“You’re his new friend, right? The one who really likes fairies and unicorns and stuff?” she says in reply. “He talks about you all the time.”
I cut my eyes to him and he shakes his head. “No, I don’t. Just a normal amount.”
“I love unicorns!” she says. She’s so cute that it’s hard to stay embarrassed. “Anaya and I play with them every day.”
Anaya, whose a few years older, glares at her little sister. “I only play because you make me. Unicorns are forlittlegirls.”
“Anaya!” Dev exclaims.
My face goes red but I force myself to smile. She’s not totally wrong. “Well, Dev likes fantasy stuff too. In fact, I have it on great authority that he really,reallylikes Quidditch.” Dev kicks my foot.
“You’re so lucky,” Sahil says. “I hope I get to go to England when I’m a senior so I can hang out with my girlfriend all the time and slack off.”
“Oh, so he’s told you about Sage?” I say in a teasing voice.
The sisters exchange confused looks. “Who’s Sage?”
They don’t know about Sage? Then who are they talking about? They couldn’t possibly think that Dev and I...
“Oh, um, she’s my roommate. I thought you were talking about...”
“The only girl he ever talks about is you,” Anaya says.
Me?I clear my throat and I look over for Dev’s reaction, but his gaze is fixed to the screen.
“That’s because Ellie is new. I’ve been in the same classes with everyone else for years. Now, can we move past the part of the conversation where you all try to embarrass me?”
“No, that’s the only reason we call.”
“Sahil, be kind in front of Dev’s new friend,” a woman says.
All the children turn and an older Indian man and woman come into view. They are sitting together on a couch in the back of the room. They wave at me and I wave back, though my stomach is a bundle of nerves now. Couldn’t Dev have given me the heads-up that his parents were listening in? What if I had said something stupid or inappropriate and given them a bad impression of me?
“Hello, Ellie,” his father says. It’s a little hard to hear because he’s so far away from the screen. “We’ve heard you’ve been such a help to Dev this semester. Did you come over to study again? We can let you go.”
“Oh—no—I mean, I don’t want to interrupt.”
“Anyone who helps our son in school is not an interruption,” his mother replies.
I nod, even more confused. How have I helped Dev? “Well, still, I should let you guys get back to talking.” I take a step back. “It was nice to meet you.”
Riya pouts but no one argues. I’m halfway down the hall when I hear my name.
“Hey. Sorry about that,” Dev says as I turn.
“Oh, um, it’s no problem.” My hands are weirdly shaky. “They’re really sweet.”
“Thanks.” He rubs his foot on the carpet. “Listen, don’t pay attention to what they were saying. About... you know. I just don’t talk about Sage around them because there’d be even more teasing. It’s not like I said—”
“No, I know. Just kids being kids.” I fumble for my cell phone and drop it on the ground. “Well, I’m going to go dig up every detail I can find on Paris now.”
“I can’t wait for the trip.”
“Me either.”
“It’ll be nice to get away from everyone for a while.”
I nod. The hallway is practically silent. I chew on the inside of my cheek, suddenly aware of the intent way Dev is watching me. He opens his mouth as if to say something and then clamps it tightand shoves his hands in his pockets.
