Chapter Two

CLAYTON

"Finding everything you need, Clayton?" A deep voice asked me from behind.

I whipped around to find Dr. Asgarth standing in the classroom door. Crap, how long had he been standing there? Hopefully I hadn't picked my nose or something.

"Um..." I wiped my now sweaty hands on my jeans and slid off my stool.

The crick in my neck told me I'd been hunched over the computer way too long.

"I figured I'd stop by and see how your setup was coming along." The doctor smiled and stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Nice to meet you in person, Clayton."

I shook his hand and gulped through the nerves choking the English language from my brain. Here stood the most renowned doctor on traumatic brain injuries, and I stammered like a fan at a BTS concert who'd just got pulled on stage.

Get it together, Clayton!

"It's an honor, Dr. Asgarth," I finally managed to get out.

"Sorry I didn't get here yesterday for your first day in the lab."

"It's okay." More than okay, considering I'd spent half the morning in a closet with one of the prettiest girls who'd ever spoken directly to me. Whoa, never thought I'd say that... ever. Girls avoided me like last leftover broccoli, which notoriously smelled like farts, unless they needed help with schoolwork or they wanted me to put in a good word with my brother.

A sharp pain ripped through my chest. That would probably never happen again... And it was my fault.

"Folks getting settled okay? Jordan all situated and comfortable?" Dr. Asgarth hitched his hip against the end of the table and glanced around the room.

He was a tall guy, which I never got the impression of during our Skype conversations these past few months. But his vivid-green eyes sure were exactly what they'd seemed online.

Intense. Wicked-smart. Curious.

"Um...Jordan. Yep. Settled." Well, as much as he could be in his condition. "We got here the day before yesterday." I hadn't even unpacked my boxes yet, other than to find some clean clothes this morning. "Pretty nice set up here."

"Thought you'd like it. Did you see the illuminator?" He pointed to the corner. "A new one got donated to the hospital, so I thought you'd get a kick out of it."

"It's awesome. It'll help with reading some of the x-rays. That's always interested me." Finally, my synapses started firing. If only I could only talk about research and studies with everyone around me, I'd never be without words.

"We'll do most everything at my clinic, getting the heavy-duty scans done there, but this'll help you read the images, study them, as part of our research."

"Our," I whispered. I couldn't believe I was paired with such an amazing mentor.

"Still getting used to it?" He grinned. "Professor Schwartz, your science teacher here at the school, is a good friend of mine. He'll help you as much as he can while you're on campus. I'll be your main point of contact at the hospital."

I couldn't believe this was happening. I was an actual research assistant to Dr. Edward Asgarth on his traumatic brain injury study. One of the youngest he'd ever taken on. Rules had to be bent to work this whole situation out. This would help me fast-track through high school for sure and be an awesome connection for college. I wouldn't squander this chance. It was my brother's case that caught Dr. Asgarth's attention. And when he'd found out about my high school research projects on traumatic brain injuries, he asked me to join his team...heck yeah, I'd do right by my brother.

He'd never have a normal life after what happened, and Mom was stuck taking care of him twenty-four-seven.

And it was all my fault.

"I've got the first few scans scheduled for tomorrow morning. We've got less than two weeks before school begins, but football practices have already started."

If only I could have gotten here earlier. I could have tested their helmets and gotten all the pre-scans done. To be able to prevent concussions or identify them sooner, that'd really help athletes out.

Dr. Asgarth smiled and wagged his finger at me. "I can see those genius wheels moving already. I knew I was going to like you."

I shoved my hands in my pockets, not sure what to say. I was technically a genius with 160 IQ, but around Dr. Asgarth, I felt like a preschooler eating glue.

"Have you seen much of the school yet?"

I shook my head. Mostly just the closet, but I didn't tell him that.

"Come walk me to my car. I'll show you around a bit.

"Okay, thanks." I hadn't ventured much from the path of the parking lot to the lab.

I snatched my phone from the tabletop, slapped my laptop closed, and hustled toward Doctor Asgarth, still disbelieving he was here.

And I was walking right next to him.

"I actually went to high school here," the doctor said with a grin. "About twenty-five years ago, but the building hasn't changed much."

"Except the science lab," I said with a chuckle.

"The insides have had some major upgrades." He laughed as we walked through the open door and into the hallway. "It'll be an intense schedule, a lot of time in and out of school, you ready?"

"I can handle it."

"No doubts there. Your research project last year on the effect of trauma on the blood vessels between the skull and brain was pretty detailed. Had to have taken you most of the year."

"Four months and six days."

"Wow. That's impressive."

Classes didn't hold my attention much, so it had been fun getting lost in the research. Little did I know it'd lead to this opportunity.

"That's the cafeteria," he said, pointing to the left.

