by Shaila Patel
“Mom, we have two classes together, and he’s our neighbor. I can’t just avoid him.”
“Choop. You’ve argued with me enough today. Just do as I say.”
Ugh. I stormed out, slamming the front door and blinking back tears of anger. A quick peek up and down the street told me I’d be heading to school alone. Liam’s absence was both a disappointment and a relief. If Mom saw me walking with him, I might as well move to Chernobyl.
Not talk to him? I snorted.
Liam wasn’t at the lockers either, and the hard knot in my chest grew. How could I be this miserable without him? It’s just the anticipation getting to you, Laxshmi. Chill.
The little girl between my locker and Liam’s closed hers, revealing her newly decorated door. Pink Hawaiian flowers. Ugh. I wanted to yank the stickers off, rip off the petals, and flush them down the toilet.
I scanned the main artery one more time before standing off to the side, pretending to go through my bag while looking up through my lashes and scanning the hallway. I can’t believe I’m doing this. Pathetic didn’t begin to describe me. A horde of cheerleaders was probably entertaining him in the parking lot at this exact moment. While I stood there, students filtered around me like I had a radioactive sign attached to my forehead.
Jack’s unmistakable greeting rose above the clamor around me. “Laxshmi! Wassup?” He exaggerated each syllable, knowing it annoyed me. Oh yay. Make me stand out even more.
Liam wasn’t with him, and I blew out a long breath. That nervous anticipation was spinning cartwheels in my chest. I shook out my hands, hoping to release some of the energy.
Jack raised an eyebrow. “Why you so fidgety?” He followed my gaze. “You waiting for someone?”
“Me? Um, no.”
“By the way.” He crossed his arms. Great. It was his go-to big-brother pose. “Is something going on between you and Liam?”
My attention darted away. “Uh … what makes you think that?”
“Just be careful. I know how you and Piggy think. She couldn’t stop talking about him yesterday. ‘Oh my God, did you hear his accent? Oh my God, can we go to Ireland next summer? Oh my God, he waited for her after English,’” he mimicked, flailing his hands around. I tried to play-punch him to defend Shiney, but he leaned away.
Liam flew through the stairwell doors and paused, taking a deep breath. He strode over, throwing a nod to Jack and flashing me his dimpled grin. His presence settled deep inside me, and the excitement spread. It felt like when I’d performed my first grand jeté on stage.
“Sorry,” Liam said to me. “I overslept.”
This time, I couldn’t hold back my nervous-whimper laugh. The relief at seeing him floored me. I’m really losing my mind.
Jack elbowed me and when I glared at him, he gave me the I-was-right look.
Shiney and I had walked across the street to a Greek café for lunch. We were on our own since Liam had been a no-show at the lockers after fourth. My heart ached at not getting to spend the free time with him. Who knew I’d be this clingy?
The Akropolis Kafe was a popular mom-and-pop place and hangout after school. At least it was healthier than fast food. Well, it would’ve been if I’d had an appetite. I’d forced down a few bites of my pita sandwich, and not even the garlicky sauce or the salty tang of the lamb could snap my thoughts away from Liam. After first period, Liam and I had walked together between classes, laughing, flirting, and sharing little bits of our lives. I was sure it meant I’d see him for lunch too. Spending the entire time in the cafeteria looking for him—like I had that morning before homeroom—would’ve given me an ulcer. My nerves could only take so much. Maybe it was just convenient for him to walk with me to those classes and nothing more.
Once Shiney had figured out why I was so preoccupied, she’d suggested we go out to eat. She’d been making a valiant effort at distracting me ever since.
“So anyway, then Matthew asked me out.” Shiney bounced up and down in her seat at her news about her Bible study crush. Her excitement had me smiling. We talked more about her plans to meet him the Friday after Labor Day at a local pizzeria and how Jack wanted to drive Shiney there to size him up since her parents wouldn’t allow her to date.
