Free Blue Violet by Abigail Owen Page B

suddenly, it took her a moment to catch up. “Oh!  Are the others
ready to leave?” She peeked at her watch. Sure enough, it was well past the
time they’d agreed to stop studying and head to dinner. She was a little
shocked. The evenings and nights often dragged for her, but the time here with
her friends had flown by. Maybe that’s what she’d been missing. Griffin was
wonderful, and they were very close, but she needed more companionship than
just him.
    Alex nodded.
“They’re waiting for you.”
    “Are you
joining us?” She gathered her research results holding it all against her chest
in a defensive posture.
    “If you don’t
mind.”
    Ellie just shrugged.
“Why should I?”
    “I’ve taken
about as much legal research as I can for one night.” He rolled his shoulders,
easing some tension out of the bunched muscles. Her hands itched to smooth the
knots out for him. She clenched them around her books instead, irritated by her
completely irrational responses to this boy. “And I’m driving everyone back
after dinner, so it makes sense,” he continued, thankfully unaware of her
internal struggles.
    “If you don’t
like legal research, why are you studying to be a lawyer?”
    “Did I say I
didn’t like it?” It was Alex’s turn to be evasive.
    Ellie tilted
her head. “You didn’t have to.”
    They stood
there staring at each other for what was probably seconds but felt like a long
while to Ellie. She didn’t need Griffin’s mind reading ability to know that she
and Alex were thinking the same thing… that they seemed to be very in tune with
each other. Even from the small amount of interaction they’d had, it was clear
that they just got one another, saw things about one another that other people
seemed to miss.
    Sensing a
dangerous connection being made, Ellie forced herself to execute a little
half-turn to head down the aisle. Glancing back at Alex, she gave her head a
little jerk. “Come on,” she said, “Let’s go get some pizza.”
    After taking a
moment to gather all their school gear, all five of them headed across the
street and towards the downtown area. The pizza place was situated along the
river walk. The area was gorgeous. Lots of quaint little shops that edged a
rushing river. The mountain directly across the water was protected land and
untouched, and currently covered in snow. Ellie couldn’t wait for early summer
when everything would be green again and the wildflowers would come out.
    As they neared
the restaurant, she suddenly heard Griffin in her head. “ Ellie ?”
    “I’m with
the Jenners right now, Griff, can’t talk ,” she thought back.
    “You need
to find an excuse to get out of there .”
    Ellie noticed
Adelaide giving her another of her odd looks and immediately smoothed her
frown.
    “What’s up ?”
she thought at Griffin, as she attempted to keep her expression neutral and
carefree.
    “I saw a
small pack of wolves… possibly Vyusher. Three at most. I think we should try to
follow them.” The urgency of the situation came through loud and clear.
    “We’re
about to eat pizza, Griff. What on Earth should I say? Where are you anyway ?”
            “ I’m just down the street. It seemed like a good idea for us to
do this together .”  That sounded like her prudent brother.
    “Okay …”
Ellie’s mind raced. “ Stay out of sight until we’re in the pizza place. Then
call my cell phone. Make it sound urgent. I’ll meet you outside .”
    “Alright,” came
his quiet reply. Just like Griffin to not make a fuss or ask questions.
    They were just
sitting down inside the restaurant when Ellie’s phone rang. She made a bit of a
show about checking the caller ID, frowning a little, and then answering it
like she wasn’t sure what he would want. “Hi, Griffin.”  She put a questioning
lilt in her voice.
    “I’m waiting
outside.”
    “I’m at that
little pizza place downtown. You know along the river…” She made a little show
of