He laughs lightly with me, but mostly he’s looking at me with his adorable face. And I just figured out why he seems sweeter than Riley. It’s his eyes. They are so expressive. It’s like all his emotions are mirrored in them. Last night they looked hurt. Jealous. Today they have ranged from naughty to thoughtful.
“You haven't hardly eaten any pizza.” He holds a piece up to my mouth, so I take a bite of it.
“You’re being awful sweet to me.”
“I think that saying misery loves company is true. You're hurting as much as I am. Probably more.”
“I guess at least I don't have to see them every day like you do.”
He nods. “Is that why you came here? To run away?”
How should I say this? What did I tell Riley when I was crying and blathering on? “No. My mom and stepdad announced they were moving to France. They gave me the choice of going with them or coming here.”
He grabs both my hands, pulls them up to his mouth, and kisses my knuckles.
“I'm glad we were both at the cave last night.”
Monday, August 29th
Why can’t it be both?
Ceramics.
Today is the first day of classes and uniforms. I always feel both excited and nervous on the first day of school but, so far, my classes seem to be okay. First period, I have History with Riley. Neither of us like mornings very much and I’m pretty sure our teacher agrees. He showed up about five minutes late with a very large cup of coffee.
Second period is English with Katie, Dallas, and two guys named Jordan and Parker. Jordan is on the soccer team and has mischievous eyes. Parker plays tennis and seems very interested in Katie’s boobs.
In third period Math, we were forced to sit in alphabetical order. Which put me right behind Logan, who was throwing all those passes to Aiden in the scrimmage. He took off his navy blazer and when he leaned forward to write, I could see muscles bulging across his back and shoulders. I can already tell Math is going to suck, but at least I’ll have a nice view.
It’s like what Grandpa always says about real estate. Location, location, location.
I’m pretty sure I’m sitting on Park Place overlooking the back of Boardwalk.
I walk into fourth period Ceramics and am surprised to see Bryce and Jake sitting at a table in the back. They are the only boys in the class.
I laugh and say, “You’re taking ceramics?”
Jake laughs. “Haven’t you seen Ghost?”
“Yeah?”
Bryce chimes in. “We needed a fine arts class and thought playing around in the clay with hot girls sounded fun last year when we signed up.” He waves his hand in front of him. “But, so far, no hot girls.”
“Oh, gee, thanks,” I tease.
“Well, besides you, of course,” Jake says. “But I think Whitney would kill me if she heard that.” Then he pats the empty stool next to him. “Sit here.”
“Do you like Whitney? I heard you’ve been making out with her a lot. At the dance. At the party.”
“We’ve been making out. And why not? She’s gorgeous.”
Jake is pretty much gorgeous himself, but he seems way too nice to be with someone like Whitney.
“What about her college boyfriend?”
“He’s not here. So who cares? Besides, she’s going to break up with him.”
“You know Dawson’s still in love with her, right?”
“Yeah, but we’ve talked about it. We’re not going to let it interfere with our friendship. Plus, she’s hot.”
Bryce grins. “I don’t know what Jake will do, but I know I’d step up my game for a shot at that.”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s a hot piece, if you know what I mean.” Bryce pushes his elbow into my arm and grins again. Like I couldn’t possible know what he means and his grin somehow clarifies it for me. “And Jake isn’t the only one she’s been kissing.”
I look at Jake. “So, do you just want her for sex, or do you actually like her?”
“Why can’t it be both?” he says simply.
I contemplate that.
And come to the same conclusion I always do.
Guys make no freaking sense.
After class, I walk with Bryce and Jake to the café and go through the lunch line with them.
Jake says, “Come sit with us.”
I follow him to the table. The table I swore I would never sit at again.
I stand in front of it and look down. It’s just like any other long wooden table in the place.
We’ve celebrated holidays all over the world. Mom once told me that it doesn’t matter where you are, what matters is who is sitting with you.
I think about who’s sitting at our table at my old school. I imagine Vanessa hitting on Cush. Running her long nails through his hair and telling him all the things she wants to do to him.
“We don’t have assigned seats,” Bryce says to me, tearing me away from my thoughts. “Just sit anywhere.”
I don’t want to be rude, so I sit down next to Bryce and across from Jake.
The boys are telling Tyrese about what a joke Ceramics class is going to be when Whitney, Peyton, and three other pretty girls sit down. The three girls all scrunch up their noses at me, like they just smelled sour milk.
Whitney gives me that you-don’t-belong-here look.
It’s a look I know well, having worn it on numerous occasions myself.