A strange tickling sensation in my head had me looking up at the front entrance. Shiney followed my gaze, but when she didn’t see anyone there either, she turned back to her food. I closed my eyes and tried to clear my head. The ache in my chest eased with my next breath. This time, whatever inspired me to look at the front door pulled my attention back there. A grin stretched my cheeks and had Shiney spinning around again.
Liam walked in.
He scanned the crowd and when he saw us, he answered my smile with one of his own. By the time he walked over, my breathing became ragged. Shiney was too busy muttering under her breath about how fine Liam was to even notice my reaction.
He greeted both of us and squatted by my chair so I wouldn’t have to crane my neck to see him. God, he smells divine. I leaned closer as discreetly as I could. He must have showered after gym class. His hair was still damp and tendrils of it stuck to his skin.
“We were late getting out of gym class,” he said. The muscles around his eyes relaxed, and a small smile grew on his face while I was distracted smelling him.
I jerked upright. Oh God. Did he realize I was sniffing him?
He snatched a fry off my plate. “I’m sorry I’d not been able to meet you earlier.” He dipped it in my ketchup and shoved it in his mouth. As platonic as the gesture probably was, I warmed at the closeness it implied. Yeah, I was really losing it.
“No biggie.” I waved it off. “Sorry we didn’t wait for you.”
“I could’ve been texting you, but I didn’t have your number.”
“Uh—” Before I could reply, the horde of cheerleaders I’d worried had ambushed Liam this morning walked in. At least it saved me from having to explain how I couldn’t give him my number because my mom monitored every text and call I got. She even had a tracker app for when I was out and about.
Liam had to stand to get out of the crowd’s way as they made their way to the counter to order. Several of them greeted him with big smiles, and he returned the favor.
He turned to me and pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “Time for me to be ordering.”
I nodded, and as he walked away, it occurred to me he didn’t say if he’d be joining us. You didn’t ask him too either, Laxshmi. Judging by how he laughed with the cheerleaders and the few football jocks in line with him, he’d found the group he was meant to be with. Jack was even with them since one of the wide receivers was his best friend.
I remembered Daddy telling me as a kid how I couldn’t get burned if I swiped my finger through a candle’s flame, but if I held my finger above it, I would. Even knowing this, I had an urge to keep close to the fire—an urge to hope for more with Liam.
Shiney chatted on as if nothing were wrong. I didn’t want to witness Liam choosing them to sit with over me. I had to leave. Hurry up, Shiney. It was better if I disappeared before he left the register with his food—better if I didn’t get burned.
The second Shiney tossed her napkin down, I jumped up, hoping the scrape of my chair against the floor hadn’t attracted Liam’s attention, and grabbed both our plates to throw away. She followed, asking what the rush was, and when the girls and Liam filtered into the dining area, her eyes widened in understanding.
“Seriously, Laxshmi? You’ve got nothing to worry about. He’s wild about y—”
“C’mon.” I dragged her by the arm, weaving us through the tables toward the exit.
“Oh, Jack?” Shiney planted her feet and called out over her shoulder. Damn. My escape was only ten feet away.
Jack glanced up from his seat. Between him and the table we vacated, a confused looking Liam stood with his food, a questioning look directed toward me. Chloe, a gorgeous redheaded cheerleader with a don’t-breathe-your-air
-on-me reputation, called Liam over, saying something about Irish people needing to stick together. When he didn’t move, she got up and practically draped herself on his arm. She led him toward an empty seat next to her. My heart sank. Get over it, Laxshmi.
Shiney had been dragging me closer to argue with Jack about the car keys he wouldn’t give her. I pulled away and stopped before I got too close, before I breached the imaginary wall around Liam and got sucked in by his magnetic pull. Jack ignored Shiney, and his gaze darted back and forth from Liam to me. Liam was answering a question from Chloe, and Jack gave me his hard I-told-you-so stare. Then he shook his head, and his eyes softened. I gritted my teeth at the pity in his eyes. He’d lectured me in fourth period biology about how I didn’t know Liam well enough and how I shouldn’t get sucked in by his charm. Too late.
“Oh, by the way.” Shiney raised her voice, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Laxshmi said she’d go to Salvio’s with you for pizza next Friday night.”
