D sneers at me. “I look forward to that so much.”
I wince, then slide past him, pressing my back against the wall to avoid his girth. He’s not fat, exactly, just solid, and he smells like the beer he’s drinking: salty and acidic.
The school bus is outside the house, waiting for me almost expectantly. I jog down the steps and run up to the bus door. The driver is a short black woman with straight hair. She smiles, and I feel the tension leave my shoulders. Not everyone out here is horrible.
“First day?” she asks.
“Yep.”
She pulls a lever and the door hisses closed behind me.
“Sit near the front. Some of the kids at the back can be pretty savage to you blazer types.”
“Thanks.”
I find a spare seat near the front of the bus. I swing into it as the bus pulls onto the road.
I’m on my way, Juliet.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
Mapleton Academy is a sleek, modern private school surrounded by a black fence. The windows gleam in the sunlight. It’s so picturesque it could be a set. But it’s not. I repeat it like a mantra. It’s not a set. This school is real. Everything that’s happening is real, because I’m finally in the real world. Dyl and I are the only things here controlled by the LIC.
I step off the bus and take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the school. The buildings are obviously new, and all the walls are smooth and freshly painted. There’s no grime, cracks, or creeping weeds. Flower beds filled with rosebushes and other colorful flowers I have no hope of identifying are scattered around the place.
Caden?
Yeah?
It’s Kaylee, obviously. How are you feeling?
I’m still a little freaked out about you being in my mind.
Get over that real quick. You need to be in position in twenty seconds. Do you see the steps that lead into the school?
In front of me, past the open gate, is a set of concrete steps that lead into a cream-colored building. Between me and the steps is a speckled concrete pathway filled with students bustling around, chatting or playing handball.
Sure do.
Run! Juliet is making her way down the hall. You need to be outside waiting for her. Go!
I sprint toward the steps, ducking and diving between the herd of students. They all glare at me as I pass. Once I reach the steps I skid to a stop. There are three steps, then a set of navy double doors.
Put your arms out in front of you!
What?
Do it!
I move my arms forward.
The door swings outward and Juliet steps out. She looks like her hologram: beautiful in a simple, unboastful way. She steps forward, and her ankle twists on the first step. She falls. I take a step toward her and she smashes into my chest. Hair flies into my face, making my eyes water and my nose itch. I blink the tears away and lower her to her feet.
Her hands remain on my chest, with her fingertips curling slightly above my shoulders. She looks down. Her books are in a pile around our feet. She bends down, but I move faster, scooping them up. I pass them to her, and our eyes meet. Time to win this thing. My eyes widen slightly, as if with a flicker of recognition.
“Juliet?”
She moves a strand of hair away from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. She’s peering at me with her head tilted to the side and her eyes narrowed. She’s kind of short, and her head just reaches my chest. Strangely, it makes me like her more. “Do I know you?” She doesn’t sound unfriendly, just curious.
“I guess not,” I say, looking down at the top of her head. “We used to be friends. But it’s been a while, and I sort of knew you’d forget me.” I extend a hand and offer my best smile. “I’m Caden.”
She takes a step away from me. Her eyes are twitching, looking over my face, studying every minute detail. Come on, Juliet, put it together. If you don’t, I’m screwed. Slowly, recognition dawns on her and her mouth drops open, the edges of her lips curling into a smile.
“Shut up! Caden? Caden Walker?”
“The one and only.”
She squeals and flings herself at me. Her arms wrap around my neck. She smells like floral perfume. I hug her back, pressing her against my chest. She’s soft and warm, and touching her feels nice. Not in a I-want-to-rip-her-clothes-off way, but in a friendly way, like I’m genuinely happy to see her and she’s genuinely happy to see me.
We pull apart. “So, you remember me?”
She playfully pushes my arm.
“You were my best friend, Caden; I’d never forget you. I just…”
“Didn’t expect me to be here? Well, I worked my ass off to get a scholarship to afford it. But I did it, and here I am.”
“Oh my God, I didn’t mean that! I just meant that I, um, I didn’t expect you to look like …”
Scratch the back of your neck. Make sure your shirt pulls up. Show her your stomach.
I raise a hand and scratch the back of my neck. For a second, and only a second, her eyes flick down and gaze at the sliver of skin that is showing, then she glances at the floor. She looked! But did she like what she saw? Are my abs good enough to impress her?
I tuck my hands into my pockets and fidget, giving her my best Nice-guy puppy-dog eyes. “Like what? I’m not disappointing you, am I?”
She laughs. “Come on, man. You know you’re gorgeous. You used to be this sweet little boy, and now you’re freaking buff!”
“Well, I won’t be for much longer,” I say. “I had to help out on Grandpa’s farm over the summer. Spending days riding horses and lifting hay bales had this side effect. I’ll be back to my normal scrawny, pasty-white self in no time.”
“Don’t apologize, you look great. Different, but great. Now, what’s your first class?”
“Trig.”
Her face falls. “Oh. I’m in AP calculus. And I really have to go. But I’ll see you at lunch, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Great. Come on, I’ll show you to class. You’ve got Mr. Corhedge, and he’s a grumpy little troll. You definitely don’t want to be late on your first day or he’ll make you pay for it for the rest of the year.”
Together, we walk through the double doors and enter a long hallway. Wasn’t she going somewhere? I should ask her where she was—
STOP! It’s Kaylee. Don’t be a freaking idiot! If she remembers where she was going she’ll leave and you’ll lose some time with her.