by K Swanson
With a nod, I turned back to the front of the room. A couple times during class, I felt Sam look at me. I only know it was him because every so often, his head came up and he stared in my direction for a second.
A few years ago, a young girl who sort of reminded me of Sam came to the institute. She was so shy she hadn’t spoken much at first. By the time she was taken away, we’d been on our way to becoming friends. She told me that the best thing I did was treat her as though her shyness wasn’t annoying to me.
I never let it get to me when she wouldn’t speak with me, and I’d do the same with Sam.
I did the homework I’d received in my last class, and the next time I caught Sam staring at me, I winked.
His eyes went wide and he ducked his head again. Maybe eventually he wouldn’t be so shy with me. If I were here long enough…
With a shrug, I turned back to my math.
By the time class ended, I was done with my homework from last period.
“Bye, guys. See you for lunch.” My stomach was still in knots about having lunch with a bunch of guys I didn’t really know, but I infused my tone with confidence.
“What’s your next class?” CJ asked.
Why was he so interested in what class I had next? Was it to see if I shared a class with any of his friends?
“French.”
A smile lit his eyes, and he said, “Amuse-toi.”
“Amuse…?” I spoke a little French, but it was mostly because one of the handlers at the institute had been French.
“Toi.” A beat later, he added, “Have fun.”
Have fun. Amuse-toi. I filed that information away for future use.
Sam stammered out, “B-bye.”
* * *
When the bell rang for lunch, I headed for the cafeteria. How many friends did CJ have, anyway? I’d never thought to ask, but now that I was headed in there, my stomach flipped and lurched. I probably wouldn’t eat lunch, that was how nervous I was. And I loved food.
Rubbing my stomach, I nearly jumped out of my skin as an arm snaked around my shoulders. “Hey, Hayls. Fancy meeting you here.”
My heart continued to race, even after I realized it was just CJ. Another guy walked beside him, and I sighed. Seriously? At this rate, I would be lucky to remember everyone’s names.
Having heard my sigh, the guy raised a brow, but otherwise showed no response. His golden hair was spiked and when he looked at me, I couldn’t tell what color his eyes were through his silver-rimmed glasses. His eyes might have been black, but it’s also possible they were a very dark blue.
Seeming to realize I hadn’t been introduced to this particular friend, CJ once again made introductions. “Haylie, this is Lex.”
Taking a deep breath, I pasted on a smile. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.”
Lex’s voice was deep, and I melted a little. I could see myself asking him to talk to me just so I could hear his voice.
We sat down at a table, with CJ on one side of me and Lex surprising me by sitting on the other.
After pulling an orange from my bag, I set it on the table. Was I hungry enough to try eating it? Or would my nerves get the better of me? I didn’t want to waste it if it turned out I didn’t want to eat it.
Lex leaned back against the wall behind him with a small bag of Cheetos in his hands. His leg twitched as he took a book from his bag and opened it.
CJ pulled a small container of some sort of noodle concoction from his bag. I wasn’t sure what it smelled like. Sort of zesty or tangy, but it made my mouth water, which was what made me decide to peel my orange.
I’d only managed to eat a bite of it before Nick and Sam joined us.
Sam was silent as he pulled out his lunch, but Nick grinned at me. “It’s my new bestie! I know you’ve been missing me, but for the next forty minutes, I’m all yours.”
Lex groaned as he looked up from his book, dropping his head into his palms. “Nick, you can’t just declare someone is your best friend.”
Narrowing his eyes at Lex, he replied, “I can, and I did.”
“You know next to nothing about her. What if she likes heavy metal, or she’d rather be reading a romance book than hanging out with you?”
I snorted. “Are those deal breakers? Can we not be friends if I’m into those things?”
Nick glanced from me to Lex, then shook his head. “No. Not a deal breaker.”
Lex tried again. “If she were your best friend, you’d know her favorite color, or her birthday, or… I don’t know. More than her name.”
