do know this is a myth, Chandler? Sí ?”
“Of course,” I assured him.
The classroom door swung open and Winnie walked through.
Mr. Whit closed the notebook. “ Hola, Winifred.”
I stared at the xaris, feeling my heart thump. I’d had nothing less than an hour ago. Now I had the key just inches away from me.
“ Hola, Mr. Whitaker,” Winnie said.
She shot me a questioning glance, and I waved a quick hello before turning back to the notebook. But Mr. Whit had already grabbed it and was returning it to the bookshelf.
My insides lurched. I hadn’t been quick enough.
I smiled at Mr. Whit as he returned to his stool, and then I appraised the bookcase. I’d have to borrow the xaris when Mr. Whit wasn’t around. And borrowing and stealing were totally different—I’d return the xaris right after I used it.
I was still staring at the bookshelf when I felt a tug on my elbow.
“What were you guys talking about it?” Winnie asked.
I blinked at Winnie’s face for a moment before realizing I needed to say something.
“I had some questions about class,” I said.
“Oh. So everything’s okay?”
“Yup.”
It surprised me how easily the lie came. I had never officially decided whether or not to include Winnie in my investigation. But now that I considered, it made sense to keep her out of the loop. Winnie had a habit of taking over things. If she found out I was searching for Aletheia Island and a bunch of shark slayers, she’d become the chief investigator.
“Miss Bloom,” Jordan said, striding right toward me.
He was wearing a blue v-neck shirt and smiling with his whole face and looking just so… Jordan.
“Totally slept in this morning,” he said. “Did you surf?”
“Yeah.” I sounded breathless and weird.
“How were the waves?” he asked.
“Decent. Knee-high and glossy.”
Winnie held up her hand. “I’ve had enough surfer talk.” She sidestepped Jordan and went to her desk.
I hugged my arms across my chest and watched Winnie sit down, wishing I had gone with her.
“Chandler,” Jordan said. He was smiling. I could hear it in his voice. “Why won’t you look at me?”
I glanced up at him and, sure enough, there was his sly grin.
“I think we should go out,” he announced. As if that was a perfectly normal sentence. As if we hadn’t kissed, and I hadn’t avoided him for two whole years afterward.
“Jordan,” I began.
“Don’t say no,” Jordan said. “Just… think about it.”
I nodded, but I already knew my answer.
Jordan’s smile faltered. He shrugged and strolled to his desk.
I walked to my own desk, knowing that Jordan had totally read my face. He’d always been able to do that. But I couldn’t date him. There was just no way.
I took a long breath. In and out. I just needed to breathe and focus on stealing—no, borrowing—the xaris. That would be challenging enough. I didn’t need to add more complications to my life. And that’s what Jordan was. A huge complication.
Chapter 7
I
didn’t relish the role of stalker, but it was necessary. Mr. Whit had to use the bathroom eventually, and I would be ready. My chance came right after fourth period. I watched Mr. Whit turn the corner and slipped into his classroom.
Thankfully, no students had arrived for fifth period yet. I just needed them to stay away for another sixty seconds until I finished.
I hurried to the back of the room, grabbed Mr. Whit’s stool, and set it in front of the bookcase. As I climbed onto the stool, I glanced over my shoulder. The room was still empty. I stretched my arm to the top shelf, snaked my hand around the front book, and felt my fingers brush against leather.
A tremor raced down my back. I grabbed the journal and pulled it down. My eyes instantly fixed on the xaris, shining brightly among the blue crystals. I pried my nails under the tiny sliver, my fingers trembling, and pulled. A gentle rip sounded as the stone tore free.
I stared down
“Of course,” I assured him.
The classroom door swung open and Winnie walked through.
Mr. Whit closed the notebook. “ Hola, Winifred.”
I stared at the xaris, feeling my heart thump. I’d had nothing less than an hour ago. Now I had the key just inches away from me.
“ Hola, Mr. Whitaker,” Winnie said.
She shot me a questioning glance, and I waved a quick hello before turning back to the notebook. But Mr. Whit had already grabbed it and was returning it to the bookshelf.
My insides lurched. I hadn’t been quick enough.
I smiled at Mr. Whit as he returned to his stool, and then I appraised the bookcase. I’d have to borrow the xaris when Mr. Whit wasn’t around. And borrowing and stealing were totally different—I’d return the xaris right after I used it.
I was still staring at the bookshelf when I felt a tug on my elbow.
“What were you guys talking about it?” Winnie asked.
I blinked at Winnie’s face for a moment before realizing I needed to say something.
“I had some questions about class,” I said.
“Oh. So everything’s okay?”
“Yup.”
It surprised me how easily the lie came. I had never officially decided whether or not to include Winnie in my investigation. But now that I considered, it made sense to keep her out of the loop. Winnie had a habit of taking over things. If she found out I was searching for Aletheia Island and a bunch of shark slayers, she’d become the chief investigator.
“Miss Bloom,” Jordan said, striding right toward me.
He was wearing a blue v-neck shirt and smiling with his whole face and looking just so… Jordan.
“Totally slept in this morning,” he said. “Did you surf?”
“Yeah.” I sounded breathless and weird.
“How were the waves?” he asked.
“Decent. Knee-high and glossy.”
Winnie held up her hand. “I’ve had enough surfer talk.” She sidestepped Jordan and went to her desk.
I hugged my arms across my chest and watched Winnie sit down, wishing I had gone with her.
“Chandler,” Jordan said. He was smiling. I could hear it in his voice. “Why won’t you look at me?”
I glanced up at him and, sure enough, there was his sly grin.
“I think we should go out,” he announced. As if that was a perfectly normal sentence. As if we hadn’t kissed, and I hadn’t avoided him for two whole years afterward.
“Jordan,” I began.
“Don’t say no,” Jordan said. “Just… think about it.”
I nodded, but I already knew my answer.
Jordan’s smile faltered. He shrugged and strolled to his desk.
I walked to my own desk, knowing that Jordan had totally read my face. He’d always been able to do that. But I couldn’t date him. There was just no way.
I took a long breath. In and out. I just needed to breathe and focus on stealing—no, borrowing—the xaris. That would be challenging enough. I didn’t need to add more complications to my life. And that’s what Jordan was. A huge complication.
Chapter 7
I
didn’t relish the role of stalker, but it was necessary. Mr. Whit had to use the bathroom eventually, and I would be ready. My chance came right after fourth period. I watched Mr. Whit turn the corner and slipped into his classroom.
Thankfully, no students had arrived for fifth period yet. I just needed them to stay away for another sixty seconds until I finished.
I hurried to the back of the room, grabbed Mr. Whit’s stool, and set it in front of the bookcase. As I climbed onto the stool, I glanced over my shoulder. The room was still empty. I stretched my arm to the top shelf, snaked my hand around the front book, and felt my fingers brush against leather.
A tremor raced down my back. I grabbed the journal and pulled it down. My eyes instantly fixed on the xaris, shining brightly among the blue crystals. I pried my nails under the tiny sliver, my fingers trembling, and pulled. A gentle rip sounded as the stone tore free.
I stared down
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