My nod is distracted. Is he flirting or killing time? I wish I had the nerve to come right out and ask, but there’s only so much confidence I can fake.
The luggage carousel emits a metallic screech before jerking into motion.Crap.I don’t want Felix to know I still use thecosmic kittens suitcase Grandma Lainey bought me when I was seven. I stand, shouldering my backpack. “Well. Thanks for—” I break off, remembering he didn’t buy my drink.
“Spitting on you?”
“I was going to say, ‘being rude about my clothes.’”
“Any time.”
“Unlikely.” Before he can respond, I slip behind a couple pushing a loaded cart. It would have been a slick move if this airport had more than one baggage carousel. Thirty seconds later, Felix nods at me from the other side of the conveyor belt.
New plan: I’ll ignore my suitcase until he leaves. There it goes now, trundling past me in all its hot pink glory. I deliberately look away, staring at the succession of black and silver bags. When I check to see whether Felix has his luggage, he’s gone.
“Good,” I say under my breath, ignoring the twinge of disappointment. I can grab my suitcase and go find my ride. They’re probably all waiting for me to arrive.
When I turn around, space cats in hand, Felix is standing right there. His eyes widen when he gets a load of my hot pink bag.
“That is—wow.” He shakes his head, clearly at a loss for words.
“Go ahead.” I sigh. “Get it all out.”
“Meow or later?”
“You’re just jealous.” I glance longingly at his navy duffel bag.
He raises a hand like he’s taking an oath. “Guilty.”
“Okay, well, I better go.” I start for the door markedGROUND TRANSPORTATION.
“Are you headed downtown?” he asks, catching up to me in a few long strides.
“Maybe.”
“We could ride together.”
I stop walking.
“What?” He swipes at his face, like there’s a blob of something on his cheek. “Why are you squinting at me?”
“I’m doing a gut check.”
“I get that. You have to ask yourself, ‘Do I or do I not like musicals?’ Because I will sing along to the radio. It’s my toxic trait.” He pauses like he’s running that answer past a polygraph. “One of them, anyway.”
“I’m more concerned with stranger danger. Abduction, murder, whatnot.”
He fake whistles. “That’s a very dark attitude. I’d expect more optimism from someone who believes cats can go to space.”
“It’s also possibleIcould stabyou.” My index finger stops just shy of poking him in the chest. He looks down at my hand and then at my face, like he’s delighted by the attention.
“I’d like to note that although I am male-identifying and a stranger, I’m also in high school.”
“What’s your point?”
“Seems young to kick off a killing spree.”
“Everybody has to start somewhere.”
Felix sighs, like I’ve got him there. “Tricky to get an internship.”
