THE BETWEEN chapter 1

Chapter 1

Lydia glanced at her phone and jumped down from the edge of the sink in the girl’s bathroom. Ten more minutes before the late bus. She could risk leaving now. Cracking open the door, she looked up and down the hallway for any sign of Clive. So far, so good. She’d kept her backpack and jacket with her all day so all she had to do was escape outside without being seen. Then she’d have the whole weekend without him following her around. The way he seemed to know where she’d be at any given time was more than a little creepy. It wasn’t right. He wasn’t right. Lydia couldn’t figure out what Clive wanted, but whenever he looked at her she felt unsteady, like the ground was tilting under her feet.

For once she’d timed it perfectly—the halls were empty. Shouldering her pack, Lydia sprinted down the stairs to the side exit where she could see the bus loading zone and had a clear view of anyone coming in or out of the building. A few other students and several of her teachers passed by as if she were invisible. If only she were invisible, then Clive wouldn’t be her problem.

She waited until everyone else boarded before jogging across the field to the bus. There were a few other kids she knew, but no one spoke to her. It had been a long week and Lydia didn’t want to talk to anyone, either. As they pulled away from school, she let her breath out in a long sigh, shoved her backpack under an empty seat, and slumped against the window. With Monday off, she had three days to work on her college essays and get her history paper finished. Three whole days without having to dodge her personal stalker. “Thank God it’s Friday” had never seemed more appropriate.

“May I?” a deep voice asked, full of exaggerated politeness.

She jerked her head up, heart pounding. It couldn’t be. Clive was standing, leaning over her seat, staring at her with his odd emerald eyes. He shouldn’t even be here—as far as she knew, he didn’t live anywhere near her side of town. As usual, no one even glanced her way. She wondered if anyone would react if she screamed. If Clive tried to touch her, she sure as hell would. He sat down beside her and she inched closer to the window.

“It’s the glamour,” he said.

All that effort avoiding him for nothing. How did he even get on the bus? Lydia was sure he hadn’t boarded before her and she was the last one on. Maybe he would just go away if she closed her eyes.

“That’s why they don’t really notice you.”

Lydia could hear the perfect smile in his voice. Ever since he came to school in September, most of the girls and even some of the guys had practically drooled over him. But no one else seemed to catch the odd things he said to her. Not the kids who orbited around “Planet Clive,” not the teachers, who somehow never called on him or collected his homework. Not the guidance counselor, who didn’t seem to register her complaints about him. No one.

“But it’s thinning,” he said.

At least her stop was next. Then she could go home and pretend there wasn’t anyone named Clive Barrow following her around at school. And in seven months, she would graduate, then head off to college. With any luck, she would never, ever see him again.

“Once it’s gone altogether, you won’t be safe here anymore. Even Oberon couldn’t keep you hidden forever.”

She opened her eyes. He was staring at her, smiling. Oberon. Shakespeare. He was talking nonsense again. And she was pretty sure he was mocking her, too. They just finished reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream in English class. “Taking the in-character exercise pretty seriously, aren’t you?” Lydia said, irritation making her sarcastic.

“Where do you think he stole his ideas from?”

“Who?” she asked, before pressing her lips closed. She shouldn’t have opened her mouth. The last thing she wanted was to encourage him. In a few minutes, she would be home. Surely he wouldn’t follow her there.