Timesurfers by Rhonda Sermon

failed to dull her fear he might
casually lean over and snap her neck.
    The teacher clapped his hands. “Pop quiz
time! Books away and let’s delve into the world of derivatives. I
know a love of calculus and the desire to learn is the reason you
all got out of bed this morning.”
    She tensed as Jonah leaned in. His warm
breath sent goose bumps marching up her arm. “Let’s get together
after school.”
    “No chance.”
    “I’m persistent,” Jonah replied.
    “I know it was you at the bus stop on Sunday.
Don’t insult my intelligence by denying it. I have a strict policy
of not hanging out with anyone who’s attempted to kill me.”
    “You seem to have forgotten that I said we’d
laugh about what happened at the bus stop in a few years. I was
only pretending to kill you.”
    “Oh well, that makes it all fine.”
    “So we can hang out?” Jonah smiled.
    “No, I was being sarcastic.”
    Jonah chuckled. “I’ll spring for sticky date
pudding with toffee ice cream?”
    She stared straight ahead. That was her
second favourite desert.
Disturbing.
    “I would have suggested trifle, but your
birthday is so close.”
    Her mouth threatened to drop open, but she
clenched her jaw hard. Trifle was her favourite dessert, and her birthday, which was next
Saturday, was the only time her mum made it. “Since you were just pretending to be a murderous stranger, I’d
love to hang out with you. Shall we say around four?”
    “Ah, I got the sarcasm that time. We aren’t
strangers though,” Jonah said.
    “Back off, you lying tool!”
    “Eyes down and no talking,” her teacher
called.
    She cast her eyes down and quickly completed
the pop quiz. A sick feeling squirmed down her throat, and a
migraine pain stabbed behind her right eye. She pressed the heel of
her hand into her eye socket. That always helped dull the pain.
    “Those migraines will be a thing of the past
soon,” Jonah whispered.
    She hadn’t told anyone about her ferocious
migraines the last few weeks. Jonah knew an unnerving amount about
her.
    “I could come to your house after school and
help you with your calculus.” Jonah’s voice was like velvet.
Smooth, warm and it made you want to touch him. He tapped the 100
percent scrawled in the right-hand corner of his paper and then the
25 percent on her paper.
    “I’m sure you’re a real Mr. Helpful.”
    Eve jumped up and down behind Jonah,
mouthing, “Say yes! Say yes!”
    “It’s a firm no,” Cate said.
    “That’s code for she’d love you to come over
and help.” Eve patted Jonah’s arm. “It’s a girl thing.”
    “That’s settled then. I’ll be at your house
at five tonight.” Jonah unwound himself from the chair. He looked
even taller close up.
    “Don’t come,” Cate said.
    “Don’t listen to her; definitely go,” Eve
said.
    Cate gave Eve a furious glare. “Seriously,
today’s not good. I have training.”
    “Zach tells me you’re a black belt.” Jonah
ran a hand through his perfectly mussed chocolate hair.
    “Jonah’s a black belt too. He’s a fifth Dan.”
Zach stumbled as Jonah shoved him toward the door.
    That was a total
lie . He would have to be at least seventy to have earned
five Dans. She jumped back as Jonah lifted his hand.
    “Easy, Catherine,” he muttered.
    Cate groaned. She knew that he knew she was
scared of him. He called her Catherine. No one ever called her
that. She was Hannah Catherine Zetrom, but she’d gone by Cate since
she moved to Tempus Falls.
    “I’ll see you at five tonight. You can show
me your best moves and learn some calculus.” The bell to start the
next class rang, and he headed off with Zach trailing behind.
    “Wait.”
    Neither Zach nor Jonah responded.
    “I don’t want you to come to my house,” she
yelled to no one in particular. “Ever.”
    “Sure you do!” Eve said. “He’s bad in all the
right ways. You just know there’s a whole lot of angst rolled up in
that one. He’ll get better and better as you munch through