“OH MY GOD. WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT?!”
Chase was standing by the windows with his hands cupped around his eyes like binoculars. He pressed closer to the glass and stared up at the sky as if he was watching a meteor hurl its way toward earth. All the students jumped out of their seats and ran to get a closer look, and I jumped on the opportunity. Mr. Jenkins yelled at everyone to sit back down and I crept slowly around the edge of the room, trying to slip past him undetected.
“What are you talking about Chase?” one girl asked. “I don’t see anything.”
“Yeah, nothing’s there,” another classmate chimed in.
“What?! You don’t see it? It’s humongous!” Chase exclaimed, pointing wildly toward the sky.
“Chase, you idiot,” Connor said, slapping him on the shoulder. “It’s just a cloud.”
“Yeah, but it’s not every day you see a cumulus!”
Mr. Jenkins clapped twice and the sound echoed around the room like brass cymbals.
“That’s enough! Nice try Mr. Matthews, but one more distraction like that and you’ll be joining Mrs. Calloway for detention next week.”
I froze. Ugh. He’d noticed me sneak in and it was impossible to hide my disappointment as I took my seat. I slipped my backpack off my shoulders and let it fall with a thud beside my chair.
“Now, if everyone will take their seat, I’ll review one brief lesson before I hand out your problem set for the day.”
Chase leaned in as I was reaching for my textbook. “Sorry, I really thought that would work.”
I glanced over my shoulder and was met by his infectious grin.
“Cumulus was the best you could come up with?”
“I could have sworn that cloud looked like Mickey Mouse.”
Connor grunted. “Gimme your man card, dude.”
Chase’s eyes met mine and we laughed just as Ashley’s words echoed through my mind. She was right. Chase was one of the chosen people, but more than that, he was the last person I’d expected to be friends with upon my return to Blackwater. He and I had fought until the day I’d left town. It’d been a bitter war with two casualties and no spoils. I knew that, and yet his gravity still had a way of pulling me closer. I didn’t have a single friend in Blackwater—not unless I counted Harvey—but out of everyone, every kid in my graduating class, Chase was the closest thing I had to an ally.
His mother would be disappointed.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chase
Lilah bolted from the classroom as soon as the bell rang. I walked to the front of the class to turn in my problem set and saw hers at the very bottom of the stack. Her name was written in scrolling cursive, so neat and perfect. I laid my paper down on top of it.
She knew I didn’t have practice on Fridays, but she’d left without a second glance. I walked with Connor toward the parking lot, trying to work out her reasoning for leaving without me.
“So you’re in love with her, right?”
His question caught me by surprise, but by the time I glanced over, my shock was masked by annoyance.
He held his hands up in innocence. “Jeez! I was kidding. You seriously can’t take a joke these days.”
I picked up the pace, weaving through students trying to make it to their cars. Unfortunately, he caught up easily.
“But seriously, you are, aren’t you?”
The parking lot was packed with students, but I could see our group in the distance. Kimberly and Brian were talking with a few guys from the baseball team. I focused on them instead of looking at Connor, but that didn’t stop him.
“I mean the googly eyes between you two are vomit-inducing.”
I gripped the straps of my backpack and finally answered. “Let’s say hypothetically that you’re right, there’s no point in dwelling on it.”
His jaw dropped. “Why? Because she’s a vampire?”
I had never wanted to punch Connor more in my life, but fortunately for him, we reached our group before I could turn and sock him in the face.
“Main-man-Matthews!” Brian called as I joined the circle of people milling around his car. Everyone always lingered on Fridays, trying to solidify weekend plans before parting ways. Whose parents are out of town? Whose older brother can buy some alcohol? It was the same questions week after week.
“Are you excited for your game this weekend?” Kimberly asked me with a big smile.
I thought back to when I’d briefly mentioned it to Lilah on the way to school; I didn’t think she’d even been listening. “Yeah, but it’s just a scrimmage, nothing serious.”
Her smile never faltered. “I know, but I’ll still be there with the Diamond Girls. It should be fun.”
“Would you mind letting Lilah sit with you if she shows up?”
I asked the question before I realized how stupid it was. The odds of Lilah showing up for the game were slim at best. The chance of her sitting with Kimberly were astronomical.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Lilah