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

went to the party with Amber?” Dale steps out of the freshman biology teacher’s way. She gives him a bemused look, clearly wondering if he’s talking to himself. Dale smiles brightly in return, the nonverbal equivalent of nothing to see here!
    Hugging my bag to my side, I jog alongside him. “I didn’t leave with her, apparently.”
    “Well, maybe she knows who you did leave with,” he points out. “Where do you guys usually eat?”
    “Recently, we’ve been camping out in the drama club room,” I answer. It has a big carpet and looks out over a span of grass where the soccer guys kick the ball around after they eat.
    We turn down the arts wing and spot Amber and Penny heading into the drama room. Dale follows them inside, waiting until they dump their bags on the padded floor before approaching them.
    Amber scrunches up her nose. “What do you want?”
    “Hey, girls.” He smiles at Penny, who’s always more approachable. “I was just wondering if you’d heard from Nicole today.”
    Penny’s dark eyes cut to Amber, who shrugs. With a soft sigh, Penny gives Dale a fake smile. “I’m really sorry, but she’s kind of with Trent. I don’t think she’s into you.”
    “I’m not into her,” Dale replies coolly. “I’m just asking where she is.”
    Amber meets his pointed look head on. “We don’t know.”
    Students amble past the room, glancing in with open curiosity. Dale shuts the door and turns back to Amber.
    “You’re her best friends. Aren’t BFFs supposed to know where each other are at all times?” he says.
    “That tone is not helping you right now,” I warn.
    He flicks his fingers over his shoulder as if trying to shoo a fly away, and trains his gaze on Amber. “Are you sure you haven’t missed a call from her?”
    Her eyebrow arches and she crosses her arms. I notice that she’s wearing the gold bracelet I got her for her sixteenth birthday. “I’m sure.”
    “So, why aren’t you guys more worried?”
    Amber’s smile is tight, the hard glint in her eyes downright intimidating. “Look, Nicole is an independent girl. She flits off whenever she wants to and she never thinks about anybody but herself. I don’t know where she is right now and frankly, I don’t care.”
    Her words are a punch in the gut. Hurt and anger course through me, and I wonder why I can feel things so deeply when I’m not even connected to my body.
    “That’s pretty harsh,” Dale replies, his eyes narrowing.
    Amber sneers. “Oh, please, what do you know about friendship, Scarface? You don’t even have any friends.”
    Dale pales, the muscle in his jaw goes taut as he glares at Amber.
    “I just want to make sure she’s safe, that’s all. Did either of you see who she left with last night?” His brown gaze is steady and an overwhelming sense of gratitude pulses through me. He’s taking this abuse and dealing with my friends for me —the person who coined that ridiculous nickname in the first place.
    “Look, I’m sure she’s fine,” Amber says impatiently, sitting down on the carpet and pulling a container of carrots out of her bag. “When I left there were still a bunch of people there. She probably caught a ride with someone, so don’t worry about it. Besides, it’s really none of your business.”
    Penny steps closer to Dale. “We have to eat and study for our math test, so, bye now.” A look of contempt plays on her lips.
    “Let’s just go,” I tell Dale, simmering. “They don’t know anything, and I can’t listen to this anymore.”
    Dale shoots the girls one last look as he walks out the door.
    “I can’t believe they just treated you that way,” I explode once we’re in the hall.
    “It doesn’t matter.” He slides his hands into his pockets with a shrug. “I’m just annoyed it’s a dead end. I was really hoping they’d know who you left with.”
    “But they were really rude to you,” I say, astonished at his calm.
    Dale pauses in the now empty corridor, turning my