Heart on a Chain by Cindy C Bennett Page B

where only my genuine tears got me off the hook for that. The last straw was when I had been shoved and locked into it; I decided that was my cue to never step near one again. Therefore I carry everything to and from school.
    “ You can share mine,” he says.
    I imagine him opening the locker to see a moldy sandwich smeared on his stuff, and shake my head.
    “ That’s okay. I don’t mind carrying them.”
    “ Especially since you don’t carry them,” he says, shrugging them higher in suggestion. I feel my cheeks flush.
    “ You don’t have to carry them for me, you know,” I mutter.
    He laughs and leans down to give me a quick kiss, surprising and warming me at the same time.
    “ You really have to learn not to take everything so seriously.”
    “ Says someone who comes from the family that laughs all the time.”
    “ They were just putting on a front for you.”
    I look at him, eyebrows raised sardonically.
    “ Okay, so they are annoyingly cheerful,” he says. “They liked you. Especially Claire. She really wants you to come back so she can play with your hair.”
    I laugh. “I really liked them, too. And I just might come by some time and let her do that.”
    “ You don’t know what you’re saying,” he warns mockingly. “I’ve seen the damage she can do. She’s done it to me!”
    “ What? She’s done your hair? Your hair seems pretty short for that.”
    “ Why do you think I cut it this way? It used to be longer.”
    “ She have pictures of this?” I ask, laughing when the pained look he shoots me says, yes, she does.
    “ So about Halloween. You doing anything?”
    Yeah , I think, the usual; making a sign for the door that says “no candy,” so that I don’t get blamed for kids knocking on the door, wanting candy we don’t have. Then I’ll get up extra early the next morning to clean up the eggs and pumpkins that have been thrown at the house because of that sign before she sees them.
    “ Because there’s a group of kids going to the corn maze, and I thought it might be fun,” he continues.
    “ Oh, well, yeah.” I feel a stinging jealousy that he’ll be having fun without me. I know he has a life, that he doesn’t hibernate in his room when he isn’t with me, but I haven’t really thought consciously of it. “Sounds like fun. Who are you going with?”
    He looks at me, shaking his head. “No, Kate, I’m asking because I want us to go.”
    “ Oh,” I feel both stupid and elated at my misunderstanding. Of course, I can’t go, there’s no way. “Sure, I think I could do that,” I say.
    “ Great.” He squeezes my hand and leans down to kiss me again. I could so get used to that, I think.
    “ Do you have a costume?”
    My face falls. “No.” And no way to get one, either.
    “ That’s okay. You’re about the same size as my sister. Think how thrilled she would be if you let her lend you one. It would probably make her year if you let her dress you up.”
    I laugh at that, wanting to deny it, but knowing it’s probably the truth.
    As we come within sight of the school, I pull my hand out of Henry’s. He glances at me questioningly.
    “ It’s bad enough for you that we’re friends. It could be really bad if people thought….” I can’t say the words, not sure what they really are. His eyes cloud, stormy, as he clenches his jaw. I reach up and smooth my hand along the tensed muscle, reveling in the fact that I can do that and not have him cringe from me with disgust.
    “ Please?” I ask, thinking that Jessica isn’t the only one who might want to hurt me if they see him holding my hand or, worse, kissing me. He places his hand over mine, holding it tight against his face, eyes softening.
    “ How can I say no to you?” he asks. “Okay, I will keep my distance. For now ,” he qualifies.
    “ Thank you,” I say, hesitating, then standing up on my tiptoes to kiss him. He growls against my mouth, and I jump a little, wondering if it’s rejection of my boldness,