“We were just catching up. Nice to see you, Max.” I hold my breath and hope he gets the message. I need him out of here so Ky ler can tell me what he discovered.
Max looks between us and Kyler offers a friendly smile.
“I’ll catch ya later,” Max says.
The second he’s gone, I turn to Kyler. “So?”
He shakes his head slowly. “I asked a few of my friends, but no one’s seen her.”
“That’s weird.” I try to remember which class she has now but I can’t get them straight.
“Maybe she went home.”
It doesn’t seem like her to skip school. Something has to be wrong.
“What’s up with that kid?” Kyler points a thumb over his shoulder toward Max. “Does he have a crush on you?”
“Who knows.” I rub my forehead. “Remind me never to kiss another guy.”
He grimaces. “You kissed him?”
“No. Haven’t you heard the rumor? I made out with Jack last Friday.”
Kyler laughs and I want to smack the smirk off his face…but it might ruin those freckles so I fold my arms instead. “That was some kiss,” he says.
I grimace. “P uh-lease.” Not that I had anything to compare it to, but I knew it wasn’t spectacular.
“I guess you’ve had better, huh?”
I tap my fingers on the desktop and glance at the teacher, wondering why he hasn’t started class. I need him to start class so I don’t have to answer Kyler’s question. Maybe I should lie and tell him they’ve all been better. All zero. The specifics didn’t matter.
Kyler’s eyes focus on my face. “You’ve had others, right?”
And he just had to ask. I bite my lip and shake my head.
Kyler’s eyes go wide. “Really? You’re kidding me right?”
“No. Now stop gawking. It’s just that…I’ve never had anyone to kiss.” It’s kind of a hard thing to do since I’ve never been a fan of making friends, let alone making out.
Kyler closes his mouth and looks away. He’s probably hoping the teacher will start class right now so he doesn’t have to respond. An awkward lull grows between us and I wait for him to say something. Anything . I don’t want my plea of desperation to be the last thing on his mind.
He cracks his knuckles and puts his backpack on the floor. “I tell you what.”
I raise my eyebrows.
“Jack’s a lucky guy.”
“Because he gets to be on the other end of Vivian’s crush?”
Kyler grins and his freckles bunch together around his eyes. “No. Because he didn’t deserve to be your first kiss.”
My heart pounds against my chest like my percussion vest. It rattles my emotional wall and shoots heat to my face. I can’t find my next breath, let alone a coherent response. My hands tremble as I reach into my backpack and pull out my statistics folder. Before the teacher can start class, I turn to Kyler and find his eyes on mine.
“Thanks,” I say. He nods and an explosion crumbles the wall between us. How can I push him away when he treats me like I’m worth more than a broken down pancreas and a couple of worn out lungs? I feel like a statue brought to life, and Kyler has sung his way into my heart.
Chapter 8
Giana really did leave school, which makes me wonder what upset her so much. In order for me to avoid endless make out accusations with Jack, I eat lunch alone in an empty hallway. It’s kind of nice to be away from Vivian’s death radar, Max’s attempts at conversation, and Kyler’s map of freckles.
Okay, so that last part ’s not true. Just the thought of Kyler makes my pulse jump and my hands get clammy. But it isn’t worth more stares and whispered gossip about the new girl kissing someone. It’s like there’s nothing else to talk about. I’m not even the new girl anymore; it’s been a whole week. My head falls back against a metal locker. One week is still new…even for a pair of pants.
I eat my lunch, make it through the end of the school day, and finally have a moment to call Giana once I get home. But she doesn’t answer.
By the next
Max looks between us and Kyler offers a friendly smile.
“I’ll catch ya later,” Max says.
The second he’s gone, I turn to Kyler. “So?”
He shakes his head slowly. “I asked a few of my friends, but no one’s seen her.”
“That’s weird.” I try to remember which class she has now but I can’t get them straight.
“Maybe she went home.”
It doesn’t seem like her to skip school. Something has to be wrong.
“What’s up with that kid?” Kyler points a thumb over his shoulder toward Max. “Does he have a crush on you?”
“Who knows.” I rub my forehead. “Remind me never to kiss another guy.”
He grimaces. “You kissed him?”
“No. Haven’t you heard the rumor? I made out with Jack last Friday.”
Kyler laughs and I want to smack the smirk off his face…but it might ruin those freckles so I fold my arms instead. “That was some kiss,” he says.
I grimace. “P uh-lease.” Not that I had anything to compare it to, but I knew it wasn’t spectacular.
“I guess you’ve had better, huh?”
I tap my fingers on the desktop and glance at the teacher, wondering why he hasn’t started class. I need him to start class so I don’t have to answer Kyler’s question. Maybe I should lie and tell him they’ve all been better. All zero. The specifics didn’t matter.
Kyler’s eyes focus on my face. “You’ve had others, right?”
And he just had to ask. I bite my lip and shake my head.
Kyler’s eyes go wide. “Really? You’re kidding me right?”
“No. Now stop gawking. It’s just that…I’ve never had anyone to kiss.” It’s kind of a hard thing to do since I’ve never been a fan of making friends, let alone making out.
Kyler closes his mouth and looks away. He’s probably hoping the teacher will start class right now so he doesn’t have to respond. An awkward lull grows between us and I wait for him to say something. Anything . I don’t want my plea of desperation to be the last thing on his mind.
He cracks his knuckles and puts his backpack on the floor. “I tell you what.”
I raise my eyebrows.
“Jack’s a lucky guy.”
“Because he gets to be on the other end of Vivian’s crush?”
Kyler grins and his freckles bunch together around his eyes. “No. Because he didn’t deserve to be your first kiss.”
My heart pounds against my chest like my percussion vest. It rattles my emotional wall and shoots heat to my face. I can’t find my next breath, let alone a coherent response. My hands tremble as I reach into my backpack and pull out my statistics folder. Before the teacher can start class, I turn to Kyler and find his eyes on mine.
“Thanks,” I say. He nods and an explosion crumbles the wall between us. How can I push him away when he treats me like I’m worth more than a broken down pancreas and a couple of worn out lungs? I feel like a statue brought to life, and Kyler has sung his way into my heart.
Chapter 8
Giana really did leave school, which makes me wonder what upset her so much. In order for me to avoid endless make out accusations with Jack, I eat lunch alone in an empty hallway. It’s kind of nice to be away from Vivian’s death radar, Max’s attempts at conversation, and Kyler’s map of freckles.
Okay, so that last part ’s not true. Just the thought of Kyler makes my pulse jump and my hands get clammy. But it isn’t worth more stares and whispered gossip about the new girl kissing someone. It’s like there’s nothing else to talk about. I’m not even the new girl anymore; it’s been a whole week. My head falls back against a metal locker. One week is still new…even for a pair of pants.
I eat my lunch, make it through the end of the school day, and finally have a moment to call Giana once I get home. But she doesn’t answer.
By the next
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