"I was wondering what kind of girl could have botched up a rescue attempt so badly. Now that I know it was you all along, everything makes sense."
"Go away."
Rome runs his nose down the side of my face, smiling at the way I shiver. "After all thes...
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THE BEST AND WORST DAY OF MY LIFE BEGINS WHEN I FIRST MEET ROME.
It starts when I go to Academy to talk to Principal Stark. But she's busy in a meeting so the receptionist, Mrs. Doe, makes me wait on one of the cushioned blue chairs outside her office. I pretend to read the magazine she offered me, even though I'm running over the interview questions inside of my head.
Then, the doors swing open. Both at once.
They slam against the adjacent walls, echoing. The pages of the magazine flutter close, but I barely pay attention to it.
Because Rome Abernathy just walks in.
In the purple and white school uniform, the tie undone and shirt slightly unbuttoned, he waves one hand and the doors click shut behind him. He pays no attention to them, or me, as he walks over to Mrs. Doe's desk.
I do my best not to gawk.
Before today, I've only seen Rome Abernathy's sharp jawline and blonde hair on TV. His power of telekinesis - the ability to move objects with your mind - made headlines as soon as the press found about it from when he was five years old and broke all the windows in an apartment by sneezing at them.
And now he's the same room as me.
Me.
Should I introduce myself? Get an autograph?
Rome holds out his palm. A folded pink piece of paper flies out of the inside pocket of his white jacket and into his hand, which he offers to the receptionist. Mrs. Doe glances up at him, sighs heavily and opens one of drawers to get out a blue pen.
She scribbles something on the slip. "This is the third detention this week, Mr. Abernathy."
"What's life without a little danger?" He shrugs, unapologetic, then leans over to inspect Mrs. Doe's eyes. "You look particularly different today, Jane. Are those new glasses?"
"They are, yes."
"Shame. They don't suit you."
I swallow thickly, then go back to pretending to read my magazine.
Rome's voice is colder than I had imagined. And his words crueler. Where was the handsome, smiling man from TV giving us ideas on how to be a good citizen? All of a sudden, I don't want to get his autograph.
"I'll file this," Mrs. Sue says dully. "In the meantime, why don't you sit down and wait?"
"I'll think about it. How's Jack doing?"
"Fine."
"Yeah. Have you talked to him after the divorce settlement? Or has he been too busy with his new girlfriend - what was her name again? Anastasia? - to respond your texts? You know, like the last several months?"
