Chapter 02

Dash frowned as he watched the new student disappear down the hallway. He didn't even get the chance to speak, only able to offer a short wave, as the man hurried off after being paged by the front office. I'm in trouble. The thought ran through his head as he raked a hand through his slicked back blond hair. After reading the note that Paulina made him pass along with the simple message of "he's the one" scrawled out in her neat, loopy handwriting, Dash was ready to pass it off as Paulina trying too hard. Ever since the start of high school, Paulina was determined to find him the perfect match. She had a certain knack for it, but no one in town was ever right for him, according to her. Then Danny Fenton appears out of nowhere, and Paulina declares after a single day that he was Dash's perfect match. But after their short encounter in class, Dash couldn't deny that he felt some attraction toward the other man. Danny was pretty cute.

"So?" Paulina asked, grinning widely at him when she finally found him, shaking him out of his thoughts circling around the new man at their school. "Should I expect to hear wedding bells soon?"

Dash rolled his eyes as he walked down the hallway with the woman at his side. "I wouldn't expect anything like that."

"Dash!" Paulina punched him on the shoulder, and he pretended to be hurt by it, though the woman could throw a mean right hook if she put the effort into it. This was more of an annoyed but playful punch rather than something meant to physically hurt him. "Did you scare him off?" She frowned darkly at him, and Dash knew the reason for it. Paulina had an amazing gift when it came to matching people up, and so far, not a single couple that she put together failed. She clearly didn't want to break the streak with him.

"I didn't scare him off," Dash argued, pausing at his locker to get some books that he would need for homework. "He," a grin spread across his face, "really likes me. Or at least, he had trouble not thinking about how hot I am." His smirk was smug, and perhaps he felt a little egotistical at that, but the constant thoughts running through Danny's head during class made it hard for Dash not to smile each time the man glanced his way.

"So where's the problem?" Paulina leaned against the lockers as she frowned at him. "Since he's clearly attracted to you and you're probably attracted to him, I don't get why you think things won't work out."

Dash sighed, his mood deflating as he thought back over the whole encounter in the classroom. "It's not about attraction," he mumbled and shoved the books into his bag before he shut his locker. After slinging the bag over his shoulder, he faced Paulina. "There's something he's hiding. As much as he kept thinking about how he felt toward me, there was hesitation. There was this clear vibe that he didn't want any kind of physical relationship with me. He's not interested in dating." Until speaking it out loud, he didn't realize how much that fact hurt him. It was too soon to think about anything like love. It was merely an attraction they shared with each other, but Dash wouldn't mind seeing where that attraction might lead them. Why did Danny not want to date him, or anyone for that matter? What happened to make him so scared about having that kind of relationship with someone?

"Why?" Paulina gaped at him like she couldn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to date someone. She was a social butterfly, making friends easily with all the different social circles. To her, the labels didn't matter. She genuinely liked everyone and wanted to make friends, although there were a few exceptions. Dash could see one of those exceptions making his way through the hallway right then as Skulker tripped some poor teen and laughed as papers and books went flying. He didn't blame anyone for hating that man but was surprised that Skulker did have friends. The cheerleader Desiree was usually at his side, sharing laughs at the harassment of other students.

Dash shook his head. "I don't know. He kept his thoughts pretty clammed up on that. It must be something that he doesn't want to think about." That fact only made him more curious about what the man was hiding.

"Can't you," Paulina leaned in closer, shoulders hunching up slightly, "you know?" She stared at him meaningfully, her green eyes locking with his eyes.

"Never," Dash said firmly, some anger slipping out at the mere suggestion that he try to dive deeper into Danny's mind. He didn't even like that his telepathy allowed him to pick up on the thoughts of people. It took him several years to learn to simply block out all the thoughts rattling through other people's minds at all times. He had many sleepless nights as a child right after his telepathy started to develop. He couldn't shut out the thoughts, and he feared it would drive him mad. No one was there to teach him control, and he could hear his mother's worried thoughts when he started acting out as a result of the telepathy. He screamed a lot until his throat was raw, thinking maybe he could drown out the thoughts with his own voice, but it didn't help. Clapping his hands over his ears and hurting himself didn't help either. His mother thought there was something horribly wrong with him, but he was too scared to tell her about the telepathy. He still never told her. Even with the control he now had over his power, Dash could still hear the thoughts if a person was broadcasting them loud enough. And Danny was being so loud it was impossible to ignore him.

