“Uh huh,” I said, unsure if I should turn, fearing I might bump into his face. I twisted around slowly so I wouldn’t spook him.
He sat back a little but his face was still close to mine that it felt awkward. “Let me see it?”
I fished out my essay in my book bag and handed it over.
He scanned it and passed it back. “Good girl.”
I pulled a face. “Checking for spelling errors?”
He turned for his satchel bag, picking out a notebook. “You didn’t have any,” he said.
I blinked at him. He only had my paper for a minute. How did he know so quickly?
Mr. Morris asked for our homework but only half the class turned in anything. The papers were collected and Mr. Morris had us open our books, telling us to read the first chapter.
“I want eyes on pages, lips closed. You can take notes if you want. I recommend it. You’re going to have a test next week on chapters one and two.”
North and Victor grunted but neither said anything. I had to agree. Was he teaching the class or was he just going to have us read from the book and write essays?
Twenty minutes later, my eyes were glazing over the page. I wasn’t tired but it was a boring book and the first chapter was exactly what I had written about in my essay, so it felt repetitive. I spent most of the time writing down dates and details in my notebook just to keep myself awake.
I felt a nudge on my arm and turned, half expecting it was North. The girl next to me held a folded note out to me, looking annoyed that she was doing so. I glanced around. Mr. Morris was bent over his desk reading the essays.
Before I could reach out to take the note, North snatched it from the girl’s hand. The note disappeared into his pocket. I glanced back at him, looking confused. His eyes darkened and he tilted his head at me, his expression telling me to never mind and to get back to reading. He could have been the teacher, his gaze was so demanding. I turned back in my seat, bending over my notebook and blushing. Was it meant for me or someone else and I was supposed to pass it on? I felt sorry for whomever it was meant for and whoever wrote it.
When the class was over, I lingered back with North and Victor. Other students were almost running to get out the door and down the sidewalk toward the building. We trailed behind everyone else, including the teacher, on their way to lunch.
“North?” I asked him. He was walking to my left and so close that our arms were brushing. “What was the note?”
“Nothing for you to worry about,” he said, his face transfixed ahead of us.
I slid a glance to Victor, who seemed distracted. He had his hands in his pockets. I had the urge to reach for his hand like he’d done so many times with me but I couldn’t get myself to do it.
At lunch, I actually missed Nathan and felt sorry that I had teased him about the taco soup. I felt like he was missing out, even though it was only school. I was probably the only one who felt the lack of him. I sat on the bench between Luke and Kota. At the bench facing us, Victor, Gabriel and Silas sat together. North sat cross-legged on the grass between us.
No one else said a word about the violin case. It was just like Mr. Blackbourne had said. It seemed they all expected me to have one. They got whatever they needed.
Kota opened his book bag, pulling out the thermos.
“So you did have leftovers,” I said, smiling.
Kota nodded to me. “My mom said you’re supposed to come over sometime this weekend if you can.”
“Am I in trouble? Did I leave a mess?”
He laughed. “Nothing like that. She wants your recipe.”
“What do you have?” Luke asked. He had bought a candy bar from the vending machine and was chewing on it.
The others perked up when Kota pulled out some plastic cups. I helped him as he poured out lukewarm taco soup and passed it around.
“Since when did you cook, Kota?” North asked, putting a plastic spoon into his soup and scooping out a little.
“It was Sang,” Gabriel said. He had his hand out waiting for me to pass one to him, looking anxious. “She made it last night. It’s fucking good, too.”
Silas grinned at me. North and Luke sniffed at their cups.
“It’s not poison,” I said.
“Not this time, huh?” North asked. He almost did a fraction of a smile. He dipped his spoon in and took a bite.
Luke nudged me with his elbow between bites. “Okay. You’re cute and you can cook.” He spoke up, looking at the others. “That’s it. We’re keeping her.”
I beamed. After the highly emotional morning so far, this little bit of peace with the guys was just what I needed.
The taco soup was gone within moments. Silas was holding the thermos, looking longingly at the opening as he held it upside down over his cup. I kept my grin to a minimal and got up, crossing to where he was sitting on the bench. I held out my half-finished cup of soup.
Silas glanced up at me. “You should eat,” he said.
“I’m not really hungry.” In truth, I really wasn’t. I was too excited to eat. I held out the cup to him again. “Give me your empty one.”
He smiled at me as he swapped his empty cup for mine. “Thank you.”
I picked up his spoon from his cup. “Do you want your spoon?”
He shook his head, taking my spoon out of the cup and used it to take another bite. I tried to hide how it made my heart melt that he didn’t mind using my spoon. I didn’t quite understand why.
I held my hand out to North and Victor, who were still holding their empty cups. “I’ll go toss them,” I said.
Victor handed his over. North continued to sit but reached for the cups in my hands. “I’ll do it,” he said.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ve got it. The trash’s right over there.” I pointed to where there were two next to each door on either side of the courtyard. “I’m not going far.” It surprised me that I was just assuming he meant he didn’t want me going alone. I was getting too used to them following me. Was it really only the second day of school?
North smirked and handed over his cup. I collected everyone else’s, too, as Kota reclaimed his thermos and the guys started talking about classes.
I crossed the courtyard with the cups in my hand, making a beeline for the trashcans. A shiver ran through me as I felt more eyes on me than just the boys’. When I dumped the cups and turned around, there was a group of guys laughing and walking toward the doors
that I was standing near.
One of them spotted me, smiling. He was a big guy with red hair and broad arms. His freckled cheeks puffed out as he grinned. “Hey, pretty lady,” he called.
I tried to ignore it, but I had to walk around their group and it forced me to make a wide circle to avoid walking through them. The red haired guy altered direction and moseyed toward me. He grabbed my hand, got on one knee and in a loud, but very sincere tone, he asked, “Hey sexy, will you marry me?”
I gasped and my head jerked back, as if I was positive he wasn’t really asking me, but someone behind me and I was in the way.
The boys around him started laughing. One of them shouted, “Mike, you scared her.”
Mike earnestly looked up at me from his knee. “Will you?” he asked. “Please?”
Was he being serious? What would he have done if I said yes? I knew for the most part he must have been teasing me.
I came back from my disbelief and shook my head. “I’m sorry,” I said.
“Damn,” Mike said. He jumped up from the ground, releasing my hand and shrugged. “I’ve gotta find me a wife.” He rushed by me, his friends following him and laughing.
I stared after him, speculating. I sensed someone behind me and turned, nearly bumping into Luke. He was close enough I could smell the sugar and vanilla of his cologne. He grinned and wriggled his eyebrows at me, his blond locks falling in his eyes.
“What?” I asked him. I hadn’t gone far and he followed me. I wondered how long he had been standing there. Would they always come after me?
“Never gone on a date and you’ve just been asked to get married,” he said. “I think that’s a first.” He grabbed my hand, turning to walk back. “Let’s go before he comes back with a ring.”
My face was on fire when we got back to the others. Luke held on to my hand as we stood there. He did it so bluntly that my heart was thundering and I half stood behind him.