shirt. “I can’t wait for our
date tomorrow night.”
Tink stirred in my head, muttering something about “wanton
hussies” and it was all I could do to keep from laughing at the sheer insanity
of this moment.
“Yeah,” I said, trying to sound more excited than I felt.
“See you tomorrow.”
Sami stood up—the show was over apparently—and blinked fast,
like she hadn’t expected me to be so curt. “We’re still on for seven?”
I nodded. “Pick you up then.”
Will and I watched her walk away, swinging her hips just the
right amount to render every guy in a twenty-foot radius mute.
“Man,” Will said after she disappeared through the cafeteria
doors. “She’s hot enough to melt concrete.”
I dropped my napkin over my meatloaf. “I guess.”
“‘I guess?’ Did your lunch kill you and I just didn’t
notice?” he asked, glancing at my tray.
I didn’t answer right away; Ella was talking and laughing
with her friends halfway across the cafeteria, but even from here I could tell
she wasn’t really all that happy. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes, and she
looked tired.
When I turned my attention back to Will, he was nodding.
“No, you wouldn’t notice Sami, would you? Not when Ella’s in the same
universe.”
“You were the one who said I should go out with someone
else.” I leaned my elbows on the table and propped my chin on my hand.
“My advice wasn’t to go out with someone just because,” Will
said. “It was for you to move on and forget her. Obviously, you can’t do that,
because Ella’s stuck on a never-ending loop in your brain. So, I was wrong
before. What you need to do is fly solo for a really long time. Months, maybe.”
That stung, partly because I knew he was right, and partly
because the knife-spirit was grating my nerves like she wanted them shredded on
a pizza. “Probably, and maybe you should take your own advice. Stop chasing
Penn—or anyone else—for a while. If you back off, she might be more
interested.”
Will’s gloomy expression made me feel bad for suggesting it,
but sometimes the truth hurts. “What’s wrong with us? Six months ago, you had Ella and I was totally okay with hooking up with
any girl I wanted. Now the only girl I want thinks I’m an idiot, and you’re
going out with the hottest girl in school, but you look like you’re facing a
geometry test. And then there’s my dad and all his bullshit…” Without warning,
he clenched his fists on the table. “My life just sucks right now.”
“Dude, what are you talking about? So Penn isn’t interested?
You’ll get past it someday.” I swallowed hard, not sure my next words would
clear my throat. “And…and I’ll get past Ella.”
“But what if we don’t?” Will asked, his voice rising. “What
if I’m destined to follow in my old man’s footsteps, never do anything but play
football, sell cars and marry the freaking homecoming queen? I want to matter,
okay? Right now, I don’t. I don’t matter! And it’s killing me a little bit every
day.”
“Will…what’s going on? Are things getting bad at home?” Why
was he cracking now, in the middle of the cafeteria, when only a week ago he
was dodging rock monsters and saving my butt without wigging out? Had his
parents finally punched his last button? “Whatever it is, it’ll get better.
We’ll be fine—you’ll see.”
“If I’m anything, it’s not fine !” With that, Will
shoved his chair back so hard it banged into the wall. Heads swiveled around to
check out the scene as Will slowly stood, grabbed his tray in a death grip and
stomped away, leaving me staring at his back with my mouth hanging open.
Normally I was the one who suddenly flipped out at school. Will didn’t lose it
like this—he found his Zen by slamming into guys on the football field, and it
was typically his job to reel me back to earth when I went Hulk-Smash for no
good reason.
Not today, though. Today, it looked like it was my turn to
figure out
date tomorrow night.”
Tink stirred in my head, muttering something about “wanton
hussies” and it was all I could do to keep from laughing at the sheer insanity
of this moment.
“Yeah,” I said, trying to sound more excited than I felt.
“See you tomorrow.”
Sami stood up—the show was over apparently—and blinked fast,
like she hadn’t expected me to be so curt. “We’re still on for seven?”
I nodded. “Pick you up then.”
Will and I watched her walk away, swinging her hips just the
right amount to render every guy in a twenty-foot radius mute.
“Man,” Will said after she disappeared through the cafeteria
doors. “She’s hot enough to melt concrete.”
I dropped my napkin over my meatloaf. “I guess.”
“‘I guess?’ Did your lunch kill you and I just didn’t
notice?” he asked, glancing at my tray.
I didn’t answer right away; Ella was talking and laughing
with her friends halfway across the cafeteria, but even from here I could tell
she wasn’t really all that happy. Her smile didn’t reach her eyes, and she
looked tired.
When I turned my attention back to Will, he was nodding.
“No, you wouldn’t notice Sami, would you? Not when Ella’s in the same
universe.”
“You were the one who said I should go out with someone
else.” I leaned my elbows on the table and propped my chin on my hand.
“My advice wasn’t to go out with someone just because,” Will
said. “It was for you to move on and forget her. Obviously, you can’t do that,
because Ella’s stuck on a never-ending loop in your brain. So, I was wrong
before. What you need to do is fly solo for a really long time. Months, maybe.”
That stung, partly because I knew he was right, and partly
because the knife-spirit was grating my nerves like she wanted them shredded on
a pizza. “Probably, and maybe you should take your own advice. Stop chasing
Penn—or anyone else—for a while. If you back off, she might be more
interested.”
Will’s gloomy expression made me feel bad for suggesting it,
but sometimes the truth hurts. “What’s wrong with us? Six months ago, you had Ella and I was totally okay with hooking up with
any girl I wanted. Now the only girl I want thinks I’m an idiot, and you’re
going out with the hottest girl in school, but you look like you’re facing a
geometry test. And then there’s my dad and all his bullshit…” Without warning,
he clenched his fists on the table. “My life just sucks right now.”
“Dude, what are you talking about? So Penn isn’t interested?
You’ll get past it someday.” I swallowed hard, not sure my next words would
clear my throat. “And…and I’ll get past Ella.”
“But what if we don’t?” Will asked, his voice rising. “What
if I’m destined to follow in my old man’s footsteps, never do anything but play
football, sell cars and marry the freaking homecoming queen? I want to matter,
okay? Right now, I don’t. I don’t matter! And it’s killing me a little bit every
day.”
“Will…what’s going on? Are things getting bad at home?” Why
was he cracking now, in the middle of the cafeteria, when only a week ago he
was dodging rock monsters and saving my butt without wigging out? Had his
parents finally punched his last button? “Whatever it is, it’ll get better.
We’ll be fine—you’ll see.”
“If I’m anything, it’s not fine !” With that, Will
shoved his chair back so hard it banged into the wall. Heads swiveled around to
check out the scene as Will slowly stood, grabbed his tray in a death grip and
stomped away, leaving me staring at his back with my mouth hanging open.
Normally I was the one who suddenly flipped out at school. Will didn’t lose it
like this—he found his Zen by slamming into guys on the football field, and it
was typically his job to reel me back to earth when I went Hulk-Smash for no
good reason.
Not today, though. Today, it looked like it was my turn to
figure out
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