Dash knew it was possible to dive deeper into someone's mind, to root around and uncover memories that a person tried to keep hidden. But the ability terrified him. After he gained some measure of control over his power, he wanted to see what else he could do. He was eight years old, two years after he first discovered he could hear thoughts, and his best friend at the time agreed to let him test his powers on him. Dash was never good at keeping secrets with Michael, who was overly ecstatic when Dash told him about the telepathy. Michael was insistent on helping Dash learn more about his powers even though neither of them could predict the outcome. Dash really wished that he never told Michael anything now. He didn't have the control needed to do it, and when he went deeper into Michael's mind, something happened. Dash touched some part of Michael's mind and was forcibly ejected to find his best friend writhing on the floor screaming his mind out in terror.

Dash closed his eyes as the memory haunted him. He couldn't even bring himself to visit Michael in the hospital where they were caring for him, still trying to find a way to put his mind back together. As much as he wished he could help his friend, Dash simply didn't have the ability, didn't have the control. If he tried, he could make things even worse, though he wasn't sure how. Maybe he would put Michael into a comatose state. Thinking about his old friend killed him, and Dash didn't dare try that skill on anyone else. He hated his telepathy when he remembered that experience. He never wanted this ability, and he certainly never wanted to hurt his best friend like that.

Paulina knew nothing about the incident. Everyone heard about Michael being admitted into the hospital after it happened, but no one ever learned what really happened to him. Dash couldn't bring himself to tell anyone, and it scared him to think that Paulina would hate him if he ever told her about it.

Paulina blinked, taken aback by his response. "Sorry," she said in a small voice as she dropped her gaze and hugged her books closer to her chest.

"No, I should be saying that." Dash sighed, feeling bad when he saw her like that. "I shouldn't have said it like that. I know you were just trying to be helpful. But I really can't. I don't even want to hear his thoughts."

Paulina tilted her head up a little as a small grin appeared. "Even when he's thinking about how amazingly hot you are?"

His cheeks felt warm as Dash recalled the blush on Danny's face during their talk. "Not even then." He shook his head. "I'm invading his private thoughts. It makes me feel dirty."

Paulina frowned and patted him on the arm. "I'm sure if you told him about it, he would understand that you're not doing it on purpose. I mean, you can't help it! This was just something you were born with."

"You mean, something I got from my father," Dash growled. At least, that was the only logic he could make of it. He believed his mother would have said something to him by now if she shared this ability. His father left them when he was four, and Dash didn't have very many memories of the man. If he got this ability from anyone, Dash could only think it was his father. It only added another reason for him to hate the man that fathered him.

"Ugh, I hope you're not inviting him to your party," Desiree said, her voice grating on Dash's nerves as she paused to stand next to Paulina. "I don't know why you even bother talking to him. He's such a loser." A cruel smirk twisted upon her painted lips, like the jab was meant to really hurt him. Irritation flickered in her eyes when Dash merely stared at her indifferently. The woman never liked him, and Dash honestly didn't have any idea where that hate came from. But then, the only man Desiree seemed to tolerate was Skulker.

"Dash isn't a loser," Paulina argued defensively. She could say it a thousand more times, but it wouldn't change anyone's opinion of him. He was a loser since the start of high school, though Dash still wasn't sure how he got stuck with that label. Perhaps it had something to do with the football team. They never did like that he rejected their request to join in freshmen year, and he guessed some of them took it as a personal affront and turned the school against him. It didn't matter much in the end. It was his senior year, and once he graduated, he wouldn't have to see any of them ever again.

"It's fine, Paulina. I should be going anyway." Dash turned and headed down the hallway, leaving Paulina and Desiree to discuss party plans. He knew Paulina didn't really want anything to do with Desiree. They were hardly the best of friends. But Paulina fell within the circle of the popular, and Desiree was the queen bee next to Skulker's king. If a party was being thrown by anyone that was considered popular, Desiree was sure to weasel her way into running the whole show, even if her help was completely unwanted.

Dash turned down another hallway that had an exit close to the parking lot behind the school. After only a few steps, his attention drifted toward two men farther along the hallway. While he talked with Paulina, he never even noticed when Skulker passed them. His mouth pursed and his brow furrowed when he spotted the other man with Skulker. He recognized the other man as Kwan Long, another member of the football team, but unlike his teammates, Kwan didn't bother with the whole bullying thing. Dash didn't have many run ins with the man since they didn't exactly hang out in the same circles. But the few times they bumped into each other, Kwan at least seemed nice. He could remember seeing the man helping out one of the nerds pick up their things after Skulker laughingly knocked the books from his hands. Even Dash could see the way Kwan withdrew into himself ever since Skulker arrived at their school three years ago. He could remember Kwan smiling a lot freshmen year, but now the jock rarely showed even the smallest hint of a smile.

