The Ways We Become Undone [ON HOLD]

Chapter Ten

“ARE YOU waiting for me?”

    

I thought reading Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton was bad the first time, but sitting in the Mustang with my feet propped up on the passenger seat, and reading it again made me realize that it was worse the second time. Due to boredom and my incapability to sit still until the dismissal bell rang, I had rummaged in the trunk of my car and found the book in my emergency kit. I can’t even remember why the hell I had chosen that book over every other book that I could have chosen. I don’t even remember having an emergency kit in the first place.

    

When I heard the familiar voice, I glanced up and the first thing I saw of him was his blue eyes.

    

And then I saw the cut from before—the one that he said he had got from falling down the stairs. It was fading away now but still visible. When Peter caught me staring at it, he smoothly brushed his dark hair over his forehead and veiled it. It was such an easy gesture to him, as if he’s been doing it forever—hiding all his secrets.

    

I straightened up, allowing him to slide into the passenger seat. He was smiling. “How’d you know?” I asked.

    

“Collin’s at basketball practice and Irene’s been suspended. I figure you don’t know anyone else around here, so I’m the lucky one you’re waiting for.” He looked at me and then at my dress, but didn’t say anything about it.

    

“Why would I wait for Collin?” I inquired. After what happened last night, I held no expectations to speak to the guy who encouraged me to get drunk and make an utter fool of myself at my first—and probably only—party I’ll ever get invited to.

    

Peter shrugged. He flipped through the pages of Ethan Frome, his gaze averted from me. “He always gets the pretty ones,” He answered softly.

    

I tried to remind myself that Peter was a high school senior. High school boys always said immature things to girls. But, Peter didn’t say anything immature actually. Technically, he didn’t even say I was pretty, he just implied it.

    

And no one had ever implied anything to me before.

    

“I guess I’m not that pretty because he didn’t get anything from me,” I said, trying not to act awkward.

    

Peter looked at me, all smiles still. “Well, you know what that means. You’re way too smart for him.”

    

I laughed. “Can’t argue with you there.”

    

Peter chuckled with me and that’s when I remembered why I was here in the first place. I turned toward him and went down to business. “Listen. I need to talk to you about something.”

    

He stopped laughing and nodded. Instead of asking questions as to about what I wanted to talk to him about, Peter gave me a location. “Okay. But not here. If you don’t mind, can we go to the sea?”

    

I was surprised by his answer but then I remembered what Irene had told me about Peter being in tune with the sea. “Yeah, sure.” I started up the car and exited the parking lot of the school.