The Space Between Heartbeats by Melissa Pearl Read Free Book Online Page A

conflicted, and his reluctance is hard to miss, but finally he swallows and nods. “I’ll help you. I will.” He nods again. “Just walk with me to physics and tell me everything you know, okay?”
    Dale’s voice is gentle, as if he’s talking to a five-year-old. It’s the most soothing thing I’ve heard all day. A bud of hope blooms inside me as the bell rings and the hourly class transition begins, students flowing from one room to the next in a ritualized dance.
    The physics classroom is on the second floor, a corner room with windows on two sides. In one half of the room, rows of desks face a large white board covered with partially erased equations. The other half contains black lab tables with metal stools. Over each table are big signs outlining lab do’s and don’ts.
    Dale nods at his fellow seniors Adam and Brody, who are in the front row, then takes a seat at an empty desk in the back of the class. He pulls out a blank piece of paper and writes.
    Tell me everything you can see.
    “You mean when I’m in my body?”
    He nods.
    I describe the embankment in as much detail as I can. Dale tries to look like he’s paying attention to Mr. Moffat’s monotone dictation, taking notes like the other students. But every time Dale wants to clarify something, he stops me with a written question.
    Are you bleeding?
    “Yes, from my head. I don’t know how deep the cut is, though.”
    Dale scrawls another question.
    What are you wearing?
    I can’t help but grin. “Is now really an appropriate time to be getting flirty with me?”
    He shoots me a very dry, very unimpressed look. My smile widens. He’s actually pretty cute when he’s annoyed.
    “I’m in a skirt, knee-high boots, and a sleeveless top,” I tell him.
    In the fall? Aren’t you cold?
    “I don’t remember thinking that when I woke up.”
    It’s a shame you’re not wearing thermal underwear.
    “It’s a shame Marc Jacobs doesn’t make thermal underwear,” I joke. “The only thing I have on under my shirt is a bra and your Granite necklace.”
    Our heads both jerk up at the same time. I didn’t mean to tell him that and I’m guessing by his surprised expression that he wasn’t expecting to hear it.
    Unnerved by his wide eyes, I snap, “What? You gave it to me to wear, didn’t you?”
    He shakes his head and writes, Do you have a jacket? What do you have with you?
    “I’m not sure . . .” I sigh and then notice the bag at my feet. “Wait a sec.” I grab the strap. “I have my bag with me.”
    What’s in it? Your phone?
    I scramble through it, pulling out a jacket, lipstick, a makeup kit, nail polish, my wallet, and Dad’s American Express. I rummage around each corner of the bag, but come up empty.
    “No phone.”
    A jacket?
    “Yes.”
    Next time you go back, cover yourself. Make sure you stay warm and try to get a better idea of your injuries. The more I know, the more I can help you.
    “Okay.”
    We’re going to find you. Just hang in there.
    I swallow the lump in my throat, wanting so badly to believe him. But after everything that’s happened today, I don’t know who—or what—to believe. All I know for sure is this: The people who I thought cared about me are treating my disappearance like a joke. And the one person who should hate me is trying to save my life, whether I deserve his help or not.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    WEDNESDAY, 11:55 AM
    When physics ends, I stick close to Dale. It’s lunchtime and the hallways are flooded as students jostle their way to the cafeteria, or whatever secret nook they’ve carved out for themselves. Seniors get to go off campus and my friends and I have been counting the days until we can drive Amber’s car to the mall.
    Dale flies down the hallway and I have to jump around people to keep up with him. “Why do you always walk so fast?”
    He glances down in the direction of my voice, not slowing his pace. “I need to talk to your friends.”
    “My friends?”
    “Yeah, didn’t you say you