The Passengers (Book #2)

ℑ 𝔇𝔦𝔡𝔫'𝔱 ℜ𝔲𝔫 𝔄𝔴𝔞𝔶

The last bell rings, and everyone pushes their way out the classroom door. The dance committee has set up a table and is selling anchor and ship-wheel bracelets. The sign reads: HELP US MAKE THE SPRING FLING UNSINKABLE! GET BOTH BRACELETS AND GIVE ONE TO YOUR DATE! The table is swarmed. Excited conversations about costumes and arguments about who gets to be which passenger fill the hallway. It's strange to me that with more than two thousand people on that ship, everyone wants to be the same ten famous ones. Privileged in life and privileged in death, I guess.

I turn the corner toward my locker. Sehun's leaning against it. My stomach twists up into one of those complicated nautical knots that are impossible to undo.

"Hey," I say, and stop short in front of him.

He looks as uncomfortable as I do. "Ride home?"

I twist the dial on my lock. "Yeah, maybe we can—"

"Yo, Hunnie," Kang yells from down the hall. "You coming with me and Jennie to Jisoo's later?"

Jisoo and Jennie are seriously threatening my last inch of calm.

"Depends," Sehun says.

"Yeah, depends on whether you grow a set." Kang grabs his pants for emphasis.

Sehun laughs. "Dude. Really?"

Kang's hair is messy, and his backpack is slung over one shoulder. He stops next to Kang and grins at me. "Man. Sorry, Suzy. I didn't see you there behind Sehun's fat shoulder."

I close my locker. Kang's a total goofball, but I've always liked that about him. What you see is what you get.

I smile. "Don't apologize to me. Sehun's the delicate one here."

Kang laughs and punches Sehun in the arm. "I see why you spend so much time with her."

Sehun gives him a warning look. "Seriously, dude. I'm gonna have to insist that you shut up."

Mischief tugs at the corners of Kang's mouth. "Nah, it's cool. Respect. I'm definitely not gonna say anything about—"

Sehun takes a swipe at Kang, but Kang jumps out of the way and raises his hands in surrender.

"Okay, man," Kang says through a laugh. "I get it. Just be at Jisoo's tonight." Kang walks into the crowd pushing toward the door.

Sehun rubs the back of his neck with his hand. "Sorry about that. He thinks he's funny."

I half laugh as we walk toward the side door. "He is funny."

But Sehun doesn't laugh in return like he normally would. We exit into the parking lot and head for Sehun's truck. An awkward silence replaces our usual banter.

"So you're going to Jisoo's tonight?" I ask.

"Does it matter?"

I look at him. "What do you mean?"

"Do you not want me to go to Jisoo's for some reason?"

Besides the fact that she doesn't like me and would probably make me disappear if she could? "How do you want me to answer that?"

"Words would be best. I'm shit at charades."

I stop next to Sehun's truck. "How are you this mad at me?"

Sehun shrugs.

"Words would be best. I'm shit at shrugs," I say.

"I tried words."

"You're frustrated because I won't go to the dance with you? You don't even know why I said I wouldn't go." And this is definitely not the moment to tell him that I will go with him. It's going to look like it's for all the wrong reasons.