Before we parted ways, I wanted to hug him, but I wasn’t sure if that would be weird, so instead I just told him I’d see him next summer. He’d pushed his glasses up his nose and nodded. He looked like he was going to cry—by then I’d learned that Cooper was a crier—so I thought it’d be best if I didn’t drag out the goodbye.
When I returned home, we texted nonstop for a while, often late into the night, but then school started, and the texts became less frequent. I don’t remember the last message between us, but I’m certain no one was upset.
I have to be missing something. But I don’t want to ask him because is it more messed up that I potentially did something to upset him years ago or that I don’t remember doing it?
Cooper is out of the room before the bell to switch classes is even done ringing. I sigh, pack up my stuff, and head to lunch.
Back in New York, I go to the library and do homework during my lunch period. The librarian lets me eat in there with the agreement that I leave without evidence that I’ve ever been there. I doubt that’ll fly here as the new girl. So I leave my stuff in my locker and follow the rest of the seniors to the commons.
After grabbing a lunch tray, I walk between tables with the excruciating task of trying to figure out where I’m going to sit among hundreds of people I don’t know.
“New girl,” someone says. I turn my head in the direction of the familiar voice and find Jake grinning at me. He scoots over to make space. “You can come sit with us.”
Jake is surrounded by boys who either nod or simply stare at me. Two of them are muscly and wearing white tees with a Bramble Falls football logo on the chest. A couple of girls smile at me before going back to chatting.
And Cooper is sitting across from him. Becauseof course they’re friends.
I look around the room for any other familiar faces, but I didn’t talk to anyone else in my morning classes. So I nod and squeeze in next to Jake.
“Thanks,” I say.
“Everyone, this is Ella,” Jake says.
“Ellis,” I say.
“Right. Sorry. This is Ellis,” he says.
“I heard you’re the mayor’s niece,” one of the guys says, licking orange Cheeto residue off his thick fingers. He flicks his head likehe’s twitching as he tries to get his ash-brown hair out of his eyes.
“Yep,” I confirm.
“No shit,” Jake says. “You’re Sloane’s cousin?” He takes a bite of his turkey and lettuce sandwich.
“I am.”
He studies me, chewing, then finally says, “You two do have the same eyes.”
“We do,” I say, unsure how to respond to his observation of the only feature I got from my mom.
“She talks a lot more than you,” he says. “Not in a bad way. Sloane rules. I mean, not thatnottalking is a bad thing either….” I stare at him. “I’ll shut up now.”
The guys at the table laugh, and when Jake blushes, I can’t help but join them.
I push around a cherry tomato on my tray and try not to look at Cooper, even though I swear I feel his gaze on us.
Cheeto Fingers points to my tray. “You gonna eat that or…?”
“Are you saying you want it?” I ask him.
“If you’re not—”
“Don’t take her food, Slug,” Cooper says to Cheeto Fingers. “Give her time to eat.”
I’m torn between thinking it’s sweet that he’s telling his friends to back off my lunch and annoyed that he won’t talk to me but he’ll defend my food.
In any case, my appetite disappears when I don’t sleep, so I grab my apple, then hand my tray to the guy. “It’s all yours.”
“Thanks.” He picks up the grilled cheese sandwich and shoots Cooper a smirk.
