by Brenda Hiatt
“I just gave him a cookie, Sean. What’s the big deal?”
“Yeah, I saw. Very nice of you.” Then, so softly only I—and maybe Rigel and possibly Molly, across the table—could hear, “Everyone else saw, too. You guys aren’t doing as good a job of cooling it as you think you are.”
I turned to glare at him and noticed Trina standing a few feet away, smirking in our direction. She must have said something to get Sean riled up about Rigel, just like she’d done to Rigel last period.
“Look, we’re doing our best, okay?” I whispered back. Then, to Bri, who was starting to look a little too curious, “Did you hear Matt broke up with Alicia over the weekend?”
Since Bri had gone out with Matt several times last fall, that snagged her attention immediately. “Really? Did you hear why? I’ll bet she cheated on him, the little—”
“I heard it was the other way around,” Molly said, giving me a half wink.
Then Deb weighed in with her own bit of gossip and I was free to communicate with Rigel some more, though I was careful not to look at him.
You guys need to stop listening to Trina. She’s just trying to make both of you mad at me.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw him give a hint of a shrug. Problem is, some of what she says is true.
Not when she says I’m over you, it’s not! You know she’s always—
“Are you going to finish that?” Sean asked, pointing at my untouched roll.
“No, you can have it. And my other cookie, too, if you want.” Maybe he’d realize how ridiculous he’d been a minute ago.
Instead, he frowned across me at Rigel. “No, I know how much you like the double chocolate ones.”
“Only the ones from Dream Cream,” Rigel shot back. “The school ones, not so much. Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think?”
And so it went for the next few minutes, both guys making little digs till I pulled out the big guns. “Let’s talk about our history projects now, okay?”
It always surprised me when my “push” worked, but I was grateful when they obediently started discussing how far they’d gotten on their respective projects.
U.S. History, after lunch, was usually my favorite class, since Rigel, Sean, Molly, Bri and Deb were all in it, but Trina wasn’t. But today, less than five minutes in, Mrs. George called Rigel and me and both O’Garas up front.
“You’ve all been asked to go to the office. No, I don’t know why,” she said when Sean started to ask, “but try to come back as quickly as possible, since you all still have a lot of work to do on your projects.”
After the tension at lunch, my first thought was that Rigel and Sean had been caught fighting, but that didn’t explain Molly and me being summoned, too. Maybe it had something to do with our upcoming trip?
My second guess was right.
“Congratulations, all of you!” Principal Johannsen greeted us when we were shown into her office. “I’ve just received word that the four of you have each finaled in an essay contest, which means full scholarships to a study-abroad program in Ireland that I take it you’ve all applied for? I hadn’t heard about it before, but the paperwork seems clear enough. Was this something your guidance counselors told you about?”
“Our mum, actually,” Molly replied while I was still groping for a good answer. “She heard about it from friends in Ireland and suggested we all apply.”
The principal nodded. “I see. Very resourceful of you all to have followed through. Now, we’ll have to work out transfer of credits and other details, but assuming you decide to go…?” We all nodded. “It shouldn’t set back your graduations. Would you like to tell your parents, or shall I call them?”
This time I spoke up. “Uh, I think my aunt would really like to hear it from you, Ma’am. Just so she knows it’s official and everything.”
“Of course.” From the principal’s knowing smile, she was well enough acquainted with Aunt Theresa (who taught third grade at Jewel Elementary and knew everybody in the school system) to understand why I requested that. “The rest of you?”
“We can tell our folks, since they already know about the program,” Sean said.
Rigel nodded. “Me, too. But thanks for offering.”
Principal Johannsen beamed around at us. “Wonderful. That’s settled, then. You’ll want to make appointments with your guidance counselors this week to be sure you’re on track with everything, since it’s a very short time frame. Congratulations again!”
“That was pretty slick,” Rigel murmured as we headed back through the mostly deserted hallways. “I didn’t think they could manage it that fast.”
