I need to stretch out the conversation until I get closer to Grady. I veer toward his cluster of friends, tucking my fingers around a scrap of paper in my blazer pocket. “I don’t know. It’s a little overwhelming just being back at school.”
“Oh, come on. It’s been too long since we hung out. You’ll feel better if you let your life get back to normal.”
I restrain a laugh at the idea of anything about my life in this reality being “normal” ever again—and catch a stumble at the sight of Kenneth Hearst wandering our way. Our gazes meet for an instant, and his mouth ticks into a smile.
Shit. Surely he doesn’t expect me to have talked to my dad about a work chat while I was getting over a near-murdering?
Grady sidles closer to the school, and my sense of urgency makes the decision for me. Tamping down a pang of guilt, I change course so I dodge Kenneth and pass my targets on the opposite side.
“I’m sure we can find another time,” I say, recovering the thread of conversation with Stella. “Maybe tomorrow?”
She sighs. “Tomorrow I’m supposed to go to my cousin’s birthday dinner. Is it really that big a deal?”
I thank her silently for the opening and plant myself a few feet beyond Grady and his friends. Spinning toward Stella, I let my satchel thump against my side. Two of the guys glance over at the sound.
I pitch my voice just slightly louder than I need to. “Look, I just—I’ve got something to do tonight. A place I wanted to check out. I’d rather not wait any longer.”
Stella’s eyebrows come up again. “Where are you going?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I produce my best vapid laugh. “I’m going kind of incognito for this—I’ll have to sneak out or my dad will have a fit. If it works out, I’m sure you’ll hear all about it soon.”
I nudge her to keep walking toward the school. As I take out my hand to open my satchel, I surreptitiously “knock” the scrap of paper from my pocket.
The torn paper floats to the ground where anyone who’s curious about what I was saying—and where I might be sneaking out to tonight—can snatch it up. I don’t risk looking back to see if Grady’s group takes the bait.
If they do, they’ll find the address for Groove Garden jotted down on it.
Whoever has it out for me, they shouldn’t know that I’ve already scoped out the dance club recently. I was there under anillusion. If that place is at all related to whatever put a target on Other Elodie’s back, hearing that I’m going there—for the first time or again, depending on how much they know about my double’s activities—will hopefully push them into action.
At the very least, it’ll suggest that I’ll be out in the city alone and vulnerable tonight, if anyone’s inclined to make another attempt at my life.
Stella opens her mouth to continue the conversation, and I give her a subtle shake of my head. She stays quiet until we’ve reached the front steps. Then she looks over at me. “You’re not really sneaking out of your house tonight, are you?”
I scoff as if the idea is absurd. “Of course not. The police just want to see what’ll happen if word gets out that I might.”
I’m better off with her thinking I was coached by the cops rather than tackling the problem on my own. I don’t want her tattling to my dad.
“Very mysterious.” Stella offers me a crooked smile. “Well, I’m happy I helped. You watch out for yourself, all right.”
“Believe me, I will.”
We part ways before our first class to head to our respective lockers. I’m shaking off the lingering jitters of my gambit, trying not to think ahead to tonight’s more hazardous scheme just yet, when an unexpected presence slinks past me.
Simone Palenti snaps the gum she’s chewing and juts her chin at me, propping herself against the neighboring locker. “You just can’t take a hint, huh?”
I drop my Sensory Magic textbook into my satchel and peer at her. “What?”
I didn’t think we had any issues between us. She didn’t seem hostile when I suggested we partner up for the divination exercise a few weeks ago, and I don’t remember anything going horribly wrong during it. I can’t see her being offended by Professor Raith’s accusations about my lack of commitment.
At the moment, she appears to be testing out whether looks can kill. Her dark eyes sear into mine. “He’s not yours to play around with. Find another boy toy, Devine.”
All I can do is stare back at her. “I—what?I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She scoffs and then jerks her thumb past her neck in a slitting gesture. “You got in Sal’s head somehow, but we both know you’d never go all in on him. So fuck off. Or maybe I’ll help whoever else already wants you gone.”
She shoves herself away from the lockers and saunters off, leaving me staring.
Sal—Salvatore.
