A/N: Summer has come and I have lacked to update since the nonexistent spring. My apologies. Again. You guys must be sick of hearing that. So the bell won. Eventually Jason will return. Maybe next chapter. Maybe not. I dunno.

Disclaimer: I don't own Virals. Technically all of this belongs to the fabulous Kathy Reichs. Yada yada you know the drill.

JASON'S POV

I glanced between the two groups. Maddy, Ashley, and Courtney were looking down at me, anticipating an answer. Hi and Shelton were glaring at Maddy and co. Ben was glaring at me with such ferocity I thought he would burn holes in my head.

And then Tory. Her face was blank. Completely blank. It took me aback. Every time I looked at Tory, there was some sort of expression on her face. No matter what it was: ecstatic or dejected; gregarious or snarky; determined or lackadaisical; it was always clear and bold and there. But now... I had not a single clue what she was thinking.

I was stuck.

The obvious choice was Tory. Maddy and her crew would get over it. But then they would take their anger out on Tory, and I didn't want Tory getting hurt.

On the other hand, I liked the company of Maddy and Ashley, and Courtney, while a bit stupid at times, wasn't too bad to have around either.

And so I was stuck.

"Well?" Madison said. "Come on. What're you waiting for?"

I turned back to face the Virals, so unsure what I would do. Stuck between two hot girls. I nearly laughed at the irony of the situation. Me and a couple of my friends had always talked about how lucky some guys were to have two girls fight over them. I would have given anything to be in that position. But now I was here...

Well, they weren't really fighting. Tory was just sitting there, something different brewing in her eyes. And Maddy had her hand on her hip, perfectly plucked eyebrow raised to show impatience.

"Um... I..." I looked around helplessly, hoping a friend would come over and save me. I caught Ben's glare.

Ben.

My mind started to drift. Why did he hate me so much, anyways? I mean, Tory, duh. It was obvious to anybody that he had a thing for her. But his hatred towards me was too strong to be something like some teenage crush.

I hated him just as much. Obviously. You can only be hated so much before you start hating back. But I honestly didn't think I could deal with any more of it. And dumping Tory and her gang might make him explode. But dumping Tory and her gang might actually get him to ease up on me.

Wait.

What?

My decision was being based on Ben?

Something was wrong here. I hated the dude!

"Look, just pick, would'ya? This whole dramatic moment thing is getting way too long to be dramatic any longer." Hi inserted, shifting his glance to me. "Cool as I think you are, all this tension is getting to me."

Shelton nodded. "Not to sound rude or anything, but you can't be a Pooh Bear here. Both just ain't gonna work."

Courtney's eyebrows scrunched together in frustration. "What is he talking about? You aren't a poop bear!"

I let out a snort of laughter despite myself. I looked frantically over to Chance and my other mates. They grinned at me and sent thumbs up, mistaking my pleading expression for one of smug satisfaction.

Fat lot of good they are.

"So... Um..."

B-RIIIIINNNNGGGGGG B-RINNNNNGG

The warning bell rang. I leaped to my feet. "See y'all later!" I flung a wave over my shoulder and darted out.

Oh thank God. I love you bell, I love you, I love you, I love. I swear, I will never be late to class again.

Ben's POV

I growled with anger. That little...

Sensing my rage, Tory put a hand on my arm. "Calm down, Ben." She said gently. I looked up at her. Nope. Not gentle at all. She was nearly as mad as I.

"Who the hell does he think he is?"

I snapped. Literally jolted in place, tensing my muscles. Breathe, Ben, breathe. Deep, shuddering, breaths.

Everything suddenly went bright. Shockingly bright. I could see every detail 100 yards away. The veins of the leaf entangled in spanish moss. The mouse hiding in the bushes.

Tory's voice was abnormally loud- why was she shouting? I looked back to her, and saw her scrambling away, eyes wide in... was that fear?

"Wha-"

Snup.

Gone.

I shuddered, falling back against the tree. "What the fuck..."

Tory was flat against the wall of the storage trailer, jaw on the ground.

"What?" I asked, confused. "Huh?"

Shelton shrugged.

"I dunno." Hi said. "You just went freaky for a sec. Tory went nuts."

I tilted my head. "I don't get it. What's wrong?"

Tory creeped back. "Are you okay?" She asked cautiously.

I nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

She ignored my question. "Are your eyes okay? Do you feel weird?"

I closed my eyes in an exaggerated blink. "What's wrong?" I fluttered my eyes. "I felt weird a few seconds ago, but I feel fine now. Brilliant, actually. Like I could punch through walls."

Tory swallowed. "Right. You sure?"

"Yes!" I raised my voice. "I'm fine!"

Tory just stared. "Right. Well, if you'll excuse me, I have class."

I started packing my lunch back when I realized something.

My thermos had fingerprints indented into it.

Shelton's POV

Nobody really spoke to the other the rest of the day. Kinda freaky. No. Just flat out freaky. I debated starting a conversation.

"So... are we reading today? At the bunker?"

Tory shook her head. "I have homework."

Hi shrugged. "New gaming system."

Ben didn't reply.

