Free Falling by L C Smith Page B

though.” I extract my arm, smile weirdly at the BFFs trailing behind Megan, and walk quickly away.
    “You went and hung out with Megan yesterday? You left me at school by myself to hang out with Megan?” Sara looks livid.
    “I think you mean, did I ditch Keller and go hang out with Megan, and that’s a big I don’t think so. We saw her while we were out, and she was so gross, so I don’t know why she’d want me to sit with her. She put her hand on his chest. And left it there.” I pause for dramatic effect. “He had to step away from it.”
    Sara eyes her up. “She's got issues.” She finally tears her eyes away from Megan and shudders. “Poor Keller, did he go straight home and have a shower?”
    “Funny, that's exactly what Keller did.” I say remembering him shudder under her palm. “And no he ate, although I'm sure he had a shower at some point.”
    She turns to look at me, but keeps walking for the lunch line. “So you saw his house?”
    “Yip, it looks quite a lot like a house.”
    “Must have been good if you're avoiding.”
    “Nothing out of the usual. His dad got back just after we did. I wandered around his house while he ate.”
    “What he didn't feed you too?” Sara fills up her plate.
    “I ate in the car. It had been so long since I had eaten, that I couldn't wait. Not that I knew that's where we were going. But I was going to have to chew on my leg or something.”
    “Sounds like you are hiding something,” she sings. “You are giving crappy details in too much depth.” She keeps with the tune. Yes I am, but I can’t tell you otherwise people will lock me up for being extra crazy.
    We find a seat. Megan walks by our table. “The offer is still open.”
    “I'm still fine thanks.”
    “Say Hi to Keller for me next time you see him.” She twinkles her finger at me.
    “Mmm.” Is all I can manage to get out.
    I finally start eating and the bell rings. “That's just mean.” I complain shovelling in as much as I can while walking to take my plate back.
    “It'll be easier than you think to get Keller,” Amy not so quietly whispers to Megan. “Look at her go.”
    I lift my eyebrows and shovel in a little bit more for effect, wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, sniffing loudly, and head out the lunch room.
    “Oh that's just gross,” Amy says, her voice dripping with disgust at every word.
    I grab my vibrating phone out of my pocket. “Hi,” I answer quickly.
    “Pick you up after school?”
    “Great.” I squeak like Sara did meeting Keller yesterday and she rolls her eyes at me.
    “Meet you out front like yesterday?”
    “See you there. Bye.” I walk into an open locker while I hold my phone and squeeze my eyes shut for a second in excitement.
    Math.
    Science.
    English.
    Accounting.
    I pull my planner out as the rest of my class rushes for the door. Surely that can't be everything. Did I go to all of them? I stare at the planner. I must have. I jump out of my seat, my bag hanging half open, books and paper spilling out while I try to subdue them and shut all the stuff under the zipper.
    He’s wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt, I stand just inside the door watching him. His head leaning ever so slightly to the side, playing a game on his phone, completely oblivious to all the longing stares from the girls walking past him.
    “I can see you,” I text from inside doorway.
    His head pops up, looking around and a girl walking past slows down watching him. When he finally looks at her she smiles and stops for a second.
    “U sound like a stalker. I should report U” He texts back, his head moving up again continuing his search. He pushes away from his car, taking tiny steps toward the building, indecisive about whether he should keep coming.
    I walk slowly down the steps, laughing as he finally spots me. “How are you?” I ask stopping next to him.
    “I was getting worried. I thought maybe the girl from yesterday had got my number from you.”
    “That would be