The bane of my existence. Even with my Court of Nerd Knights by my side I'd avoided that place at my school back home like a vampire avoided the sun.

Vampires... I wonder how Megan is doing?

"Gym there," the doctor said, pulling me back to reality. "Office up ahead." He gestured to the right.

"Been there. Checked in. Got my schedule and a key to the lab."

"Good. I'd hoped everything was ready for you." He waved me to follow him, and he picked up the pace. "You'd began studying the brain before your brother's accident, what got you started on that?"

"The brain is fascinating."

"I'd have to agree. Was Jordan on track to do the academic route?"

"You mean, was Jordan a nerd like me?"

Again, he laughed. "Humor's good."

"Gotta work with what you've got," I said, tapping my head with my pointer finger. "Even if it makes you King of the Nerds." It was true for the most part. Though going to a homecoming dance or something with a girl on my arm instead of hacking into the school video feeds to watch might be kind of cool.

And my parents wouldn't worry so much about me. But right now, all that mattered was this study and trying to learn how to help Jordan—and other people with TBIs.

"To answer your question...no. Jordan was on the athletic side of the uterus."

Doctor Asgarth laughed as he led me down the last hallway toward the front entrance. "Identical twins. It's interesting how different they can actually be despite the whole identical thing they have going on, right?

"Brains... They're fascinating."

Doc slowed a bit and said, "This is the science hallway. You'll get to know this one pretty well."

"Wonder why the lab isn't here?"

"Something to do with ventilation and set up. They pretty much cleared out an office for it."

"So, which teacher is going to be pissed at me?"

"Funny." He nodded toward the front entrance and slapped my back. "It was vacant, so you're safe. What's the plan for today?"

"Finish reviewing the list of football players—"

"You mean memorizing them." He winked as he pulled open the door.

Yep, he caught me. Having an eidetic memory came in handy. "Um...yeah. Getting all my questionnaires in order to be ready to administer the tests. And then I need to head out and find the local bike shop."

"You like biking?"

"That's how I get around." Cars and me...we didn't mix, as in ever. But I didn't tell him that.

"I'll see you tomorrow. 8am sharp. My clinic." Dr. Asgarth trotted off, saying, "don't have too much fun today."

"Thanks!" I stopped at the top of the three stairs that led to the sidewalk around the front parking lot.

Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention. A girl with black hair and streaks of purple strolled up the sidewalk. Megan.

She smiled at her friend and tilted her head back, giggling, as they sauntered. The other girl rolled her eyes and slapped Megan's shoulder, then looked right at me. "As if."

The two wore silver and blue cheerleading outfits. Megan's hair and smooth skin was just like I remember it, but seeing her eyes in the bright light was a whole different experience. Blue, yes, but it was like they had a layer of fog over them, lightening them even more until they were almost gray.

I nodded in her direction. "Hey, Megan."

She stutter-stepped, and her eyebrows pulled together as she sucked in her lip ring. "How do you know my name?"

Okay, that was weird.

"Yeah, how do you know her name?" her friend asked me. She looked down her long, pointed nose at me, then glanced around, surely looking for something more interesting than me.

I shoved my hands into my pockets, the heat of embarrassment crawling up my neck.

Megan, on the other hand, stared up at me from the sidewalk. I stood taller than them up here at the top of the three steps leading to the front doors. It hadn't been that dark in the closet that she couldn't recognize me. Sure, a migraine was plowing through her trigeminal system, but still...

"You new here?" she asked.

"Um...yeah. I see the sun isn't turning you to ash." I smiled, remembering how we'd bantered about her being a vampire.

She scrunched up her nose. "Huh?"

Wow. Still nothing.

I cleared my throat and turned toward the main doors. I should just head back to my universe since I clearly wasn't part of hers, despite helping her through a wicked migraine.

Should have figured. We were in public, of course she wouldn't acknowledge me. But to claim to not know me...

Welcome to another year of being ignored.

***

MEGAN

The boy, who somehow knew my name, rushed back toward the main entrance.

"Making nice with the nerds, now, Megs?" Alley strode up beside me with her line of clone cheerleaders following close behind.

I bet if they had rose petals they'd be throwing them at Alley's feet. Even Willa, my best friend since we were, like two, straightened beside me, watching the Queen of the Cheerleaders strut toward us.

"Love the glasses," Alley said, looking over her shoulder at the boy as he disappeared out of view.

He knew me, but I didn't know him. That made no sense. And he'd called me a vampire. That didn't make any sense either. And Alley might be ripping on his thick glasses, but I saw those massively huge, heart-stopping, turf-green eyes behind those lenses.

And the shaggy blond hair swept along his forehead. Smooth, pale skin and plump lips. The Nerdacious guy was a hottie-in-hiding for sure. No way could I say that with Alley around, though. I wasn't even sure Willa could handle it. It was all but written in the cheerleader code book that there would be no dating of the non-athletic or non-popular boys outside our approved circle.

