Free Crossings: A Sovereign Guardians Novel by Susan Collins Page B

went wrong. Now that I was away from the school and from Granger, it all seemed rather silly.
    Sighing, I finally began my explanation.
    "I know you want to know what happened, Faith, but it really wasn't that big of a deal. Granger and I had a little disagreement on the way to the library. That's all. Then he got held up during registration, so we really didn't get to talk again after that and settle things. I just wish we'd had a chance to say a few words to each other before the day ended."
    I bit my lip, trying to decide how much more I should add. "I looked for him after class, but I didn't see him and well, that's when you came by."
    Faith turned on her blinker and expertly guided the vehicle onto the side drive which led to Fairvue.
    "Do you want to tell me what he did?"
    "It was just weird, Faith. I don't know how to describe it exactly. One minute we were talking and then the next thing I knew we were behind some lockers, and I honestly thought he was going to kiss me."
    "Whoa, whoa, whoa." Faith pushed up her sunglasses; her eyes were huge.
    "Wait a minute! Your first kiss with Granger, and I assume it was your first kiss or you would have already told me, was going to be in the halls of the high school? Behind some old lockers? Ewwwh!"
    She shook her head from side to side making her blonde hair swing around her face. "Not yuck about kissing Granger because that would definitely not be a bad thing, but the location of a first kiss is important, Pagan, and the halls of Jasper High are not on anyone's list of young love memory lane."
    "I know, right? That's weird to me, too. And, I mean, I'm not even sure we know each other well enough for something like that to be happening, incredible green eyes or not. But, especially not on our way to registration and just after lunch. I'm sure I had chocolate chip cookie breath and everything."
    I sighed out loud, still so confused about my behavior, wondering what I could say to help her understand how strange things had seemed.
    "When Granger’s around me, sometimes I can't think straight. He's got this magnetic personality, ya know? I feel drawn to him or something, and I don't just mean because he's hot. Honestly, Faith, at the point where he had me pressed up against the wall, I didn't care where we were. It's like my brain didn't even register that we were at school."
    I glanced at her to see how she was taking my confession. Her face didn't reflect any judgment, so I continued.
    "I don't know if I'm more bummed that we argued or that I can only say that we almost kissed and not that we actually did."
    Faith put one well-manicured hand on my arm and squeezed it quickly before commenting. "Well, as long as you don't feel like a fish being dragged in for dinner, then sometimes it's okay to feel that kind of pull."
    The car began to slow as Faith put both hands back on the wheel and pulled up to the front of the house. She put the vehicle in park but left the engine running as she turned to face me, waiting for me to finish the story.
    "Anyway, the principal walked up, and we really weren't doing anything, but it was, well, you know... awkward ."
    Faith's brow crinkled as she tried to understand.
    "So, you guys didn't get in any trouble even though you were obviously about to do something, and you weren't where you were supposed to be?"
    I nodded in agreement.
    "That's the way it went. We got in exactly zero trouble. None. It was like everything Granger said, the principal thought it was all remarkable. By the time he finished talking, Mr. McNeely was wishing us luck with registration and offering to write us special notes for next year's classes."
    Faith looked at me and then out the front windshield. "You know, I've noticed that about Granger before. Sometimes when I'm around him, I can't even remember what I was going to say."
    She looked back at me and grinned, the levity leaving her voice as she added, "Now that does sound crazy saying it out loud. I always just thought