Runes #03 - Grimnirs by Ednah Walters Read Free Book Online Page B

been?” she asked. She glanced at Dad and grinned. “Hi, Mr. Jemison.”
    Dad wore a confused expression. Even though he’d attended my swim meets, I doubted he remembered Kicker. We didn’t hang out outside team activities.
    “I’ll see you at home later, muffin,” Dad said.
    “Okay, Dad. Bye.”
    I gave him a brief wave, happy to be at school and, at the same time, worried.
    Kicker bumped me with her shoulder. “Seriously, what happened to you? You didn’t answer my texts or calls. It’s like you just disappeared after the game.”
    “Game?” The last event I’d attended with her was the tragic swim meet.
    “You know, the home game. You kissed Drew.” She fanned her face. “It was smoking hot. Torin and Raine definitely have competition with you two. I’m amazed you didn’t call him. The poor guy kept calling and texting me, asking where you were. He was worried about you. He looked terrible when I saw him at Keith’s funeral. I mean, he and Keith were close, so of course he was bummed by his death, but I think he was also worried about your sudden disappearance.”
    “Keith Paulson died?”
    Kicker nodded. “Deidre Fuller and Casey Riverside, too. It was a crazy night.”
    I remember Deidre, a cheerleader who’d acted like she was above everyone else. Casey had been her opposite. Sweet and nice. She’d dated Blaine Chapman, the former quarterback.
    “That’s too bad,” I said.
    “It’s like our sports teams are being stalked by death or something. Drew said you were kissing, and then you just disappeared.”
    There was no way I’d kiss Drew Cavanaugh. He was handsome, popular, and loaded, but he wasn’t my type. I didn’t date preppy guys.
    “Cora?”
    I glanced up and realized we’d reached our lockers. Thankfully, Raine wasn’t there. Her locker was next to mine. “I’m sorry. I got hurt that night, too, and had to go away for a while.”
    “Oh, why didn’t you tell me?” She peered at me, her voice funny. “No one knew where you were, except Raine.”
    I frowned. “Raine?”
    “I asked her on Monday if she’d heard from you and she acted kind of weird. Then yesterday, she said you were away and would be back soon. When I pressed her for more information, she blew me off.”
    Raine had lied. Why?
    “My parents decided I should stay with my aunt in Portland for a while,” I fibbed, putting my books away and selecting what I needed for my morning classes. Kicker kept staring at me. “I hit my head pretty hard and had a severe concussion, so my memories have been a bit off.”
    She closed her locker and moved closer. Other students were entering the hallway, but they weren’t staring at us. Still, Kicker lowered her voice. “You mean you don’t remember stuff?”
    I nodded.
    “Like what?”
    “I can’t seem to remember the last month or so, including the home game or kissing Drew.”
    Kicker’s eyes widened. “Whoa.”
    “The doctors said I’ll recover the lost memories, but it’s going to take a while.”
    “Dang! That sucks.”
    “That’s why I didn’t call you or Drew.” We started toward the English wing. Raine and her boyfriend were coming toward us. I saw them first. They were wrapped up in their own world. Behind them were the blonde and the guy with silver hair she’d come with to my house.
    Raine looked up and saw me. She smiled and waved. I ignored her and followed Kicker into the hallway to our left, not slowing down when Raine called my name. She and I were so over.
    “When was the home game?” I asked.
    “Uh, two Fridays ago,” Kicker said.
    “So I was here at school, except last week?” I asked.
    Kicker laughed. “You are really serious. I mean, you’re not bullshitting me to spare my feelings or anything like that.”
    “I’m serious. I, uh, don’t remember much.”
    “The dinners at my place?”
    I shook my head.
    “The Halloween Invitational when we had a humiliating loss to the Cougars and later ended up at Sondra’s, eating cold