pushed his way through the swarm of students. What caught my eye more than Daniel’s unique approach to crowd control, however, was the broad-shouldered hottie holding the cafeteria door.
Jack had changed out of his blood-stained clothes, opting instead for a tailored, gray-blue oxford that almost matched his eyes. Damp jeans hugged his long muscular legs and uneven clumps of wet hair curled over his ears. Even as I sat there, I had to forcibly push back the urge to go pat him dry with a few spare napkins. It wasn’t until Ms. Hansen sidled up beside him that the world came to a screeching halt.
Her hair was brushed and pinned back in a low ponytail, and her smile glittered playfully. A wave of acid swirled in my belly as she slid her hand across his back. Like she owned him, or something.
Okay, granted, I had no right to be jealous. He’d made his feelings toward me clear. But did Hansen have to make it look so easy ? No fighting, no tension, no threats or insults. Just two shiny, happy people spending time together.
“What’s wrong now? You look like you just swallowed a Spivax demon,” Lisa whispered, handing me a napkin. “Is this because Alec’s into Katie? I know it’s disappointing, but he’s not the only available Watcher.”
“I still say Lyle’s your best bet,” Matt suggested, wiping his hands on his khakis. “He dresses well and he’s super cute.”
“Mattie, that’s not a very heterosexual thing to say,” Lisa pointed out.
He shrugged. “Just trying to help.”
I fixed my gaze on the stained green cafeteria table. Touched as I was by their meddling, the notion of bonding with Lyle, or anyone else, made my stomach curdle.
“Alec’s not the issue,” I said.
“Then what is?”
Unconsciously, my eyes flickered toward the door. Lisa scanned the cafeteria, finding nothing of interest. Then her face twisted in exasperation.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Amelie. Him again?”
“Who again?” Matt asked. “Did I miss something?”
“She’s got a thing for Smith-Hailey. Or maybe just an addiction to lost causes. Hey, I heard Stan the janitor is unbonded, by the way. He’s human and gay. Right up your alley.”
I glared at her. “This is not funny.”
“It is. You just don’t appreciate the humor.”
Matt’s chair gave a loud squeak as he leaned back. “I don’t know. She could do worse than Mr. S. In my field test last period, the task was to quell a water demon in the back fountain—nasty buggers, by the way. I completely panicked. I swear, the thing was about to drown me. So Smith-Hailey whips out a knife and jumps on its back, all the while giving me a pep talk about the ‘indomitable spirit of Guardiankind.’ He even gave me a second shot at the demon. If I was a girl, I’d be all over that.”
“Pookie.” Lisa plucked the last potato chip from Matt’s hand. “Remember how we talked about those times when your opinion is better kept to yourself?”
“Is this one of those times?”
She smiled.
“Say no more.” Matt blew her a kiss and obediently zipped his lips. In silence, he carried her lunch tray to the cafeteria line and began emptying it onto the conveyor belt. So sweet I thought I might vomit.
“You’ve got to get past this, honey. Trust me. You with him is like the Hindenburg of romantic disasters.” Lisa’s gaze drifted over my shoulder to where Jack stood. “Look, Hansen’s touching his chest. They’re leaving together. See? It’s hopeless. He’s taken. Let it go.”
I slunk lower in my chair, trying not to look. Sure, I had no claim on him. And he obviously didn’t want me. So why did the thought of him walking off with someone else suddenly make me feel like an abandoned vehicle?
Chapter Eight:
Deadline
At some point after my Advanced Wards class, it started raining. I didn’t mind. I liked it when the weather matched my mood. As Lisa drove me home, I couldn’t help staring out the window. It was oddly satisfying to see the wind
Jack had changed out of his blood-stained clothes, opting instead for a tailored, gray-blue oxford that almost matched his eyes. Damp jeans hugged his long muscular legs and uneven clumps of wet hair curled over his ears. Even as I sat there, I had to forcibly push back the urge to go pat him dry with a few spare napkins. It wasn’t until Ms. Hansen sidled up beside him that the world came to a screeching halt.
Her hair was brushed and pinned back in a low ponytail, and her smile glittered playfully. A wave of acid swirled in my belly as she slid her hand across his back. Like she owned him, or something.
Okay, granted, I had no right to be jealous. He’d made his feelings toward me clear. But did Hansen have to make it look so easy ? No fighting, no tension, no threats or insults. Just two shiny, happy people spending time together.
“What’s wrong now? You look like you just swallowed a Spivax demon,” Lisa whispered, handing me a napkin. “Is this because Alec’s into Katie? I know it’s disappointing, but he’s not the only available Watcher.”
“I still say Lyle’s your best bet,” Matt suggested, wiping his hands on his khakis. “He dresses well and he’s super cute.”
“Mattie, that’s not a very heterosexual thing to say,” Lisa pointed out.
He shrugged. “Just trying to help.”
I fixed my gaze on the stained green cafeteria table. Touched as I was by their meddling, the notion of bonding with Lyle, or anyone else, made my stomach curdle.
“Alec’s not the issue,” I said.
“Then what is?”
Unconsciously, my eyes flickered toward the door. Lisa scanned the cafeteria, finding nothing of interest. Then her face twisted in exasperation.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Amelie. Him again?”
“Who again?” Matt asked. “Did I miss something?”
“She’s got a thing for Smith-Hailey. Or maybe just an addiction to lost causes. Hey, I heard Stan the janitor is unbonded, by the way. He’s human and gay. Right up your alley.”
I glared at her. “This is not funny.”
“It is. You just don’t appreciate the humor.”
Matt’s chair gave a loud squeak as he leaned back. “I don’t know. She could do worse than Mr. S. In my field test last period, the task was to quell a water demon in the back fountain—nasty buggers, by the way. I completely panicked. I swear, the thing was about to drown me. So Smith-Hailey whips out a knife and jumps on its back, all the while giving me a pep talk about the ‘indomitable spirit of Guardiankind.’ He even gave me a second shot at the demon. If I was a girl, I’d be all over that.”
“Pookie.” Lisa plucked the last potato chip from Matt’s hand. “Remember how we talked about those times when your opinion is better kept to yourself?”
“Is this one of those times?”
She smiled.
“Say no more.” Matt blew her a kiss and obediently zipped his lips. In silence, he carried her lunch tray to the cafeteria line and began emptying it onto the conveyor belt. So sweet I thought I might vomit.
“You’ve got to get past this, honey. Trust me. You with him is like the Hindenburg of romantic disasters.” Lisa’s gaze drifted over my shoulder to where Jack stood. “Look, Hansen’s touching his chest. They’re leaving together. See? It’s hopeless. He’s taken. Let it go.”
I slunk lower in my chair, trying not to look. Sure, I had no claim on him. And he obviously didn’t want me. So why did the thought of him walking off with someone else suddenly make me feel like an abandoned vehicle?
Chapter Eight:
Deadline
At some point after my Advanced Wards class, it started raining. I didn’t mind. I liked it when the weather matched my mood. As Lisa drove me home, I couldn’t help staring out the window. It was oddly satisfying to see the wind
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