number. Seemed more concerned than just a friend. I’m just saying. You should call him.”
Izzie couldn’t help but grin. “I will.” She cradled the phone between her chin and shoulder so she could dig out her school map and find her way to lunch. “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA. Things got weird, and then even weirder, and then my aunt took me shopping in Atlanta for the weekend….”
“That last part isn’t weird. It’s cool!” Kylie said, and the nice thing was Izzie knew she’d meant it. “How is the fabulous life treating you, anyway? You’re like a celebrity now! Barbara Walters knows your name, Iz! My mom counted this morning—Babs said it three times!” Izzie laughed. “Everyone is talking about you, though.” Her voice petered out a little. “The Harborside comments the papers make really blow.”
Izzie winced. “I’ve only seen one article. Is it terrible?”
“Yeah. And it’s everywhere.”
“Well, while Babs name-dropping me is cool, I wish there never was an article or a TV mention in the first place.” She quickly filled her friend in on what had been going on. “I’m so popular in these parts that I’m basically hiding by the side of a building to avoid lunch.”
“Ooh, I bet they serve something better than nachos there,” Kylie said. “Go! Eat! And don’t let those prissy girls boss you around. You could body slam one with your right arm tied behind your back.”
Izzie laughed. Her stomach was growling. “Not on an empty stomach. Call you later?”
“You better!” Kylie said.
Izzie felt more upbeat when she hung up, even if she still couldn’t figure out the map.
“Where are you headed?” A girl with long, dark brown hair stopped and stared at her. She had deep-set oval eyes and her hair was pulled back in a plaid headband that looked a lot like the one Mira had on that morning. “Hey! You’re Isabelle, right? We have bio together. Word of advice: Never sit that close to Preston—he’s a spitter.”
“Too late. I know,” Izzie said. “But thanks.” They smiled at each other. Okay, so the second sentence was usually the one that sent people running in the other direction. Time to test the theory. “Any chance you have a GPS handy to help me find my way to the cafeteria?”
The girl chuckled and quickly explained a direct route. “I have to meet with my adviser; otherwise I’d take you there myself.”
“Vi! You coming?” A blond yelled to her from the steps of the social sciences building. She had quite the lungs to be heard this far away. “I don’t want a late slip on my first day back!”
“Yes, Nicole, I’m coming!” the girl yelled back. She looked at Izzie and smiled. “I’m Violet, by the way. Maybe I’ll see you at swim tryouts next week. Enjoy lunch. The mac and cheese is killer.”
Violet is a swimmer, too! Maybe things at EP were starting to look up , Izzie thought.
Or maybe not.
The Jack Eunice Cafeteria looked nothing like a cafeteria and everything like the Great Hall in the Harry Potter movies. Sadly, it seemed nowhere near as fun. Jack Eunice, whoever he was, definitely had put money into the place. Classical music played while students ate shrimp scampi, salads from a chopped-salad bar, and lobster mac and cheese. Izzie was surprised anyone could see what they were eating in the dimly lit room. Why did Hayden have to have a different lunch period? Why? Izzie held her tray of pizza, chips, and Snapple close to her chest and prayed she’d spot someone who looked friendly. She did not want to eat alone. That just looked pathetic. Second option: Ditch the tray and take the pizza to go , she thought. She made her way to the French doors on the right side of the room. That’s when she heard Mira’s sugar-coated laugh.
Izzie glanced at Mira’s table before she could stop herself. Mira actually wasn’t the one laughing. She was too busy kissing a very tan, tall guy with floppy blond hair. He, in turn, was half kissing Mira
Izzie couldn’t help but grin. “I will.” She cradled the phone between her chin and shoulder so she could dig out her school map and find her way to lunch. “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA. Things got weird, and then even weirder, and then my aunt took me shopping in Atlanta for the weekend….”
“That last part isn’t weird. It’s cool!” Kylie said, and the nice thing was Izzie knew she’d meant it. “How is the fabulous life treating you, anyway? You’re like a celebrity now! Barbara Walters knows your name, Iz! My mom counted this morning—Babs said it three times!” Izzie laughed. “Everyone is talking about you, though.” Her voice petered out a little. “The Harborside comments the papers make really blow.”
Izzie winced. “I’ve only seen one article. Is it terrible?”
“Yeah. And it’s everywhere.”
“Well, while Babs name-dropping me is cool, I wish there never was an article or a TV mention in the first place.” She quickly filled her friend in on what had been going on. “I’m so popular in these parts that I’m basically hiding by the side of a building to avoid lunch.”
“Ooh, I bet they serve something better than nachos there,” Kylie said. “Go! Eat! And don’t let those prissy girls boss you around. You could body slam one with your right arm tied behind your back.”
Izzie laughed. Her stomach was growling. “Not on an empty stomach. Call you later?”
“You better!” Kylie said.
Izzie felt more upbeat when she hung up, even if she still couldn’t figure out the map.
“Where are you headed?” A girl with long, dark brown hair stopped and stared at her. She had deep-set oval eyes and her hair was pulled back in a plaid headband that looked a lot like the one Mira had on that morning. “Hey! You’re Isabelle, right? We have bio together. Word of advice: Never sit that close to Preston—he’s a spitter.”
“Too late. I know,” Izzie said. “But thanks.” They smiled at each other. Okay, so the second sentence was usually the one that sent people running in the other direction. Time to test the theory. “Any chance you have a GPS handy to help me find my way to the cafeteria?”
The girl chuckled and quickly explained a direct route. “I have to meet with my adviser; otherwise I’d take you there myself.”
“Vi! You coming?” A blond yelled to her from the steps of the social sciences building. She had quite the lungs to be heard this far away. “I don’t want a late slip on my first day back!”
“Yes, Nicole, I’m coming!” the girl yelled back. She looked at Izzie and smiled. “I’m Violet, by the way. Maybe I’ll see you at swim tryouts next week. Enjoy lunch. The mac and cheese is killer.”
Violet is a swimmer, too! Maybe things at EP were starting to look up , Izzie thought.
Or maybe not.
The Jack Eunice Cafeteria looked nothing like a cafeteria and everything like the Great Hall in the Harry Potter movies. Sadly, it seemed nowhere near as fun. Jack Eunice, whoever he was, definitely had put money into the place. Classical music played while students ate shrimp scampi, salads from a chopped-salad bar, and lobster mac and cheese. Izzie was surprised anyone could see what they were eating in the dimly lit room. Why did Hayden have to have a different lunch period? Why? Izzie held her tray of pizza, chips, and Snapple close to her chest and prayed she’d spot someone who looked friendly. She did not want to eat alone. That just looked pathetic. Second option: Ditch the tray and take the pizza to go , she thought. She made her way to the French doors on the right side of the room. That’s when she heard Mira’s sugar-coated laugh.
Izzie glanced at Mira’s table before she could stop herself. Mira actually wasn’t the one laughing. She was too busy kissing a very tan, tall guy with floppy blond hair. He, in turn, was half kissing Mira
Similar Books
