In Your Time novel Chapter 16

*Braden's POV*

Phoenix.

The girl from nowhere.

The details of how she ended up in my life were still fuzzy, but one thing I knew is that I wanted to protect her. She seemed like a lost and scared puppy. When I mom first brought her home, I thought it was a joke, but she really didn't know anything. I could see how my mom would feel sympathetic towards her. She was kind of cute, lost, and pitiful, but she still tried to act tough. When the kids at school were picking on her, I couldn't help myself. For someone already as helpless as Phoenix, she was too easy of a target. I knew I made things awkward when I kissed her at lunch, but I didn't care. If one peck was all it took to make people leave her alone, I would do it.

When dodgeball popped up as out activity in gym, I dreaded it. It was almost like giving these kids a free pass to pelt whoever they didn't like, and I knew Phoenix was at the top of a lot of people's lists. Unfortunately, we were on different teams. No matter how hard I tried to switch teams, it didn't work. I kept an eye on her during the game. She was doing okay, before something weird started happening. It looked like she went almost transparent. I could see straight through her as she bent over. You wouldn't notice if you weren't really looking. For a second, I thought it was a figment of my imagination. I started making my way to her when a ball whizzed past me and hit her in the head. Her eyes closed as she crumbled. I ran over and shook her gently.

"Phoenix. Phoenix, wake up!" I said. I couldn't help it. I was worried. The coach stopped the game as I cradled her in my arms.

"I'm going to take her to the nurse," I said quickly before running through the halls to the nurses office. By the time I got her on a bed in the office, she had broken out in a cold sweat. I covered her with a blanket as the nurse put a cold compress on her head before she left. All I could do was watch and wait. Phoenix looked troubled as she tossed and turned.

"Dad," she muttered in her sleep. She went transparent again before she disappeared completely for a millisecond. It had to be my eyes playing tricks on me, but when I looked again, she was on top of the compress and the blankets. It was like she really did disappear. She shot up quickly out of breath as she winced. She muttered something about going back. She looked confused. I was confused too. But whatever was happening to her, it didn't go unnoticed that she was trying hard to hide it. For now, I didn't even know what was happening, so I decided not to mention it.