“Guy in the corner,” I said, beelining to the back of the room where a crowd had gathered around the noticeboard to see the first set of BCA results. Obviously, I hoped to place first through twenty-fifth, but it was possible not all three articles pulled high rank.
“With the bags under his eyes, wearing a rugged red shirt?”
“The one with a permanent sneeron his face.”
Hunter clapped the back of my brown pants. “Give me five minutes with him.”
He wheeled toward Jill, who sat alone staring blankly at Jack’s empty desk.
I rounded the dissipating crowd and slunk through a gap to the board. Hannah bumped her shoulder against mine.
“Thirty-second place for my report on guns on campus.” Her breath came out in excited puffs close to my cheek, and her smile lit her eyes.
I recalled the article. “It was a thorough and thoughtful article. I’d have thought it’d place higher.”
Her smile faltered. “Do you know how many reports are submitted to the BCA?”
“About 3000 on average.”
“That wasn’t what I meant. I meant...” she sighed. “Thirtieth is pretty good.”
Thirtieth put her in the ninety-ninth percentile. I laid a clumsy hand on her shoulder. “You’re right. I should have said congratulations. I think you are very talented, Hannah. I just wanted more for you.”
Her lips quirked into a smile. “Better,” she said, backing away. “I hope you’re satisfied too. I’ve got to get to class.” She bit her bottom lip. “See you tonight then?”
“Yes. Let’s meet at the theater. Seven-thirty.”
“Okay, I’ll be there.” With that, she spun on her heel, clutched her messenger bag tighter to her side, and wove toward the exit.
I fingered a line down the list until I hit my name. I let out a relieved breath when I caught the title of the article that won twenty-eighth place.The Ghosts of College Past, Present, and Yet to Come.
If that got me twenty-eighthplace, then I had a right to be excited about the final placements. I turned from the board, making my way toward Hunter.
Chief Benedict stood, leaning against his office door, staringtoward the BCA list. His gaze panned toward me and he nodded his head in congratulations.
The article he’d submitted on my behalf had done well, which was great. But I still didn’t believe it to be my best work. When the top placements came out, I would prove it to the chief as well.
Hunter’s voice reached my ears. “Dude, calm down. It was just a joke.”
“Well fuck you,” Jill said, gathering his crap from the table and stuffing it awkwardly into his bag with his left hand. “Nobody beat me up. I can handle myself! Ican.”
“Aren’t we getting a bit touchy?” Hunter asked, unfazed—almost amused—by Jill’s cutting sneer.
I stopped closer to Jack’s desk and pivoted toward the window, staring at the two from the corner of my eye.
Jill flushed. “Touchy?I’m not—”
“Yep, you are. It’s a good thing Liam isn’t your friend, else I’d have to question his judgment.”
I startled at my name and blinked toward Hunter casually drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair.
“Liam?” Jill spat. “You know him?”
“More than that, Ilikehim.”
Those three words functioned like a warm blanket on a cold day. I approached Hunter’s side, resting a hand on the back of his chair. Jill wasn’t going to confess. “Let’s get lunch,” I said.
We left Jill guffawing, and grabbed some sandwiches to eat at the park. We planted ourselves at the exact spot near the trees where I’d spoken with Mitch. Hunter reluctantly donned a sweater.