Oh God. No, no, no, no, no. She didn’t just say that in front of Liam, did she?
Jack grinned and gave Liam the side-eye before pinning me with a stare. “Cool. It’s a date.”
Liam’s head jerked toward Jack and then to me. The dryness in my throat choked me. Something too quick for me to decipher flashed across Liam’s eyes, and he looked away, his jaw popping. It made me feel like a blast of heated air was baking my skin. I checked the vents above me. No way the heaters could have kicked on. It was summer. The stress had to be getting to me.
Liam now stared at Jack, who was grinning at me. He wasn’t going to like how I murdered him.
Standing there like a statue wasn’t making me feel any better. I grabbed Shiney’s arm again and yanked her out the door.
CHAPTER 11
Liam
A fecking date?
Shiney, with her mass of dark curls, had bounced and hummed with happiness at her announcement. She was a tiny thing, but she seemed the type to pack a bit of punch. This punch had convinced her best friend to date her brother and had doubled me over. I balled my hands into fists, digging my nails into my palms. If I wasn’t ten shades of red by now, I’d soon be. I was itching to find a good enough excuse to sling Jack a hook.
How could Lucky be going on a date with this wanker? He’d been shoveling kabobs in his mouth at the other end of the table—with a smirk that needed to be wiped off with my fists. I took a deep breath to calm myself.
Lucky had been filled with embarrassment and panic at Shiney’s announcement. The embarrassment—the stronger of the two—felt like coming ashore after having a strong current rip away my swim trunks, leaving me starkers. And that was how she felt about this date of hers? Maybe I had it all arsewise. Maybe she’d been embarrassed to have Jack seeing her with myself. I rested my elbows on the table and ran a hand through my hair.
I’m refusing to believe that.
When the cheerleaders had come in, Lucky had been jealous. I’d assumed she was worried about them getting my attention. She’d not been comfortable this morning with them greeting me in the hallways. I’d been intending to join her for lunch. It would’ve shown her she needn’t feel that way, but her insecurity had taken over.
No, this wasn’t about Jack.
And then she’d left without waiting for me or giving me so much as a goodbye. Well, maybe if you’d told her you’d be sitting with her, you git.
“Liam, are you listening?” The brutal shrill of Chloe’s voice pierced my eardrum. She and her mates had been checking me out yesterday in study hall, and I’d managed to avoid her until now. Despite ignoring her, she kept up her blathering, trying to draw me into the conversation. Images of screeching falcons tore through my concentration, which I couldn’t lose if I wanted to be blocking out everyone else here.
I took another deep breath. The walls were a calming blue, with a mural of a Mykonos street scene with whitewashed buildings and cerulean blue doors and shutters. We’d holidayed there one summer, and now I’d need to be drawing on those memories to regain the hold over my mental blocks. If I couldn’t, I might as well be an untrained empath for all the good my experience was doing me. Never thought I’d be getting this twisted over a girl.
Before Chloe could permanently be damaging my eardrums, I jumped out of my seat and stormed toward the trash bins. It wasn’t like I could be eating now anyhow.
Chloe called out an invitation for me to meet them after school. Jack’s eager face awaited my answer. I reopened my mind to him. His curiosity, while not exactly an emotion, left behind the telltale feeling of being unsatisfied. Coupled with his wariness, I knew he didn’t trust me. The feeling was mutual.
“Sorry, already have plans,” I said. Plans that included walking Lucky home. At least, I’d be hoping they did.
Jack’s eyes narrowed. Since this morning, he’d been getting more suspicious of me, and by the looks he’d been shooting Lucky, he wasn’t approving of all the time we were spending together. I’d been smart to keep my mind open to him earlier today. His suspicion was impressive. It would’ve inspired Shakespeare.
I cut through the car park of the shopping center and across the street to the front entrance of the school. Shite. Study hall would be next. There’d be no escaping Jack and Chloe who shared the class with me. Controlling my temper would be more than impossible around him.
I needed to bunk study hall.
Better to land myself in some trouble for missing class than for mixing it up with Jack. And for what? Having the nerve to ask Lucky out before I’d got around to it?