Turning to me, Nick asked, “What’s your favorite color? And when’s your birthday?”
Pressing my lips together to keep from laughing, it took me a few seconds to reply. “I like them all, but teal is probably my favorite. And February twenty-eighth. What’s yours?”
Nick’s eyes widened briefly, as though he hadn’t actually thought I’d go along with it. “Blue. Like, my eyes.” So a cerulean blue then. “And, January eighth. Now can we be besties?”
Rolling his eyes, Lex glanced at CJ. “Well, obviously you’ll be BFFs for life, now.” Lex dropped his attention back to his book. How could he read with so many conversations flowing around him?
Lex’s voice sounded so serious, but Nick’s eyes lit up and he laughed. Perhaps Lex wasn’t as serious as it seemed if the others thought he was funny.
CJ leaned over to me. “Don’t worry. Eventually, you’ll get Lex’s sense of humor.”
Doubtfully, I glanced at Lex. That CJ thought I’d hang out with them enough to understand warmed my heart, but I was pretty sure Lex didn’t have a sense of humor. He had yet to show more than the smallest hint of amusement so far.
CJ pointed at my orange peel. “Is that all you’re going to eat?”
“Yes?” Was that a trick question?
“Try this.” He shoved the container of noodles in front of me, and I was a little impressed that he even produced a clean fork.
“Why?” Was there something wrong with it?
“Just try it,” CJ answered with a smirk.
I glanced at Sam, and he ducked his head. He wouldn’t be of any help. Lex? I was pretty sure he’d be even less help as engrossed in his book as he was. And I probably wouldn’t trust his judgment.
When my gaze landed on Nick, he shook his head, mouthing, “Don’t do it.”
“Is it poisoned?” I asked, only half joking.
Lex drummed his finger on the table, sighing. “It’s not poisoned. CJ’s a fan of healthy cooking and Nick is not.”
Nick shook his head emphatically. “Definitely not.”
With a small shrug, I took a dainty bite. It actually wasn’t all that bad. It was tangy, and there was a hint of spice in it. “That’s good.” I handed him back his fork and bowl.
“Want any more?”
I shook my head, not wanting to eat all his food.
Nick poked my arm and I turned to look at him. “You and your folks just moved here?”
I shook my head. “Just me.”
His brow went up. “I’m assuming you aren’t living alone…”
Lex smacked his arm. “Quit being nosy.”
I rubbed my palms against my thighs. “No. Foster parents.”
Please don’t ask me any more questions. I’d rather not have to lie to you more than I already have.
As Nick opened his mouth, no doubt to ask another question, Lex nudged him again, giving his head a small shake when Nick met his gaze.
CJ watched the whole exchange with interest as he finished off his noodles. He put his dishes back in his bag as the bell rang. “Next class?”
I opened my mouth, but Lex answered for me. “US history. Sam and I will take her.”
My cheeks heated as I realized Lex knew which class I had next. Glancing at Sam, I waited to see if he was okay with that. It seemed to me as though he’d rather I didn’t go with them.
But before I could protest, Lex was leading the way out of the ca
feteria. As we approached the doors, someone called my name. I spun to see who it was, coming face to face with Sam.
“S-sorry.” Even when we were this close, he wouldn’t look me in the eye.
Taking a deep breath, I remembered my old friend again. Patience. I could do this. Instead of answering him, I scanned the cafeteria until my attention was drawn to Bekka.
“Haylie!”
Rubbing my forehead to ease the ache building there, I attempted to smile as Bekka stopped in front of me. Even I could tell it didn’t reach my eyes though. “Can I help you?”
“I just wanted to tell you I was sorry for what happened in the woods the other day.”
Was she expecting me to sweep it under the rug and tell her it was okay? Because, apparently, she’d deliberately left me in the woods. I could have been lost for the rest of my life.
When I was silent, she continued. “We should do that studying thing again!”
