“Are you okay?” she asks.
I nod.
“Fine. Just kind of a long weekend.”
It doesn’t convince her, and she rubs my back for a few seconds before settling back in her seat. Even staring directly in front of me, focused on Mr. Whittaker as he scrawls something incoherent across the chalkboard, I can feel Talon looking at me. It’s not like he needs to pay attention to the lecture. As he made very clear, senior trigonometry is beneath him. Mr. Whittaker could probably hand him all the tests and quizzes of the entire semester and let him go through them one after another, and still Talon would slide by with a perfect grade.
That means he has all the time he wants to watch me. He watches me take notes. He watches me try to copy down the problems on the board before Mr. Whittaker erases them. He watches me accept a note from Angela and write back. With every movement, he follows me with that devastating blue gaze.
I don’t pay attention. Or, at least, I don’t let him know I’m paying attention. It all went way too far this weekend, and I’m ready to put it behind me and pretend he never even walked into my life. It’s strange to even think of him as being a part of my life. It’s only been a few weeks since he moved into the house next door and already it feels like so much longer. I can’t let it keep pulling on me. Talon has changed the way I think and affected the way I act. I need to push him out of my mind and get through this semester. Once this semester is over, he’ll be gone, and my life will be right back to where it was. Where it’s supposed to be.
The class finally ends, and I rush out of the classroom without looking his way. Two more classes until lunch, and I can talk to Isaiah. I can’t imagine it’s going to be a fun conversation, but it’s one that has to happen. If it doesn’t, this won’t ever go away. Even if he pretends everything is fine, and we just go right back to our routine, it’s going to be there, just below the surface.
He’s waiting for me after the last class before lunch and takes my hand to bring me to the commons. We go through the line, but nothing looks good. I haven’t had much of an appetite in the last couple days, and I slide my empty tray along behind him, setting it back in its spot before we walk over to our usual table. We get to the end, and I hesitate.
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” I ask.
He nods, and we make our way into the hallway beside the theater. It’s quiet here, with only the sound of the class going on inside accompanying us as we sink down onto the floor. I lean my head back against the wall and watch Isaiah arrange the lettuce on his hamburger. When it’s perfect, he takes a bite and finally turns to me.
“Are you sure you’re not hungry?” he asks.
I nod, pulling my sleeves down over my hands and wrapping my arms around myself against the sudden chill rippling over me.
“You didn’t come to church yesterday,” I say softly. It’s the best introduction into the conversation I can come up with.
“I know,” he sighs.
“It’s the first time in three years.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
He hesitates. “I just thought you needed some time to think. After everything that happened Friday night, I wanted to give you a little bit of space.”
“Why?”
“That wasn’t like you. I didn’t even know the person who showed up at my house.”
I rest my forehead on my bent knees and shake it back and forth. Embarrassment burns my cheeks and makes my stomach flip.
“I know it wasn’t. I’m sorry. Honestly, I can’t even believe I did that.”
“Why did you?” he asks.
The answer forms in my brain, but it dies somewhere before getting out of my throat. I want to tell him the truth. We’ve always been honest with each other, and now it seems more important than ever before. But I can’t bring myself to tell him what happened in that kitchen. Not because I think he’ll be mad at me that it happened, but because I don’t want him to see my face when I describe it.
“I just... I just wanted to test something,” I stammer.
“Test what?” he asks.
I drop my head again and turn to look up at him.
“Nothing,” I finally say. “It was silly. I shouldn’t have done it. Thank you for sending me back home.”
“Absolutely. I will always do what I think is best for you,” he smiles.
He reaches over and strokes my cheek. There’s a soft feeling in my chest, something warm and tender. It’s familiar. This is the settled, comfortable feeling of Isaiah. I can look at him and see strength, steadiness, and responsibility. I know he’s driven and secure, confident in the path he’s following. I’ve always seen being with him as one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. With him, I know I’m safe.
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” I say. “That wasn’t what I meant to do.”
“You’re under a lot of stress, Wren. It’s the end of senior year. You have to figure out your college plans and deal with all the changes that are coming. It’s understandable for you to feel a little off. Just know I’m here for you and trust in the plan we made.”
“Isn’t that sweet.”
The voice sends a chill down my spine. I was so busy listening to Isaiah and trying to let his words sink all the way in I didn’t notice Talon and several of the people on crew for the play come out of the doors leading into the backstage area. He must have gotten a study hall for this period, spending it working on the sets. I stand up and reach down for Isaiah’s hand.
“Come on,” I say. “Let’s go back to our table.”
Isaiah picks up his lunch, and we walk into the commons. Talon and the group follow us, but I don’t let myself turn around. Not until I hear his voice again.
“Isn’t it sad, you could have me in your bed but choose to such a boring, basic guy like this,” Talon jeers.
I whip around to face him. “That’s enough.”
“What? Your boyfriend can’t stand to hear the truth? Or can’t you admit to yourself that you need a real man?”
People all around us have heard the exchange and turn their attention to us. Some try to be subtle and lean backward toward us to listen in. Others forgot all about trying not to be obvious and just turn around to face us. They might as well have popcorn in their laps.
“There is no truth for him to hear, Talon. I don’t know why this is amusing you so much, but you need to back off,” I snap.
Talon laughs, totally unaffected, and continues through the commons to the vending machines. Dozens of people continue to stare at us. Isaiah reaches for my hand and guides me the rest of the way to the table.
“You need to stay away from him,” he says. “I think he might be part of what happened Friday.”
My eyes snap to him. “Why would you think that?”
“The way he acts with Samantha. It made you... curious.”
I hate the way his words make me squirm, but I nod.
“You’re probably right.”
13
Talon
“Happy Valentine’s Day!”
My aunt’s high-pitched trill is not exactly what I wanted to wake up to this morning. Considering it’s Valentine’s Day, I would have been happy just to sleep through the entire thing and go on with my life tomorrow. There are few things in this world quite as cringeworthy as this particular holiday in the halls of a high school. Balloons, absurd teddy bears, and wilting bouquets team up with flagrant displays of affection that just, frankly, don’t need to exist.