like looking like I’m going to pass out and the sighing earlier. “Yep!” Way too peppy for a dying girl.
    “Sorry ‘bout the mess,” Caleb mumbles.
    His cabin is even smaller on the inside than it looks from the outside. We’re standing in a small living room with a couch, chair and an old TV sitting on an even older wooden stand. In the corner is a black wood stove. Right across from the living room is a kitchen with a small, two person table that has definitely seen better days. The wood is weathered and faded. I don’t see the mess he’s talking about, though. His things are old, but not dirty. Everything is in place. “It’s not a mess. It looks great!”
    “Yeah, real great,” Caleb grumbles.
    Okay, maybe great wasn’t the best word. At least I’m again reassured I’m not dying unless you count from idiotism.
    Caleb steps away, but still holds onto me with one arm. “Come on. Sit at the table and I’ll get a washcloth.”
    Oh, I’m hurt. I almost forgot. Whoa, wait. Hold the phone; does he plan on cleaning me up? Engage heart attack.
    All thoughts of sneaking out his bathroom window are gone. A near fight with The LP is so worth this. With Caleb’s help, I sit down.
    His eyes dart around the room like he’s looking for something, then he says, “I’ll be right back,” and stalks down the hallway.
    My eyes trace the room. There are no pictures on the walls. No school shots of Caleb through the years. No family portraits. Nothing. Even though it’s just me and Mom, my house is full of pictures. Everywhere you look there’s some kind of family memorabilia. I never thought about how comforting it is until I saw Caleb’s empty walls. My heart starts to ache.
    Caleb walks back in the room, not giving me a chance to think about it anymore. He’s carrying two washcloths, a bandage and a tube of ointment. He stops walking right in front of me and stares. I can’t help but stare back. It’s like he has some kind of magical hold on me. I can’t ever look away when Caleb is around.
    When I look in his eyes, I don’t see the boy who gets into fights, who’s been suspended, who skips school. And it’s not even just good looks I see, I swear. He’s vulnerable.
    When he drops to his knees in front of me, I smile. Nothing could hold my lips from it right now.
    “Um, I’m just gonna wash your face off. That cool?”
    Yes, please. “You don’t have to. I can do it myself.” My voice shakes.
    “Nah, I’ve cleaned up plenty of cuts and scrapes. No biggie.”
    I try not and look at him while he wipes my face with one of the washcloths. He’s not touching my wound so I assume my forehead is dirty. Nice. A bloody, dirty forehead. I love that look.
    Caleb puts the rag on the table and uses the other one to clean my wound. It stings a little. Nothing bad, but for some reason the cabin feels thick with pain. I don’t really understand it myself, but it does.
    Risking a glance at Caleb, I watch him wince as he takes care of me. After he cleans it, he