already there, watching the crowd make their way through the halls. I stood one step behind them, suddenly unsure of what to say.
Addie glanced back at me, then at Mia. She opened her mouth to say something, then clicked it shut again. I barely heard her muffled voice as she walked away. “See you guys later.”
I watched her back until she disappeared behind some tall guy in a leather jacket. I couldn’t help wishing again, for just a second, I could read her like I could most people.
“I’m happy to see you’re less dangerous at school than behind the wheel of a car.” Mia’s voice was soft, a hint of humor behind it.
I stepped forward to stand beside her. “Yeah, it’s harder to live on the edge here, but I try my best. I run with scissors constantly, and I gave myself a wicked paper cut this morning.”
“Keep this up and you might seem fairly normal.” She glanced at me and I felt a momentary rush when her eyes met mine. Then she smiled and shook her head. “I better go. See you around.”
I grinned as she walked away.
“Hey, dude.” Finn came up behind me. “I’m not your bellhop. Take your bag.” I spun around, met Finn’s gaze, and cursed under my breath. Then I remembered the soccer practice after school. I’d get another chance to see Mia at practice. If her dream last night wasn’t just a freak thing, I had to find out—and the sooner the better.
“Please let me take it again,” I pleaded.
Mr. Nelson frowned and I tried not to remember his dream. Watching that shiny bald head make out with my mom was not an image I liked to dwell on. “Sorry, Parker. You just need to try to do better next time.”
“I can’t have another failed test in this class.” Mom might not have cared much when my A fell to a B, but she’d definitely notice a D.
“There’s a physics tutoring group that meets in the library after school. You should join it.”
I sighed. “Okay … thanks.” I scrambled for some last way to convince him, and tried not to hurl when my mind came up with the obvious answer. Oh well. If I wanted to keep Mom off my back, sacrifices had to be made.
I walked halfway to the classroom door before pausing to rub my knuckles along the edge of a nearby desk. It was almost slick, worn smooth by years of use. “You know, my mom mentioned you the other day,” I said, turning. Mom was going to kill me—they’d only been on one date and I knew, from experience, that the only man she ever dreamed about, even all these years later, was Dad.
Mr. Nelson whipped his head up so fast that the glare from the fluorescent lights bouncing off it was nearly blinding. “She did?”
“Yeah. Just that you were funny on your date.”
“Really?” His eyes widened before he caught himself. “I mean, yeah. We had fun, but she was always so busy after that. I thought … ”
“Oh yeah, her job keeps her really busy. Plus, when she has to spend time worrying about me and my grades, that’s hard on her too.” I shrugged and took a few more steps toward the door. “But I’m sure she’ll have time again next summer or something.”
Mr. Nelson’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t an idiot, but he was also desperate. “Ever heard of abuse of power, Parker?”
I stopped and held my hands out, palms up, focusing on the emotion I wanted to convey—honest, innocent. “I’m not making any promises and I have no power, but what I’m saying about her being busy is true. And besides, what does it hurt to let me take the test again? It’s not like I’m cheating or bribing you for a grade.”
Mr. Nelson nodded slowly and closed the book in front of him with a snap. “Tomorrow, during your study period. This is your last chance.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.” I smiled widely and hurried toward the door before he could change his mind.
Just before I got there, he muttered, “Improve your grades, kid, and you could be a freakin’ politician.”
seven
Thor was right behind me on
Addie glanced back at me, then at Mia. She opened her mouth to say something, then clicked it shut again. I barely heard her muffled voice as she walked away. “See you guys later.”
I watched her back until she disappeared behind some tall guy in a leather jacket. I couldn’t help wishing again, for just a second, I could read her like I could most people.
“I’m happy to see you’re less dangerous at school than behind the wheel of a car.” Mia’s voice was soft, a hint of humor behind it.
I stepped forward to stand beside her. “Yeah, it’s harder to live on the edge here, but I try my best. I run with scissors constantly, and I gave myself a wicked paper cut this morning.”
“Keep this up and you might seem fairly normal.” She glanced at me and I felt a momentary rush when her eyes met mine. Then she smiled and shook her head. “I better go. See you around.”
I grinned as she walked away.
“Hey, dude.” Finn came up behind me. “I’m not your bellhop. Take your bag.” I spun around, met Finn’s gaze, and cursed under my breath. Then I remembered the soccer practice after school. I’d get another chance to see Mia at practice. If her dream last night wasn’t just a freak thing, I had to find out—and the sooner the better.
“Please let me take it again,” I pleaded.
Mr. Nelson frowned and I tried not to remember his dream. Watching that shiny bald head make out with my mom was not an image I liked to dwell on. “Sorry, Parker. You just need to try to do better next time.”
“I can’t have another failed test in this class.” Mom might not have cared much when my A fell to a B, but she’d definitely notice a D.
“There’s a physics tutoring group that meets in the library after school. You should join it.”
I sighed. “Okay … thanks.” I scrambled for some last way to convince him, and tried not to hurl when my mind came up with the obvious answer. Oh well. If I wanted to keep Mom off my back, sacrifices had to be made.
I walked halfway to the classroom door before pausing to rub my knuckles along the edge of a nearby desk. It was almost slick, worn smooth by years of use. “You know, my mom mentioned you the other day,” I said, turning. Mom was going to kill me—they’d only been on one date and I knew, from experience, that the only man she ever dreamed about, even all these years later, was Dad.
Mr. Nelson whipped his head up so fast that the glare from the fluorescent lights bouncing off it was nearly blinding. “She did?”
“Yeah. Just that you were funny on your date.”
“Really?” His eyes widened before he caught himself. “I mean, yeah. We had fun, but she was always so busy after that. I thought … ”
“Oh yeah, her job keeps her really busy. Plus, when she has to spend time worrying about me and my grades, that’s hard on her too.” I shrugged and took a few more steps toward the door. “But I’m sure she’ll have time again next summer or something.”
Mr. Nelson’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t an idiot, but he was also desperate. “Ever heard of abuse of power, Parker?”
I stopped and held my hands out, palms up, focusing on the emotion I wanted to convey—honest, innocent. “I’m not making any promises and I have no power, but what I’m saying about her being busy is true. And besides, what does it hurt to let me take the test again? It’s not like I’m cheating or bribing you for a grade.”
Mr. Nelson nodded slowly and closed the book in front of him with a snap. “Tomorrow, during your study period. This is your last chance.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.” I smiled widely and hurried toward the door before he could change his mind.
Just before I got there, he muttered, “Improve your grades, kid, and you could be a freakin’ politician.”
seven
Thor was right behind me on
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