Something was happening between the two of them. Dash saw it in the creepy way Skulker would stalk after Kwan. It was there right now in the way Skulker leaned toward him with that sadistic smirk upon his face. Dash gritted his teeth when he saw that. Kwan had a clear vibe rolling off him that screamed of how uncomfortable he was around the man, but that fact seemed to only please Skulker all the more, like he took pleasure in making the man shake. Dash didn't miss the shiver that ran down Kwan's spine when Skulker whispered something to him. Moments like this made him wish he was better at using his telepathy. Neither of the men were broadcasting their thoughts loud enough for him to pick up on. Even when he walked closely past them, Dash couldn't hear what they were thinking, but he could catch pieces of their conversation.

"The guys told me you were skipping out on Paulina's party," Skulker said, sounding none too happy with that news.

"Not my thing," Kwan mumbled as he closed his locker. He shoulder his bag and turned to leave when Skulker grabbed hold of his arm. Dash caught a flare of pain rush through Kwan's mind at the tight hold around his bicep.

"You're mistaken if you think can run away." Skulker's tone held a threat to it.

Dash squinted his eyes over his shoulder, trying to determine the meaning behind it. Did Skulker really think he could bully his own teammates into doing whatever he wanted? If he never saw the consequences of it, Dash might be more willing to dive into Skulker's mind. He gripped the strap of his bag tightly as he fought that temptation. He wouldn't do that to another person, not even an ass like Skulker. He didn't know much about the man except that Skulker was his true name and James Radcliffe was simply an alias that he used to pass as human in town. Dash didn't know what exactly Skulker was except that he wasn't human.

When Kwan struggled to wrench his arm free with only the desperate thought of wanting to escape, Dash couldn't simply walk by. Skulker was a creep and a jerk. Even though Dash tried not to stick his nose into the business of jocks, he couldn't ignore that silent plea for helping now running through Kwan's mind. Whatever Skulker wanted from his teammate, Kwan didn't want to give it to him. Dash didn't need to know what the deal was between them to know he needed to help. Turning back around, he forced his body between the two men then gave Skulker a hard shove.

"Back off, creep," Dash ordered as threateningly as he could. He gave his best scowling glare, hoping Skulker would take the hint and walk away.

The hand released Kwan's arm when Dash broke between them, and Skulker glowered at having someone interrupt whatever was happening between him and his teammate. "This is none of your business, loser." He nearly poked Dash in the eye when he thrust a finger into his face. "You better watch yourself before you find yourself in a world of hurt."

"You don't scare me." A cocky grin slipped onto his face. Dash really didn't scare easy. He usually didn't butt into other people's business because it didn't concern him. This whole situation was something he would normally keep walking past and ignore, but he couldn't seem to ignore the vibe he felt, that feeling that told him Kwan was in danger around Skulker. Kwan was a fairly big guy, had to be when he was a linebacker and spent most of the football game tackling the opposing team's players. He was strong, but apparently he didn't believe in using that strength to fight because he certainly could have decked Skulker at any point if he truly wished to.

Skulker grabbed the front of Dash's shirt, anger flashing in his green eyes. "Don't stand in my way." The threat was back in his voice, and Dash wondered why Skulker was so determined to have his way with Kwan. That thought almost made him gasped out loud. Did Skulker want to have his way with Kwan? Dash never gave much thought to other people's sexuality, and he certainly never cared to know anything about Skulker. He always assumed that Skulker and Desiree were together with the way they acted, even if they didn't show any public displays of affection. The idea that Skulker might being trying to force himself on Kwan sickened Dash, his stomach turning at the very thought. If he was pursuing this idea for the last three years, Skulker was showing some amazing restraint, though right now he looked like he was about ready to take what he wanted by force if it wasn't given to him willingly, and soon. Dash was about to punch the sick ass in the face when a loud cough interrupted their confrontation.

"Is there a problem here, boys?" the school counselor inquired with a sickly sweet voice that suggested she knew exactly what was transpiring between the two men.

Skulker's jaw clenched, and he shoved Dash as he released him. "No," he answered with a growl in his voice. "No problem, Miss Spectra."

"Good," Spectra said with her hands on her hips. "I would hate to have to drag you both down to the principal's office for fighting."

"I was just leaving," Dash said gruffly. Spectra wasn't exactly one of his favorite members of the staff at Casper High. Her mind was always well guard, for some reason, and a thought never escaped it. He was fairly certain he didn't want to know what went on in her mind. When he turned to continue walking toward the exit, Dash found that Kwan mysteriously disappeared. He wouldn't have imagined the jock to be so silent on his feet, but Kwan managed to depart from the scene without either Dash or Skulker noticing during their confrontation.

Great, Dash thought as he left the school. Now I'll probably have to watch my back even more to keep off Skulker's radar. But he didn't regret stepping in to help Kwan. They weren't friends, but that wasn't going to stop Dash from protecting him from Skulker. But what was Skulker's obsession with his teammate? Why was he so determined to have Kwan? He shook the questions from his mind. He wouldn't be getting any answers to them today.