He immediately joined the line but hadn’t looked up to see me. This was a good thing, since I was staring at him in a way a normal person probably wouldn’t be. After our little heart-to-heart yesterday, I couldn’t decide if he was a decent person or if I hated him more for knowing something so personal about me.
Damien noticed my gaze and smothered a grin. I scowled at him and went back to discreetly watching Chase for a few more moments. His breaths seemed strained and his blinks took just a hair too long. Noticeable bags had taken residence under his eyes. He was like a walking advertisement for why humans needed to sleep. Chase was the undeniable kind of handsome that even sleep deprivation couldn’t touch. Because, of course.
Chase shifted his weight just before he glanced in my direction. Crappers. I didn’t have time to look away or think of anything else to do but wave lamely and turn around to place my order. As I moved to the far end of the counter, a girl came up behind Chase and they chatted amiably. She was from our school and had the kind of looks you couldn’t forget, with a warm brown complexion and striking brown—almost amber—eyes. She’d be the sort of girl Chase would date. She leaned forward and placed a hand on his arm. I wondered if she was the jealous girlfriend when another guy walked up and placed his arm around her waist. Chase gave them a friendly nod as they left. I tried to watch him out of the corner of my eye as he gave the cashier his order and came to stand near me.
“Hi, Ember,” he said when I didn’t acknowledge him.
“Oh, hi,” I responded. So. Very. Lame.
“How’s your sister?” His tone was polite, and not at all intrusive, but that didn’t stop me from bristling.
“The same as she was yesterday,” I responded, letting acid soak my words.
He stepped away from me like I’d physically pushed him. Regret hit me with a jab to the stomach and frustration followed with a hook to the jaw. The foot-in-mouth one-two punch. Chase didn’t do anything to me, other than edge me out last year with a higher weighted GPA. I was the one who told him about April...as part of an elaborate ruse to trick his girlfriend into thinking he was unfaithful.
God. Already my part in the Red Court was blurring lines unexpectedly.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, and then louder, “I’m just not used to people asking me about her.”
“It’s ok. I shouldn’t intrude. I was only making conversation.”
I stared at Damien behind the counter, my eyes pleading with him to hurry. He caught the look and slowed his movements.
REALLY?
The uncomfortable silence grew until it was unbearable. I broke first.
“How are you? You seem tired today.”
“You mean I look like shit?” he asked with a laugh. It was a nice laugh, easy and good-natured. I couldn’t remember hearing it before. At school, he was always the one making the jokes instead of laughing at them. Like he wouldn’t deign to chuckle at sophomoric humor.
“No, you don’t look like shit. You look like you pulled an all-nighter. Big test today?”
“I wish.” Another laugh, but rueful and a bit more reserved. “Actually, I was up half the night talking to my girlfriend. Well, I guess she’s technically my ex-girlfriend now. We broke up.”
“I’m sorry to hear that?”
Why did that come out as a question?!
He shrugged, clearly shooting for nonchalance and not pulling it off. “I think she has some trust issues to work through. She kept accusing me of being with other girls, which is ridiculous since I was with her nearly all the time.”
“Wow,” I said. What else do you say to the guy whose relationship you were part of a plot to destroy?
“I’m oversharing, aren’t I?”
“Not at all. You were so...nice to me yesterday, listening to my problems. The least I can do is listen to you, but you should know that my fees are pretty steep.”
He smiled. Cracking jokes with Chase was not part of my routine. My eyes lingered on his mouth and his lips that seemed too soft for a boy. Not in a bad way, but in a kissable way. Why was I noticing his mouth and thinking about kissing him? Focus, Ember. Get out of this conversation.
“I’m glad I did. We’ve never really had a real conversation before. Now twice in two days. It’s kind of weird that we keep running into each other.”
“Yes, but that’s life. Weird and unpredictable.” I scrambled to get the conversation back to safer territory before he thought to ask why I had been wandering the halls crying during class. “This breakup sounds like it’s a good thing. I couldn’t imagine being with someone who didn’t trust me.” Because I was SO trustworthy.
“You’re right. It is. It’ll just take some time getting used to it. I was with Madison for over a year. Our moms are close, so that will be tough around Christmas.”
“Don’t stress. Lots of people have awkward holidays. My grandmother comes over every Thanksgiving and performs this elaborate taste test where she literally tries every dish and gives a critique like we’re on Iron Chef. It’s pretty terrible.”
Silence with a side of awkward descended on us again, but this time Chase broke first.
“I didn’t set the curve for our last Lit test even though I got a ninety-six. Was it you?”
My smile escaped before I could put a leash on it. I absolutely set the curve; I missed only one question. “That’s too bad. Maybe next time.”
Damien finally called my name and I snagged my Americano off the counter, swallowing back a snarky remark. “I better run,” I said to Chase, lifting my coffee in salute. “See ya.”
“Until next time,” he said. I didn’t know if he meant the next time we saw each other or the next time we competed to set the curve on an exam. Both options sent shivers down my back.
I climbed into my car and heard an unfamiliar ring tone coming from my bag. It was my new Red Court cell phone.
I raced to dig it out and glanced at the display. It was Haley of course, though her name didn’t come up, only the number that had been saved alongside the mysterious Fire Alarm contact.
“Hello?” I answered, then added, “This is Ember.”
I heard a sigh. “Listen, Ember. I know you’re new to this game, but stay away from Chase Merriman.”
My mouth popped open and I looked around. I had no idea why because it wasn’t like I expected to see someone standing in the shadows with a sign that read “Red Court Spy,” but instinct prevailed and I closely examined everyone in the parking lot. A girl from my Geometry class was standing in front of the coffee shop texting. Could she be Haley’s eyes? She was something of a slacker, so not likely. But still, she could be watching me if she owed the Red Court a favor.