unnecessary stress.” He doesn’t wait for us to respond. “Education is important, but so is living.”
“Are you like really encouraging me to skip class?”
Principal Tony grins. “Nothing of the sort. I just wouldn’t have any qualms if you did. Keep the world bright, Gabby.”
He rests a hand on her shoulder—the one I’m not on, unfortunately—and continues down the hall, still elf-like. God, he’s beautiful.
Gabby looks at me and sighs. “What do you think, Ella? Are you keen for a trip to sickbay?”
I scrunch up my nose. “I hate that place. Remember that time you tripped in volleyball, and we could see your ankle bone sticking through the skin?”
She shudders. “I deliberately blocked that memory out.”
“Would we be breaking the rules too much if we just went home? We only have a couple of hours before we pick up the professor, anyway.”
Gabby chews her lip. “Have I ever followed the rules?”
I shrug. “‘I’m sure there was a time when you did.”
She grins mischievously. “I don’t even know that girl.”
he town is busier than I thought it would be. We’ve never skipped school before, so I’ve never seen it at this time of day, other than on a weekend. There’s a lot more hustle and bustle.
“It’s lunchtime,” Gabby announces, accidentally knocking into an older lady. She hastily apologizes and sticks her hands in her pockets. “Let’s hit Denny’s before we pick up Grandpa.”
“Twice in one day?” I ask. “He’ll be sick of you.”
“I hope not…” Gabby says quietly, pushing on the door. She always pushes on the glass instead of the handle, smearing her prints on the glass. It bugs me. Gabby calls it anal-retentive.
Denny’s is packed, of course. It’s always packed. There is only one free table in the corner. Playing with the salt shakers is Denny’s daughter. Her blond hair is cut into a bob, and she’s wearing jeans and a purple tee.
Gabby adjusts her backpack. She weaves around the other tables and sits across from Farah.
“Gabby! Ella!” She beams, her eyes glistening. “Why aren’t you at school?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” Gabby wriggles out of her bag and drops it by her feet.
Farah sniffs and taps the salt. “I haven’t been feeling well in my tummy. It’s a real downer.”
“Well, be happy you’re here. Lacy lost it, and the whole school was in lockdown.” Gabby nonchalantly opens the menu and scans through the lunch section as she speed-walks Farah through today’s fuss and muss. “Does your dad still do the BLT? I can’t see it here.”
“
WHAT?!
” Farah squeaks.
Gabby looks up and blinks. “The BLT. Does he still do it?”
“No, no, no! The Lacy lockdown thing! I need to process.” Farah breathes heavily, so much so that it fogs up her glasses. “Cheerleaders were kidnapped?”
“It’s a common occurrence in this town, lately.” Gah! Gabby has that cold note to her voice again. I
hate
it.
“Do the police know?!”
“Yeah, they’re working on it. It’s in their incapable hands now,” Gabby says. Luckily she doesn’t spot me rolling my eyes. “You sure picked an interesting day to be sick.”
“Tell me about it,” Farah mumbles. “Did you say you wanted the BLT?”
“Yes, please!” Gabby’s eyes brighten, and she licks her lips. “I’m starved!”
“Well, too bad, because we’re out of beetroot.” Farah bursts into a fit of hysterics and slaps her knees. “Got you!”
Gabby dejectedly scans the selection for something else. “Your dad needs a better gluten-free menu. I’ll just risk a muffin and brave the wheat.”
“Okay, I’ll get it for you.” Farah clears her throat. “
DAAAAD!”
I jump. For such a small girl, she’s sure got some pipes on her. Denny bounds out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron. He leans on the table with his trademark full-flavored grin.
“Well, if it isn’t my three favorite girls! How are we today?”
“We’re
“Are you like really encouraging me to skip class?”
Principal Tony grins. “Nothing of the sort. I just wouldn’t have any qualms if you did. Keep the world bright, Gabby.”
He rests a hand on her shoulder—the one I’m not on, unfortunately—and continues down the hall, still elf-like. God, he’s beautiful.
Gabby looks at me and sighs. “What do you think, Ella? Are you keen for a trip to sickbay?”
I scrunch up my nose. “I hate that place. Remember that time you tripped in volleyball, and we could see your ankle bone sticking through the skin?”
She shudders. “I deliberately blocked that memory out.”
“Would we be breaking the rules too much if we just went home? We only have a couple of hours before we pick up the professor, anyway.”
Gabby chews her lip. “Have I ever followed the rules?”
I shrug. “‘I’m sure there was a time when you did.”
She grins mischievously. “I don’t even know that girl.”
he town is busier than I thought it would be. We’ve never skipped school before, so I’ve never seen it at this time of day, other than on a weekend. There’s a lot more hustle and bustle.
“It’s lunchtime,” Gabby announces, accidentally knocking into an older lady. She hastily apologizes and sticks her hands in her pockets. “Let’s hit Denny’s before we pick up Grandpa.”
“Twice in one day?” I ask. “He’ll be sick of you.”
“I hope not…” Gabby says quietly, pushing on the door. She always pushes on the glass instead of the handle, smearing her prints on the glass. It bugs me. Gabby calls it anal-retentive.
Denny’s is packed, of course. It’s always packed. There is only one free table in the corner. Playing with the salt shakers is Denny’s daughter. Her blond hair is cut into a bob, and she’s wearing jeans and a purple tee.
Gabby adjusts her backpack. She weaves around the other tables and sits across from Farah.
“Gabby! Ella!” She beams, her eyes glistening. “Why aren’t you at school?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” Gabby wriggles out of her bag and drops it by her feet.
Farah sniffs and taps the salt. “I haven’t been feeling well in my tummy. It’s a real downer.”
“Well, be happy you’re here. Lacy lost it, and the whole school was in lockdown.” Gabby nonchalantly opens the menu and scans through the lunch section as she speed-walks Farah through today’s fuss and muss. “Does your dad still do the BLT? I can’t see it here.”
“
WHAT?!
” Farah squeaks.
Gabby looks up and blinks. “The BLT. Does he still do it?”
“No, no, no! The Lacy lockdown thing! I need to process.” Farah breathes heavily, so much so that it fogs up her glasses. “Cheerleaders were kidnapped?”
“It’s a common occurrence in this town, lately.” Gah! Gabby has that cold note to her voice again. I
hate
it.
“Do the police know?!”
“Yeah, they’re working on it. It’s in their incapable hands now,” Gabby says. Luckily she doesn’t spot me rolling my eyes. “You sure picked an interesting day to be sick.”
“Tell me about it,” Farah mumbles. “Did you say you wanted the BLT?”
“Yes, please!” Gabby’s eyes brighten, and she licks her lips. “I’m starved!”
“Well, too bad, because we’re out of beetroot.” Farah bursts into a fit of hysterics and slaps her knees. “Got you!”
Gabby dejectedly scans the selection for something else. “Your dad needs a better gluten-free menu. I’ll just risk a muffin and brave the wheat.”
“Okay, I’ll get it for you.” Farah clears her throat. “
DAAAAD!”
I jump. For such a small girl, she’s sure got some pipes on her. Denny bounds out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on his apron. He leans on the table with his trademark full-flavored grin.
“Well, if it isn’t my three favorite girls! How are we today?”
“We’re
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