“So, it was from you.”
He shrugged and looked away . “Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Have you forgotten that you have a girlfriend?” I said through my teeth,
feeling warm and conspicuous and like I wanted to be anywhere but there.
“So?” he said, grinning at me. “Didn’ t matter the last time.”
“You are such a pig!” I blurted.
The secretary looked over at us with that expression of impatience that
half the faculty wore every day .
“I’m just kidding!” Hammond r eplied at a half whisper , like I was being
so immature. “Calm down.”
“I am calm,” I said. “But just so we’re clear, that night was a mistake,
okay?”
A slight, embarrassed blush rose up onto his cheeks, and I instantly felt
bad for being so blunt.
“Whatever ,” he said. He slumped down on the couch and crossed his
arms over his chest, looking like a petulant kindergartner. “I was just trying
to be nice. I figured no one would send you flowers, and I didn’t want you
to walk around school all day feeling all pathetic.”
“Well, guess what? I did get flowers. So you didn’t have to take pity on
me,” I shot back.
Mrs. Porter walked out of her cubicle with another student and sent him
on his way. I was out of my seat, clutching my bag and my carnations,
before she could even say my name.
“And if you want to be nice to me, how about you stop acting like I don’t
exist when you see me in the halls?” I said, looking back at Hammond. “I’d
appreciate that a lot more than a flower .”
He shook his head in exasperation, still staring straight ahead, but I could
tell by the increased blotchines s of his face that he’d heard what I’d said.
Maybe, just maybe, I’d finally gotten through to one of them.
I sat in history class the following afternoon trying desperately to stay
awake, my eyes crossing as I retyped Mr. Lewis’s notes from the board and
into my laptop. Outside, snow swirled and the wind whistled past the
windowpanes. I was just about to let it all lull me to sle ep when I saw my
phone light up out of the corner of my eye. It was inside my bag but
sticking out of the interior pocket just enough for me to see the screen. I
glanced at the back of Mr . Lewis’ s balding head. He hadn’ t turned around in
at least fifteen minutes, so enthralled was he with his own musings and
getting every word of them down on the board. I snatched the phone into
my lap. My heart started to pound, and suddenly I was wide awake. The
text was from Jake.
Will any1 notice if I start snoring?
I glanced over my shoulder at him. He smirked and flashed his phone at
me under the desk. How had he even gotten my number? I texted quickly ,
my fingers trembling.
IDK. How loud do u snore?
His response was immediate.
IDK. Sle ep over some time and u can tell me.
I laughed out loud and slapped my hand over my mouth. Chloe turned
around and shot me a r eproachf ul look, her perfectly pink lips pursed. That
was Chloe for you. Captain of the Manners Police. I loved how she didn’t
feel the need to acknowledge my existence unless she was silently telling
me what to do.
“Something funny about the war of 1812, Miss R yan?” Mr . Lewis asked.
“No,” I squeaked.
“Good. Then let’ s get back to it,” he r eplied.
My phone lit up again.
Busted!
I smiled and texted back.
Tnx 4 the flowers.