Sean glanced at me. “Mum said the Council started setting things up a few days ago. I think they just wanted to run it past you first, M.”
Though I was still feeling a little stunned, I had to laugh. “Run it past me? You make it sound like I was given a choice.”
I didn’t usually pay attention to the morning announcements, since Trina was one of the announcers, but I glanced up at the video monitor the next day when I heard, “And special congratulations to four Jewel students for winning full scholarships to the Irish-American Cultural Enrichment program, which will allow them to spend the spring studying in Bally . . . Bail . . . in Ireland. The winners are—” Suddenly Trina looked like she’d swallowed something disgusting. “—are Sean and Molly O’Gara, Rigel Stuart…and Marsha Truitt. Now, here’s Carly Morehouse with an update on tonight’s game.”
The camera switched to Carly. Next to me, Deb started laughing.
“Did you see her face? That was awesome! I mean, I already thought it was way cool that you guys won this thing, but that makes it even better.”
I had to agree. Especially when Trina came into the room a few minutes later, her expression still sour as she glared across at me. I just smiled sweetly.
She didn’t look at me again for the rest of class. But as we were all leaving for second period, she sidled up to me. “There’s no way you won that thing on your own, Marsha,” she hissed furiously. “I’m going to find out who pulled what strings to get you in, and then I’m going to make sure everybody knows about it. So don’t you start packing for Ireland just yet!”
CHAPTER 5
pleanal (plenn-UHL): advance planning; scheming
Now it was Rigel’s turn to tell me not to listen to Trina, that she was just jealous, but I was uneasy. I’d had way too much experience with Trina’s vindictiveness from second grade on and knew what lengths she’d go to pay off a grudge. She’d already been pissed at me about Rigel and Sean, both of whom she’d decided she had first dibs on. Now this. At least I only had to keep my guard up for a couple more weeks.
At lunch, Rigel got mobbed by cheerleaders while Trina waylaid Sean again. This time I focused, so I could hear what she said.
“Hey, Sean, congratulations on that scholarship. I guess you guys found out about it because of being from Ireland, huh? I so would have applied if you’d told me, I’ve always wanted to go there!”
From several yards away, I snorted to myself. Trina had already spent a summer in Paris and at least two winter breaks in the Bahamas, as she told anyone who’d listen. Must be nice to have rich, doting parents.
“So how come just you four knew about this thing?” Her voice was still syrupy sweet.
“Um, well, our folks are friends with the Stuarts, so I guess my mum mentioned it to them. And M is my girlfriend, so of course I told her.”
I stiffened, even though I’d heard him use the word before. (I’d definitely never used the word boyfriend to refer to Sean!) Trina obviously didn’t like it, either.
“So you two really are official now, huh?” The honey had disappeared. “When did that happen?”
“It’s been kind of gradual, I guess, ever since the winter formal.”
Trina made a rude little “tch” noise. “When are you going to wise up, Sean? Everyone else knows her whole innocent girl-next-door thing is just an act.”
Sean walked away from her then, but still looked upset when he sat down beside me a second later. He dumped ketchup on his fries, then frowned at me. “There’s nothing everybody else knows about you that I don’t, right?” His bright blue eyes bored searchingly into mine and I met his gaze steadily.
“Of course not. You need to ignore Trina, Sean. She’s just trying to make trouble for me, like always.”
Rigel reached the table before he could respond, sitting down with a thump. I jumped a little, thinking he’d seen that look between Sean and me. “Sheesh! I didn’t think I was going to get away from them in time to eat lunch.”
I forced myself to laugh. “You can’t really blame them for trying, Rigel. I mean, you are the quarterback and super popular, and, um, single these days.” Not to mention the best looking guy in the school, by a couple orders of magnitude, I added.
He grinned, though I knew it was at my silent comment and not the word “single.” I hoped.
“So I’m the best catch in school, is that what you’re saying?” And no, I was not smiling about being single. I’d change that in a heartbeat if I was allowed to, you know that!