I didn't bother answering. Maybe things would cool over the next day.

oOo

"Did anybody bring the book?" I asked as we loaded onto Seewee.

Tory shook her head, then stopped. "Were we going to read today?"

Nobody answered.

"Yes?" I said hesitantly.

"I'll get it." Tory raced off.

Ben sighed.

"What happened yesterday?" I asked.

"I dunno." He said. And that was it. I didn't bother pushing him- Ben was like a hunk of stone when determined.

School was, as always, dull as mud. People came in. Gossip mill milled. People ignored the bell. Teachers droned.

And then came lunch.

"Is Jason sitting with us today?" I asked Hi. He shrugged.

"Depends on how smart he is. I wouldn't count on it."

"You wouldn't count on his intellect, or you wouldn't count on his arrival?"

"Both and neither."

I took a few moments to absorb that. "So basically you just don't know."

Hi shook his head. "I am the great and fabulous Hi. I know everything."

"What number am I thinking?"

Hi shrugged. "Pi."

"Nope."

"Yes you were."

"No I wasn't." Cough. Maybe.

"Yes you were."

"What're you two dofuses talking about today?" Ben said, appearing out of nowhere.

"I'm a physic." Hi said.

"He's a fraud."

Ben nodded. "I'm sure. So what number- no. What letter am I thinking?"

Hi paused. Held up a hand. "Okay. Everybody. Stop." He put his fingers on Ben's temple. "You are thinking of..." He released. "No idea. You mind is too complicated. I understand Shelly here much, much better."

Ben snickered. "Finally. You've found some wisdom."

Tory appeared before I could make my witty comeback. "Ben's reading. I have a sore throat. So get your butts over here and shut up."

Hi flopped himself in his usual place beside me. "Wait."

"I ain't going anywheres."

"If Tory has a sore throat, that means I can do whatever I'd like." He tilted his head back in an attempt at an 'evil' laugh.

"Dude. You sound like you're dying."

"Technically, I am. Every moment of my existence is leading up to my death."

"So you've finally realized that you aren't immortal?"

"Hell no. I'm a teenager. All teens are immortal, didn't you know?"

Three stares. "Think that one through, buddy." Ben said.

Hi squealed. "Finally! Ben! You have chosen the right path and accepted me as your buddy!" He kneel-walked over to Ben and gave him a hug. Ben shook him off. "Get away from me, dofus."

Hi shrugged. "Yeah, that'd be a good idea. You're a sucky hugger."

Tory sighed. "Guys..." She said, voice hoarse. I couldn't tell if she was faking to get us to listen or not. She must've known it wouldn't work.

"Guyssssssss." Hi mimicked in an overpitched whiny girl voice.

Ben came in. "Where were we again?" He flipped through pages.

"Whitney was talking about Tory being mauled...?" I inserted.

"Mauled? Oooh. Dramatic." Hi whisper-shouted.

"Shut it."

"Sh-" Hi started. Ben cut him off.

"That's ghastly! She'll be mauled. Or eaten!"

"Wolves don't eat people!" Tory growled, voice still hoarse. Not faking, then.

"We know," Hi said. "They eat Odocoileus virginianus. Deer. And meat. More meat. Like humans!"

I elbowed him in the chest. "Oof. Get your twig arm off me!" He elbowed me back.

"Get your chubby arm off me!" I mimicked.

Ben held a hand up. We simultaneously shut up. Not sure why, though...

Kit looked trapped. Two angry women. Tough spot.

Was I the only one who was reminded of what happened yesterday? Because that statement seemed to sum it all up perfectly. Just replace Kit with Jason.

"Only one is actually a wolf," He said to Whitney. "She's harmless."

"Thank you, Kit." Tory muttered.

"A harmless wolf?

"Oh, of course she couldn't just shut up, could she?"

"What happened to not interrupting, Tory?" Hi grinned. "You've re-re-rejoined the dark side!"

"She's been on the island for years. Her mate is just a normal German shepard."

"Their pups are called wolfdogs," I explained. "Half-dog, half-wolf. Coop is the youngest." I appealed to Whitney's warm fuzzy center.

"Her center is not warm, nor fuzzy." Tory mumbled under her breath. "I don't know why I even bother trying."

"Yeah, don't appeal to her! Tell her what you really think!" Hi exclaimed, shooting a fist in the air.

"He's a puppy, only a few months old."

"You mean a diseased, wild mongrel! Someone should call animal control. Aren't those dogs illegal?"

Tory stood up, fists clenched. "How dare that stupid bitch of a-"

"Whoa. Tory. Calm down." Ben said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back down.

Tory shuddered, then released her fists. She crossed her arms tightly across her chest. "That jerk."

A beat, then Ben kept reading.

That's is. I'm done.

"Thanks for dinner." I shot to my feet. "I've got homework."

A drive-by wave.

I hit the stairs before either could utter a word.

Two steps at a time.

"Finally. Stepping up and choosing to leave. Wise child." Hi said.

Tory growled. "I should have punched that little-" She stopped herself. I took this as a moment to insert my own thoughts.

"We have, like, twenty minutes left. Could we read the next chapter?"

Ben looked to Tory, who didn't respond.

Hi nodded. "Hell yeah!"