I didn’t want to be rude, but at the same time, I had no real desire to hang out with her. Perhaps she was as absentminded and scatterbrained as she’d appeared while we were doing our homework.
Lex stepped between the two of us. “Sorry. She’ll be studying with us.”
Wait, what? I would? I didn’t remember being invited to do so.
Sam ran his fingers through his reddish-blond hair, making it stand on end.
With a gasp, Bekka’s eyes went wide. “Are you really going to let him talk to your best friend like that?”
Without waiting for me to respond, Lex growled, “Get lost. I won’t ask again.”
Thunder boomed overhead, punctuating his words.
Wait. Thunder? It had been nice out when we got to school. Did they have freak thunderstorms here? I’d heard that was a thing, but I never thought I’d see one in action.
Sam stepped forward, placing a hand on Lex’s arm. “L-Lex. N-not here.”
Spinning on her heel, Bekka took off down the hall. As Lex took a couple of deep breaths, another rumble shook the school.
Turning back to us, he slid his glasses off, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
“That was kinda rude…” I didn’t want to stick up for her, because clearly, she was a basket case. Or possibly just lonely. But still, that was no excuse for his behavior.
Sliding his glasses back on, Lex asked, “You realize she’s a bitch, right?”
I blinked once. “I think she’s just lonely. And probably not good in social situations.”
Lex snorted. “I’ve been going to school with her for years. She latches onto the new kids every year and tries to ferret out every secret they have.”
“Sh-she’s a g-g-gossip,” Sam surprised me by saying.
Feeling myself blush, I rubbed the back of my neck and looked at the floor. “Doesn’t mean you weren’t rude.”
We walked toward our class as Lex heaved a long-suffering sigh. “I’ll work on it.”
Snorting, I shook my head. I didn’t believe he would. When I glanced at him again, his lips slid up in a tiny smile before his expression turned back into an impassive mask.
Stars
After dinner, I grabbed a fluffy blanket and headed outside to gaze at the stars, despite my trepidation at being outside alone. My balcony was great, but I wanted to be able to see the whole sky. I hadn’t had many opportunities to do this since getting here, but all my homework was done.
Moving away from the house, I looked up to make sure I had a decent view, then I spread out the blanket.
Once I was lying down, I pulled my phone from my pocket and searched for constellations, hoping it would help me find some in the actual sky. I found a larger one, but no amount of squinting between my phone and the sky helped me spot any more.
With a sigh, I put my phone away and, staring at the sky, tried to figure out how many stars there were. They twinkled brightly, each one flashing to its own melody.
Running my fingers through the soft grass, I twisted a few blades between my fingers. Someday, I wanted to use a telescope to look at the stars. To see the way they sparkled up close.
The sound of footsteps reached my ears, and I bolted upright, my throat in my chest. When a familiar silhouette appeared in the darkness, my body relaxed. Only CJ. “What are you doing out here?”
Smirking, he came closer before dropping to the grass next to me. “Walking at night helps me think. And I transplanted some night-blooming flowers nearby. I didn’t realize the prettiest flower was already here.”
I wasn’t used to being around flirting like this. It was slightly unnerving.
My eyes widened as I searched the edge of the forest for the flowers, averting my gaze from him. I didn’t expect to spot any, since there was no light source over there. I assumed they needed light or something. Granted, I knew next to nothing about flowers.
“Want to see?” He waggled his eyebrows at me, making me laugh.
“Yeah. What kind of flower are they?”
As he stood, he bent over, holding out a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me to my feet. “Night-blooming jasmine.”
As he led me toward the edge of the woods, I tried to imagine what a night-blooming flower might look like. Dark, perhaps?
Just past the first line of trees, he kneeled next to a bunch of small bushes. The scent was almost overwhelming, but in a good way, and the white, star-shaped blooms were bunched together in clusters.
Moving closer, I dropped down next to him, and he gently picked a flower, handing it to me. Didn’t most flowers bloom in the spring?
“Do these always bloom this time of year?” I asked.