I only replied to what he’d said aloud. “You think I’ll puff up your ego any more by admitting that?” Though of course it was true. He had to know it as well as I did.
Bri was distracted from her latest gossip session about Matt by the scent of something potentially juicier. “So, Rigel, who do you have your eye on these days? I know Hailey Wallace was really hoping you’d ask her to the Valentine’s dance, but then you didn’t go at all. And Amber says you’ve been talking to her kind of a lot these days…”
Rigel shot me a quick glance. “Nobody special right now, but who knows?”
Of course, that got Bri pumping him even harder for hints, which she did often now she’d regretfully decided Rigel and I weren’t getting back together.
I tried not to listen as Rigel gave a mostly flattering assessment of the various girls Bri suggested. Even though I knew he was just toying with Bri and the gossip mill, I didn’t like hearing it. I really hoped this trip to Mars could somehow change things so we wouldn’t have to pretend anymore. But I didn’t dare let Rigel pick up that thought, either.
That evening, the O’Garas and I rode to Sean’s basketball game in the Stuarts’ SUV, which meant Rigel and I got to hold hands in the back until we reached school, a too-rare treat. I focused on how wonderful his touch felt to keep more dangerous thoughts from intruding. It mostly worked.
Once we got there, though, I had to sit with the O’Garas at mid-court, where Bri had saved seats, while Rigel went to sit with some fellow football players. Molly waved to us from the court, where she was practicing with the cheerleading squad. That prompted Trina to send a nasty glance my way, after which she immediately started talking to Molly. I couldn’t make out everything over the noise in the gym, but I caught a few words.
“…ask if they’re taking late applications…know what Marsha’s essay was about?…helped her?” Molly just shrugged and shook her head, so after a last comment that sounded like, “Promise to let me know?” Then Trina took her place again so she could wiggle seductively for the benefit of the basketball team, which had just come out of the locker room.
To nobody’s surprise, Sean played ridiculously well again, scoring twice as many points as anyone else on either team. We won easily, advancing Jewel High to Regionals for the first time in living memory. The spectators erupted in cheers at the final buzzer, then rushed the court to congratulate the team.
Like he always did these days, Sean greeted me with a hug. Conscious of interested Echtran eyes in the crowd, I hugged him back—just for show. I must have played my part a little too well, though, because Sean pulled me closer, then suddenly swooped his mouth down to mine.
Since I thought I’d made it crystal clear during our first “date” at the winter formal that kissing was not in my bargain, I was caught totally off guard. Sean managed to graze the side of my mouth with his lips before I jerked away to glare at him.
“Oops, sorry.” But his eyes made it clear he was only sorry he hadn’t made it a real kiss. “Got a little carried away for a second.”
“Don’t.” I stepped away so his parents and Molly—and about a hundred other people—could congratulate him.
I sensed Rigel watching from somewhere behind me. Worse, I sensed his shock and pain, which hurt me almost as much as it did him. Remembering how destroyed I’d been when he let Trina kiss him after a football game last fall, trying to misdirect the bad guys who were after me, I felt like a hypocrite—even though I’d pulled away in time.
If he tries that again, I’ll kick him right in the stomach, I thought to Rigel, desperate to make it clear I had nothing to do with that almost-kiss. You know I can do it, too. I have my blue belt now!
Hoping no one was watching too closely, I turned around to look at Rigel, separated from me by a couple of yards of surging crowd. He met my eyes and attempted a smile that only squeezed my heart harder. No matter how I tried not to, I somehow kept making things worse for him and I hated it.
It’s…not your fault. But you just reminded me—want to meet me in the arboretum after your taekwondo class tomorrow?
It was all I could do not to nod furiously. Absolutely! We’re way overdue for some alone time. I’ll be there even if it’s blizzarding.
The Stuarts crammed all of us into the SUV using the drop-down middle seat and took me home first, since my aunt was still strict about my school night curfew. Sean followed me out of the car to walk me to the door, even though no Echtrans were around to notice.
