Unmaking Hunter Kennedy by Anne Eliot Page A

to be taking little notes.”
    “I need extra study notes—sometimes.”
    “So do I. I make flash cards.”
    “You do?”
    His gaze was warm. “It’s a secret.”
    “Right.” She laughed, biting her upper lip to keep her mouth from dropping open again. She quickly glanced around for Jenna. She seemed to have vanished.
    When Curtis didn’t say more, Vere risked another glance at his face.
    His eyes are so nice close up. Half green and half brown with all kinds of bright specks in them.
    Seems taller. He’s wearing cologne! Mmm...
    “So...thanks for saving me,” she managed finally and looked away, wondering if she'd stared at his face too long.
    “Sure.” When he didn’t move, Vere entered a strange, floating time-warp. She grounded herself by focusing on the white swoosh on his black sneakers.
    Go on now, sporty shoes. Walk away. Please.
    When the sneakers didn’t budge, Vere busied herself by shoving the sweaty hoodie into her bag.
    His feet turned finally; but before she realized what was happening, her bun slipped to the side and came completely undone.
    “Wow.” Curtis’s sneakers turned back.
    “Yeah. I know. I’m a mess,” Vere said, darting him a glance through her hair before looking back down as her cheeks started to ache and burn even more.
    “No. You have beautiful hair. I never noticed it had grown out so long. Really, really long.”
    His voice was soft. Kind. Admiring?
    Did he just call my hair beautiful?
    She recovered her hair band and grabbed at the mass of hair, trying to pull it all back together, now terrified to look at his face.
    Please don’t let him be laughing at me. Anything but that.
    When he didn’t say more, Vere forced herself to talk to his sneakers again. “My hair—it’s hard to manage so...I...uh, wear it up. Probably should cut it.”
    She deftly scrunched her hair back into its bun, wishing she’d said something else. Anything else. But she gave herself a mental pat-on-the-back, amazed she’d said any intelligible words at all.
    “I wouldn’t cut something so pretty. You should wear it down more. It’s a nice look on you. Different.”
    Vere met his gaze.
    A second compliment, and no snarky, teasing remark?
    Was this an actual conversation happening here?
    Answer him. Answer him!
    “Oh. Thanks. Yeah, maybe.” This time it was easy to smile at him. Until he smiled back and collapsed her lungs!
    “Cool. I love long hair on girls. It’s my favorite.”
    She realized it was her turn to talk all over again. “Yours is pretty too—not so long, and very shiny. Cool black curls—and all that too.”
    Lame. Lamest thing I’ve ever said.
    Curtis gave her a strange look as if to confirm her thoughts.
    She had to recover—fast. “Handsome. Not pretty, of course. It’s handsome. And—dark—short, black hair like yours is my favorite on guys too. So...yeah.”
    Even lamer.
    “It is?” He laughed.
    She bit her bottom lip, wondering if he now thought she was insane. Her whole stomach rolled up and over her heart before dropping back down to her knees.
    Oh, please walk away, Curtis Wishford. I can’t possibly think of another thing to say. I can’t breathe anymore, and I can’t leave because this is my seat!
    Please. Just. Go. Away.
    But he didn’t.
    Still grinning, he crossed his arms as if he meant to stay longer. “Charlie says your mom’s got some huge project for you two this weekend. I hope she lets you off for Saturday night’s bonfire. You thinking about going to that? How come you never go to school stuff?”
    What? Is he asking me to come to the bonfire?
    Or does he want me to admit that I’d die if I had to chat with people—with HIM— at ‘school stuff’?
    She shrugged, focusing on answering his questions in complete sentences this time. “We can’t do the bonfire. Mom’s making us go to the lake. But...I do some school stuff. Drama things mostly.”
    “Oh right. That’s where you hide. I always pick weights.”
    “I know.” Vere