Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1)(28)

Jill!

I peered around. I'd nearly forgotten that Jill was supposed to be in the same class. Except, where was she? There was no sign of her. When our instructor, Miss Carson, called attendance, she didn't even say Jill's name. I wondered if there'd been a last-minute schedule change.

Miss Carson believed in jumping right into the action. We were divided into teams for volleyball, and I found myself standing beside Micah. His fair, freckled complexion was growing pink, and I almost wanted to suggest sunscreen to him as well. He gave me one of his friendly smiles.

"Hey," I said. "You haven't seen my sister today, have you? Jill?"

"No," he said. A slight frown crossed his forehead. "Eddie was looking for her at lunch. He figured she was eating with you over at your dorm." I shook my head, a queasy feeling welling in my stomach. What was going on? Nightmare scenarios flashed through my mind. I'd thought Eddie was overreacting with his vigilance, but had something happened to Jill? Was it possible that, despite all our planning, one of Jill's enemies had slipped in and stolen her out from under us? Was I going to have to tell the Alchemists - and my father - that we'd lost Jill on the first day? Panic flashed through me. If I wasn't about to be sent to a re-education center before, I definitely was on my way to one now.

"Are you okay?" Micah asked, studying me. "Is Jill okay?"

"I don't know," I said. "Excuse me." I broke out of my team formation and jogged over to where Miss Carson was supervising.

"Yes?" she asked me.

"I'm sorry to bother you, ma'am, but I'm worried about my sister. Jill Melrose. I'm Sydney. She's supposed to be in here. Do you know if she changed classes?"

"Ah, yes. Melrose. I got a note from the office, just before class, that she wouldn't be attending today."

"Did they say why?"

Miss Carson shook her head apologetically and barked an order to some guy who was slacking off. I rejoined my team, mind spinning. Well, at least someone had seen Jill today, but why on earth would she not be attending?

"Is she okay?" Micah asked me.

"I... I guess. Miss Carson seemed to know she wouldn't be in class but doesn't know why."

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked. "To help her? Er, you guys?"

"No, thanks. That's nice of you to ask." I wished there was a clock around. "I'll check on her as soon as class is over." A thought suddenly occurred to me. "But Micah? Don't say anything to Eddie."

Micah gave me a curious look. "Why not?"

"He's overprotective. He'll worry when it's probably nothing."

Also, he'll tear the school apart looking for her.

When class ended, I quickly showered and changed clothes before heading to the administrative building. I was desperate to run back to the dorm first to see if Jill was there, but I couldn't be late for the appointment. As I walked down a hallway to Molly's office, I passed by the main one - and an idea came to me. I stopped in to talk to the attendance secretary before going to my appointment.

"Jill Melrose," the secretary said, nodding. "She was sent back to her dorm."

"Sent back?" I exclaimed. "What does that mean?"

"I'm not at liberty to say." Melodramatic much?

Annoyed and more confused than ever, I went to Molly's office, taking comfort in the fact that even if Jill's absence was mysterious, at least it was sanctioned by the school. Molly told me I could either take another elective or engage in some kind of independent study in place of a language, if I got a teacher to sponsor me. An idea popped into my head.

"Can I check in with you tomorrow?" I asked. "I need to talk to someone first."

"Sure," said Molly. "Just decide soon. You can go back to your dorm now, but we can't have you wandering around every day during this time." I assured her she'd have an answer soon and headed back. The shuttle bus didn't run very often during classes, so I just walked the mile back. It only took fifteen minutes but felt twice as long in the heat. When I finally reached the dorm room, relief flooded me. Hanging out in our room as if nothing strange had happened was Jill.

"You're all right!"

Jill was lying on the bed, reading her book again. She looked up morosely. "Yeah. Kind of."

I sat down on my own bed and kicked off my shoes. "What happened? I had a panic attack when you weren't in class. If Eddie knew - "

Jill sat bolt upright. "No, don't tell Eddie. He'll freak out."

"Okay, okay. But tell me what happened. They said you got sent here?"

"Yeah." Jill made a face. "Because I was kicked out of my first class."

I was speechless. I couldn't imagine what sweet, shy Jill could have possibly done to warrant that. Oh, God. I hope she didn't bite someone. I was the one everyone expected to have trouble fitting into a school schedule. Jill should have been a pro.

"What were you kicked out for?"

Jill sighed. "For having a hangover."

More speechlessness. "What?"

"I was sick. Ms. Chang - my teacher - took one look at me and said she could spot a hangover a mile away. She sent me to the office for breaking school rules. I told them I was just sick, but she kept saying she knew. The principal finally said there was no way to prove that's why I was sick, so I didn't get punished, but I wasn't allowed to go to the rest of my classes. I had to stay here for the rest of the school day."