Tomorrow, I caught from Rigel as I started up the walk, pointedly not touching or even looking at Sean. I was still pissed at him.
Tomorrow, I thought back. I couldn’t wait.
“Hey, I really am sorry.” Sean’s breath fogged in the cold as we reached my front porch. “I was out of line to…you know.”
“Yeah, you were.” No way was I letting him off the hook on this. “Don’t let it happen again or I will make you sorry. Got it?”
He actually hesitated for a second, but when I narrowed my eyes at him, he nodded.
“Got it. G’night, M.”
I went into the house without another word, not wanting it to look to Rigel like I was unbending even a little.
Because I wasn’t.
During taekwondo the next day, I was so psyched about my upcoming date with Rigel I kept having to pull myself back so I wouldn’t hurt anyone. Because of the way our bond had changed me—not just perfect eyesight, super hearing and speed-reading, but also faster reflexes and greater strength—I had to be more and more careful when sparring. Especially today.
Rigel and I hadn’t had any real alone time for over three weeks—an eternity. Every time we’d tried to meet lately, Mrs. O’Gara came up with something I had to do instead, even though I never mentioned our plans to anyone. She must have figured out Wednesdays were my best chance to slip away without my aunt noticing. All day I’d worried some “important” thing would pop up again, but for once it hadn’t.
I was so eager to spend time with Rigel—to touch him, to kiss him—I didn’t even worry about how I’d keep my secret for the next hour. As soon as class ended, I changed out of my do-bok at lightning speed and ran all the way to the arboretum, trying to make it look like I was just out for a jog despite my gear bag swinging at my side.
I entered the snowy walled garden only slightly out of breath and felt a jolt of pleasure at the sight of Rigel—and no one else—inside. By the time we got back from Mars, the roses would be in bloom and people would be here all the time, but for now this was a perfect place to be private.
The moment we were completely screened from anyone on the street, we hurled ourselves at each other, kissing like there was no tomorrow. It was the best feeling in the universe. This, this was what we really needed, the physical contact bot
h our bodies craved.
And it was something we could only do when no one could possibly see us. Maybe by summer the cornfield around our secret clearing would be tall enough…
Rigel ran his hands up and down my back, pulling me more tightly against him as I threaded my fingers through his dark hair, deepening our kiss. If I could have melted right into him, I would have. His energy recharged me while mine did the same for him. That had always been true but lately, because our chances were so rare, it had become even more intense. More necessary.
“Mmm. I will never get tired of this,” he murmured against my mouth when we finally pulled back a fraction of an inch so we could breathe. “I’ve missed you so much, M.”
I knew exactly what he meant. Sure, the three or four hand-brushes we managed most days at school kept us from feeling physically ill (or maybe it was that stupid “antidote” the Council’s scientists had given us?) but there was nothing like a good makeout session to make me feel right. Whole. In balance. Sometimes I wondered if that was our bond, or just what being in love felt like. Not that it really mattered.
No, it doesn’t really matter, Rigel thought, since his mouth was now occupied, kissing me again. Even if they’ve cured our headaches and stuff, I think I’d still die without you.
I pressed myself even closer to him, agreeing with all my might.
Because we both knew this could be our last chance to make out for a long, long time, when Rigel’s hands roamed a little more than usual I didn’t discourage him. In fact, probably the only thing that kept us from doing something we both might regret was complete impracticality in the freezing, semi-public arboretum.
Not until I was home, nearly an hour later, did it occur to me that I hadn’t needed to block my thoughts once during my whole time with Rigel this afternoon.
I was extra grateful for my stolen hour with Rigel after our meeting at the O’Garas’ that evening. Judging by the schedules Mrs. O gave us both, we wouldn’t have ten spare minutes between now and our departure for Ireland in two weeks. Rigel had Bodyguard training every day after school, while Sean, Molly and I would be drilled on protocol almost daily. I was also given another huge batch of reading on my electronic book-scroll (I had my own now, though of course I had to keep it hidden from non-Martians).