“What?” I ask.
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“It’s nothing.”
I give him a look. “Come on, man.”
He rolls his shoulders. “Just noticed something, that’s all.”
“Noticed what?”
He keeps his mouth shut and eyes on the trees in the distance. No matter how much I ask him to tell me, he refuses.
When we walk through the doors to the music room, he stops and says, “You might deny it, bro, but you’re just as in love with her now as you were back then.”
I don’t have a chance to refute him because he dashes into the room and starts talking with the guys about the many high scores Jasper beat.
Pssh. Me, still in love with Raven? He’s out of his mind.
Chapter Eleven
Kylen
Turns out it’s against the school rules to ship over my Lego from home. Unless it’s something a student really needs, or if the student brought it with them on day one, that’s fine. But if every kid brought over half their house, there wouldn’t be room in the dorm to move. That’s why the principal refused my request.
Raven and I were bummed because we really wanted to use Lego to build the Globe Theatre. Principal Harrington told us we can check out the basement for supplies. Many abandoned school projects and other items have been stashed in the basement pretty much since the school was founded. We should be able to find something from there to use.
So after school on Monday, I head to Raven’s locker, where we’ll meet before we go to the basement together.
She’s leaning against her locker, backpack on the floor beside her, and she’s surrounded by her friends. I kind of don’t want to interrupt their conversation, but I have another test to study for tomorrow. Today’s chemistry test went well, and I think even Beck did better than he thought he would.
After hiking my backpack up my shoulder, I make my way to Raven. She sees me immediately and stops talking. Her friends and their boyfriends turn around. All six of them look like they don’t know how to act around me. Like they don’t want to be rude, but they know I make their friend uncomfortable.
I give them all a kind smile. “Hey. Sorry I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Kylen Barrett.”
They return the smile and proceed to introduce themselves, too. Then they bid goodbye to Raven and me and walk off.
I give Raven the same grin I’ve been giving her since we were forced to be partners. One where I hope I’m being nice and nota jerk. “Is it just me or is it weird that we’re going to the school basement?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “I’ve never been to the basement before. I don’t think most students have.”
I chuckle. “Can’t imagine the rich kids stooping to such a level as digging through old things.”
I thought she’d maybe join in my laughter, but she looks away, pushes some hair away from her face, then glances at me.
“We should get going,” she says. “I don’t have all day.”
Nodding, I follow her. “Same. I’ve got a killer math test to study for. And I need to help Beck, too. The guy’s actually doing well in school for a change.”
She doesn’t say anything, just walks beside me, looking at anything but me. I clear my throat. Clearly she’s not interested in small talk.
We go down a few flights of stairs until we reach the basement doors. Honestly, it looks a bit creepy. Even with the lights on, it’s still dark here. When my gaze flits to Raven, I find her gawking at the door like she doesn’t know what to make of it.
“Who knows what’s in there?” she says.
I shrug. “Old school projects and supplies.”