Yeah, I’d bunk off, but where? While I stood there at the main entrance, the crowd flowed around me like a stream parted by a boulder. Study hall was at the end of a closed-off corridor by the auditorium and the gym lockers, so those were my closest options. I headed that way and ducked into the auditorium. Sitting in the very back row, I hid myself in the shadow of the technical booth.
The auditorium was dim and cool, surrounding me in quiet blues and grays. I sank low in my seat, inhaled deeply and opened and closed my hands. Fire still burned through my veins. Images of Lucky and Jack together reignited the anger. Lucky should be going out with me.
Well, maybe if you’d feckin’ asked her first. The thought kicked me in the gut.
I wanted to be dating her.
The air escaped me in a whoosh. But I couldn’t date her, not until I knew she was The One. There’d be no point if we had to be leaving next week. I leaned forward and buried my face in my hands.
A group of students strolled in—a theater class, probably. I closed my eyes and opened my mind completely, hoping to drown in the emotional muck of the others. I needed the distraction.
A certain ripple had me bolting upright. The purity of it felt like swimming in crystal-clear water.
Lucky.
I scanned the crowd, found her, and watched her head for a seat in the middle of the auditorium. Soon enough, I’d not have to search her out or even make eye contact to make the empathic connection—finding her would be as natural as blinking.
Bloody hell. She was a good forty feet from me. The first night I’d seen her, she’d projected from her window seat clear across to my roof. Hadn’t paid it any mind at the time. Some empaths’ abilities went beyond the normal reading or projecting range. If she ever broke through, maybe Lucky would be one of them.
I grabbed my bag and rushed down the aisle like the lovesick puppy I was. Christ. Ciarán would be so proud of me. I slipped into the row behind her and put my bag in the seat beside her. She whipped around. A smile lit up her face, warming my body like the sun had come out. The knot in my chest released, and I couldn’t help but grin at her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, keeping her voice low. She was projecting the happiness she created specifically for me. I’d sensed it for the first time at the Greek café. She was happy when I’d walked in, but when she’d seen me, the intensity had amplified. Tidal waves of it
had overwhelmed me. It was different from any of the happiness I’d ever felt from her before. And I’d inspired it. Waves of it washed over me now like water from a summer-warmed ocean, making my skin tingle the way soda water did my tongue.
When the teacher wasn’t looking, I climbed over the row of seats and sat next to Lucky. Ripples of her nerves and attraction began churning around me.
“Bunked off study hall.”
“Bunked off?”
“Sorry—skipped.”
“In here?”
“Couldn’t find another closer, quiet place.” I put my bag on the floor.
“Wouldn’t study hall be—Oh wait, isn’t Jack there? No need to say more.”
“Um, yeah, Jack can definitely … talk.” Bloody shite seemed more like what came out of Jack’s cakehole.
“Very diplomatic.” She let out a small laugh.
The teacher was handing out pages of some kind to a small group of students on stage. A skit assignment from the sound of it. The rest of the class drifted into their seats. At some point, the bell must have rung, but I’d not heard it.
I shifted in my seat to face Lucky. If she only knew how undiplomatic my thoughts for Jack were, she’d not be happy most likely. Focusing on Lucky held more appeal than thinking any more on Jack, so I pushed him out. I remembered how little I knew about Lucky. I’d rectify that today.
“So, uh, are you an only child?” I asked.
“Yup. What about you?”
She pulled her legs up on the seat and faced me. Her gaze was intense, and she was giving me her undivided attention. Her confidence was back too, as if she’d never been the nervous girl I’d seen earlier. No ulterior motive existed, just an interest in me.
I told her in whispers about my brother and parents and what they did, and how Mum had been born and raised in England, despite her being Irish. When I mentioned my fourteen male cousins, her eyes widened, and a far-off look crept into her eyes. Without any siblings of her own, I interpreted her loneliness as if I were the sole survivor of a shipwreck, floating on a piece of flotsam. She seemed fascinated about the family and bombarded me with questions.