Why the heck was he here, anyway? The teachers weren't even here yet, setting up their room. He was even walking with Doc Asgarth, who thankfully hadn't acknowledged knowing me.

I'd sworn him to that oath during our first appointment after the accident because I already had enough people treating me all weird since the accident. If they saw me talking with the renowned doctor, I'd get nailed with questions..

Considering Doc scored pretty high on the nerd-o-meter this boy he was walking with probably did, too.

Alley planted her palm on her hip, her elbow making a triangle. "Look, I need to know if you're going to be able to top the pyramid game opener or not. You've flaked twice now since the fall, and we've got less than two weeks to get it right."

I so wanted to top that pyramid again, like I'd done hundreds of times before, but the doctors—and my now overprotective parents—forbade it. As in, said I could absolutely not do anything that might risk another concussion.

I'd made excuses, trying to push back the exact moment I told my team that I couldn't fly anymore. Not after what happened three months ago.

I was lucky Mom even let me back on the squad. But I'd done cheerleading forever, what else would I do if I didn't cheer? And Willa needed me. She walked the line with the whole cheerleader scene and needed me to have her back. She was a sophomore and on the squad, and that was a privilege. I couldn't let my accident affect her.

"I think Willa should do it," I said. "She's tiny and strong."

Alley huffed and looked at her perfectly polished nails. "Um...no."

"Bitch much?" Ohhh, that had totally slipped out.

"What did you just say?" Alley inched forward, standing tall. She had about four inches on me, but right now...I just wanted to smack the holier than thou grin off her perfect face.

Who wore such thick eye make-up at practice? Bad enough she made us run three miles to warm up when it was about a thousand degrees out here. And that grating voice. She—

"Megs, you okay?" Willa reached for me.

Voices crept in from behind Alley, and they jack-hammered my skull. A whistle from the football field ripped through my ears like razors. Prickles along my neck sent a line of goose bumps down my arms.

A car door slammed. Rhonda cracked her gum as she stared at me from beside Alley. Even the birds chirping raked over my brain.

"Stop. Just shut up." I pressed my hands over my ears. "Be quiet."

Alley's eyes widened, and her mouth moved. I didn't hear much, but I thought she said the word freak.

I was, too.

A total and complete freak. Ever since the accident, nothing in my head felt right. Well, it wasn't just my head, but still. Why wouldn't everyone shut up? Everything just hurt, like my ears were going to bleed from the noise.

Dang, even the air was loud.

"Let's go." Alley waved her minions to follow, and they stomped by.. Each time their feet hit the pavement, the sound resonated through my head like a gong.

"What was that all about?" Willa asked, stepping in my line of vision.

"It's too loud out here." I pressed my hands to my ears again. "How can you stand it?"

"Megs. Wait. It's not loud." She reached for my hand. "What's wrong?"

I batted it away, and her eyes shot wide. Whoa, what was that about? Willa wasn't doing anything wrong. She was my best friend.

"I'm sorry, Willa." I grabbed her wrist. "Not sure...why I did that." I glanced around, and it didn't seem so loud at the moment. Maybe with Alley gone...

God, I was losing my mind, wasn't I? First, Mystery Guy knows my name, looks at me like we were old pals, and I couldn't remember him. Then I go off on Alley. To make things worse, I push my bestie away?

Willa rubbed her arm. "You're really starting to worry me."

Welcome to my world. Ever since the accident, I'd been acting completely different. Impulsive. Out of control. And it was all thanks to this stupid broken brain of mine.

The cheerleaders coming in from the field across the parking lot were all staring at me like I was an alien. I kind of felt like one right now.

I slid my hand over my sweaty brow. "Things are just...different since—you know—the accident."

"What do you mean?" Willa brushed her knuckles along my arm. "You—"

"I don't want to talk about it." I stepped around her, toward the front entrance.

She wouldn't understand. No one did. Not my parents or my friends. Sure, the doctors and counselors at the hospital did, but they were trained to. They didn't get this side of things. They didn't get what it's like to be in the real world after having a traumatic brain injury.

It felt like cheerleading was literally slipping through my fingers. It used to be the most important thing to me. I couldn't screw up my future. I needed to hold things together. Whatever just happened with Alley couldn't happen again.

I must have looked like such an idiot.

Maybe I just needed a shower and...some food. Low blood sugar. Yeah, maybe that was it.

Nice try, Megan.

I glanced at my phone. Dad wouldn't be here for twenty minutes. I had just enough time to make a quick trip to the lab closet, maybe that would calm me down.

Because I was losing my mind. 

*********

Hey, Lovelies! 

Hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday!

Let us know what you think of CHAPTER TWO!

Hearts,

Kelly Anne & LynnRush xoxo