“I don’t know—she’s just been weird.” Muriel shrugged. “Kind of standoffish.”
“Well, we should ask her anyway so she doesn’t feel left out. Even if she has been weird, the group needs to work together and we can’t do that if we aren’t getting along. So let’s be the bigger people and invite her.” I sat back in my seat.
Muriel made another face and glanced at me, “We all know she’s the bigger person.” She cupped her hand under her chest and raised an eyebrow.
I looked at her for a few beats before I burst out laughing. Muriel and I laughed for half of the short drive to school.
Muriel pulled into a parking space and threw the car into park. “Ugh. I really wanna go home and go back to bed.”
“Pssh, I hear that.” I pushed my door open, forcing myself out of the car and into the school building.
We got to our lockers. Pulling out my two-ton chemistry book, I shoved it into my messenger bag. I started to turn to go to class but stopped, picking at the chipping blue paint on Muriel’s locker door. The skin between her eyebrows was furrowed, and her face strained.
“Muriel?” She glanced at me and smiled. “If there was something wrong, you’d tell me, right? Because not telling me everything didn’t work out so great last time, remember?”
“Yeah, I’d tell you,” she said quietly. And for the first time since we were kids, I knew she was lying to me. I wondered if that was what my dad meant when he said I’d be able to feel the thoughts of other people. But that was humans. Did it work on DAs, too?
“Okay. See you in calc.” I hoofed it toward chemistry. I felt a little flutter in my stomach. Chay would be there. I wasn’t sure if the flutter was because I was looking forward to seeing him or because I dreaded it.
I walked into the room. His chair was empty. I felt a twinge of disappointment.
“Geez, you’re slower than an old woman. Move already,” he said so close to my ear that my hair fluttered from his breath.
I looked over my shoulder. “Were you following me?”
“Yes. You can’t be alone. That means walking to and from classes.” We walked to our table and sat down.
“Do you follow me to every class?” I asked, perturbed. I didn’t like him stalking around in the shadows, following me all day.
“Not every class. Sometimes Jake watches you, sometimes Jen or Muriel. It depends on whose class is closest to yours.” He shrugged and threw his bag on the table.
“I don’t like being followed,” I grumbled.
“Well, get used to it, princess,” he said. “You have your very own version of the DA Secret Service.” I glanced at him. He winked, and my heart did a somersault.
I decided that the flutter in my stomach at the thought of seeing him was most definitely dread. He was so infuriating. How could it be anything else?
“You really need to get some sleep. You look like—”
“Don’t say it.” I glared at him. He smiled, and my damn stomach did the little fluttering thing again.
***
Muriel and I were sitting in our usual spot at lunch. We were laughing at something that happened in calculus when a tray slammed on the table next to me. I jumped and looked up.
“Oh, it’s you.” I continued spreading peanut butter on my apple slice. “Don’t you have someone else to bug?”
“Nope. I cleared my calendar just for you,” Chay murmured.
“Gee, I feel so flattered. Wait, flattered isn’t the word… um… irritated. Yeah. That’s the word. Go away, Chay. We can’t make fun of you if you’re sitting next to us.” I narrowed my eyes at him. Muriel laughed.
“Nope. The others will be here soon, too. So plaster on your pretty smile and try to act friendly for a change.”
“Act friendly? I am friendly. You’re the one who walks around with a scowl on his face, grumbling all day.”
He smiled at me. “Better?” he asked. I couldn’t answer. The fluttering in my stomach was moving up my throat.
Geez, he has a great smile. Plump lips, but not so much that they’re feminine, over straight, white teeth. Why does he have to open his mouth and ruin it?
“I guess it’ll have to do,” I said and turned my back to him. Maybe if I didn’t look at him, I could forget he was sitting right next to me. But he was so close I could feel his body heat, and every time he moved, I got a whiff of his cologne. There was no ignoring Chay. He had a presence about him. When he was near me, every nerve tingled, and I hated every single second of it. Right? “So,” he said, “I hear we’re all going to the mall after school.”
I swung my gaze between him and Muriel. Chay grinned, and Muriel gave me her I’m-so-sorry-please-don’t-hate-me look. “He invited himself. What could I do?”
“Of course he did.” I gave Muriel my best I’m-gonna-kill-you-later glare.
***
I watched the black hands on the clock hanging over the classroom door. It was the last class of the day. As the minute hand moved closer to three o’clock, another butterfly threatened mutiny in my stomach.