248 Days

November 14th

We didn't have breakfast that morning. It was many, many hours following the cake fiasco that the idea of eating again became plausible. Usually skipping a meal resulted in a bad-tempered Alexa, but today I was thankful for the lack of food in my system. I hadn't known it was possible to dislike someone to the point of nausea, but Amanda Cole overcame the impossible. Today was the day of the study date, and she took every opportunity to remind both Grayson and me.

     She even managed to weasel her way into walking to the Ryders with us. While she retrieved her belongings, Grayson and I argued by my locker. He had his mind set on me being present during the walk.

     "We walk together every day. She's cutting into my Alexa time."

     Brow cocked; I didn't let myself get side-tracked by Alexa time.

     "It's a fifteen-minute walk."

     "Exactly," he said stubbornly. "It's an extra fifteen minutes with you... And I don't want to be alone with her."

     "You'll be alone with her when we get home."

     There was no way that I would remain in the same room as the two as they worked on the project. God knows what Amanda had planned, but it wasn't any of my business. I didn't even want to think about her and Grayson together.

     Failing to find an argument, Grayson groaned loudly.

     "This is your fault," he accused. "She wouldn't be so persistent if she didn't hate you so much. Of all people, why did you choose her as an enemy?"

     "Why were you born with that face?" I retorted with the same tone of accusation. "This has nothing to do with me... Luke is my friend, but she has never so much as paid him the time of day. If your face wasn't chiseled to mere perfection, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

     "My face is not chiseled to perfection," he mumbled hotly, cheeks glowing a light shade of pink.

     I scoffed. "People don't even try to hide the fact that they're staring at you—"

     "I'm the new kid."

     "You're so naïve," I laughed. "My family was brutally murdered, I spent three years in my captors' home, and still people stare less."

      Visibly uncomfortable, he spluttered wordlessly. This is how I preferred him. He was much more tolerable when he wasn't speaking.

     Giving up his fight to find a response, he whined loudly. "Alexa!" he moaned. "Please just—"

     "Alright!" I caved, placing a hand on his excessively loudmouth. "I'll walk with you. Just shut up!"

     He had already caught just about every student's attention.

     Getting what he wanted, in seconds his expression of immense displeasure transformed into a large grin. Child.

     "You owe me big time," I professed miserably.

     His smile didn't even flicker.

     The walk was as enjoyable as I had believed it would be, not at all enjoyable. A barrier between two rivals, Grayson stood between us. He tried to include us both in the conversation but neither Amanda nor I bothered to acknowledge the other's presence. I spoke only to Grayson, and so did Amanda. Eventually we all fell silent, making for an incredibly awkward walk. Never would I have thought I'd live to see the day that Amanda Cole ran out of things to say.

     I made a beeline for my room the moment we stepped into the home. Grabbing a book, I headed for the treehouse. Grayson and I's rooms were much too close for comfort, today. I wanted to be far from their hearing and sight.