He was silent as his thumb trailed along the petals of a flower. “No. And these guys aren’t overly fond of the cold, so the later in the year it gets, the more care I have to give them.” His voice softened as he spoke about them, and he stroked a leaf as if it were a puppy or some other sort of pet.
“Why do it? Take the extra time to ensure they grow and bloom outside of the norm, I mean.” I smelled the flower he’d given me, a bit surprised it still smelled amazing.
He shrugged, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Because…” Even in the near darkness, I noticed the red tinge in his cheeks. Was he blushing? Why would he be embarrassed about having moved the flowers?
Coming to his feet, he offered me a hand.
I asked, “Is it that bad?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “No. Not—”
He looked away. Maybe it would be better if I didn’t know. Instead of prying, I headed back for the clearing he’d found me in. I figured we’d dropped the subject as we both settled back to watch the stars. But as he fidgeted, I rolled to my side to look at him. My imagination ran wild, imagining a billion different reasons for him to transplant the flowers.
Just when I couldn’t take the silence any longer, he blurted out, “I thought you’d like them.”
“Hm?” Warmth pooled in my stomach, and it was my turn to blush. Did he mean he’d moved those flowers for me? Despite the slight embarrassment, I couldn’t stop smiling.
He focused on the sky, his arms behind his head. “Sounds stupid, right? We barely know each other, but I wanted to do something nice for you. Consider it a welcome to the neighborhood gift.”
I lay back down, watching the sky. “I do like it. Thank you.”
“Welcome.” We were silent for a moment, each lost in our thoughts, before he asked, “You studying the stars?”
“Yeah. I think they’re amazing. And there are so many.”
He chuckled. “If you look right—” When he paused, I was vaguely aware of his arm waving in the air. “There, you can see Mars.”
“Really?” Rising to my knees, I followed the direction his finger was pointing.
“Yep. And if you follow that star right there”—he pointed slightly to the left—“to that, and back over to that”—he moved his fingers in a V shape—“you can see Pisces.”
“How do you know so much about the sky?” Since astronomy was
an elective for me, I figured other students didn’t have to take it, but maybe he’d taken the class a previous year.
He huffed out a breath as he brushed a few strands of dark hair out of his eyes. “My mom loves astronomy. She has a decent telescope sitting by the back door at all times so she can take it onto the deck whenever she wants.”
My eyes lit up. Really? That sounded amazing! Perhaps if I was here long enough, I could ask her more about the sky. “Is this the mom who has the greenhouses?”
CJ shook his head. “Nope. Maman owns those, although Mom and I help her with the gardening, since that’s how they make money.”
That sounded interesting.
We were silent for a moment, then he rolled to his side and propped his head up in his hand. “Can I ask you something?”
Clenching my hands under my head, I tried to swallow the nerves that suddenly flared to life in the pit of my stomach. He’d never hesitated to ask questions in the past, so what made this one different?
Unable to find my voice, I nodded. I could feel his gaze on me, but mine remained firmly on the sky.
He released the breath he’d been holding and it stirred the wisps of hair around my head. “Just tell me to fuck off if it’s too personal.” When I nodded, he continued. “What happened to your parents?”
And just like that, the nervous energy surrounding me dissipated. “That’s what you wanted to ask?” As far as questions went, I could think of some that were far worse.
He winced. “I know you said you’d been away at boarding school, but…” Movement caught my eye, and I realized he’d sat up.
“I never knew my parents.” I glanced at him, gauging his reaction to my statement.
Confusion flitted over his features as his brow furrowed. He pursed his lip. “So, who sent you to boarding school?”
I flinched and twirled one of my curls around a finger. I had no idea how boarding schools worked. Was it impossible for me to have been to one if I didn’t have parents? Lacey hadn’t prepared me for this.
I turned my attention back to the stars. Uncertain about what to say, I opened my mouth, hoping something would come to me, when a bright light shot across the sky.