Starcrossed

Chapter 11c: Rigel (part 3)

CHAPTER 11 (part 3)

Rigel (RY-jel): an extremely hot, rapidly-burning star

I glare after him, getting my anger under control. The icy wind helps a little. Then the warning bell rings and I curse out loud. I'd planned to meet M at her locker to ask her about last night and now I'll barely have time to drop my coat and backpack at my own locker before class.

It's tempting to sprint full speed through the school, but I don't dare draw that kind of attention, not now. Not when I might have to take down Sean O'Gara in the very near future.

Forcing myself to just a fast walk, I dump my stuff, grab my Geometry book and get to class right as the final bell rings. M is already in her seat, watching the door for me. "Sorry," I whisper as I slide into the desk next to hers.

"What-?" she starts to ask. I can tell from her expression she's sensing I'm pissed. But the teacher clears his throat and looks at us, so she has to shut up. 

I'm hyper aware of M all through class. Even more than usual. For one thing, she looks totally hot in that green sweater. But mostly I'm trying to figure out if there's anything off about her expression when she looks at me. She catches me staring and frowns a question at me that I can't answer. Not yet.

When class finally ends, I turn to M to explain-or maybe to ask her to explain-but her friend Deb immediately starts talking to her about Mark Lennox, a guy on the football team, asking stuff like if M thinks he likes her. M sends me a little nonverbal apology but keeps listening.

It ticks me off, but not exactly at M. I mean, Deb is one of her best friends and M isn't the kind of girl to blow off a friend needing advice. But I really want to talk to her and we're in different classes next period.

Deb finally winds down and M says something encouraging to her and then it's just the two of us together in the hallway. Surrounded by a whole lot of other people on their way to second period.

But instead of telling her what Sean said, like I planned, I hear myself asking, "So, how did it go last night?"

She gives a cute little shrug and a smile that makes me want to kiss her. "It was fine, I guess. I finished catching them up on U.S. History, then we talked some more about, um, Ireland." That's our code for Mars these days.

"Learn anything interesting?" I want to ask about Sean, ask if he really walked her home again, but I don't. I'm not sure why.

"I did, actually. I'll tell you about it later when we can be, uh, private." We're already at the door of her Computer classroom. How did that happen?

"Yeah, we'll talk later." Then just before running off to Spanish, I blurt out, "I'm just glad you made it home okay."

She stares at me and opens her mouth like she's going to say something, but I just shoot her a tight smile and walk away, feeling like an even bigger jerk than Sean.

I trust M. I absolutely trust her. So why am I letting Sean make me act like a jealous idiot?

Maybe because I really am a jealous idiot? Crap.

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