The Life I'm Running From

43\ I Can't Get You Out of My Head

My mood crashed the next few days. Significantly. Peter wasn't talking to me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk to him. Everything we knew about Ravenyx's targets we had to rip up, because now she definitely knew we had seen her plans. So we had no leads, little information, and no next move.

Charlie, Adriana and Skylar had no idea why I was so grumpy, but learned to just stop mentioning it. They suggested hanging out, getting ice cream, going to a movie, but I wasn't in the mood.

Harley was still trying to be helpful, even though my cast was off. Pretending to like him was only driving me crazy. I didn't want to date him. I didn't care about him.

I cared about Peter. And I wanted to talk to Peter.

But he wasn't taking my calls.

The noise of the hallway felt like bouncing balls racketing around in my head. I was waiting against the wall, my backpack squashed behind me. Harley swung his locker shut, and dodged around a group of sophomores to stand beside me.

"Thanks for waiting." He went to kiss my cheek, but I moved my head away. Something flickered in his eyes. Uncertainty.

"Are we ready to leave?" I pulled my backpack strap up higher on my shoulder. Down at the end of the hallway I could see a group of cheerleaders. They were gathered around Miranda, cheer captain. She was tossing her hair with an air of superiority around her, and I wondered whose life she was going to screw over next.

Harley bent over to open his backpack. "I've just got to check that I have all my books. Then we can go."

I sighed, leaning my head back against the white brick wall. The cheerleaders were making their way down this way, and I recognized Zoe Lucky—my new/old Physics partner—and Gwen Richards. Taylie was nowhere in sight, but that was probably because she had deemed Miranda as her new enemy after the other girl stole her place as cheer captain.

"Hey McKinnley, I've been meaning to talk to you."

In front of me, the cheerleaders had stopped. They weren't talking, and all staring at Miranda as she stared at me. "We were going to go shopping, right? I remember talking about it, and we just never got around to it."

I closed my eyes, wishing that they would all just disappear. The last thing I wanted to do now was go shopping with the girl who ruined Adriana's reputation.

Miranda was waiting for me to say something, but I didn't feel like replying. Harley stood up, and I looked at him instead. He also, was not the person I wanted to be next to right now.

"We should get going, or the bus will leave us," Harley said. He ran a hand through his hair, and the other reached for my hand. I reluctantly intertwined my fingers with his, and let him pull me a step away from Miranda. I'd rather him than her, any day. But if I really got to choose anyone, neither of them would make the top ten. Maybe not even the top fifteen.

"Wait, McKinnley. You didn't answer me." Miranda placed a hand on her hip, and smirked. "It's almost like you're ignoring me."

"I'd like to be."

Harley coughed into his hand, too surprised to remember to breathe. Miranda's eyes flashed. "Don't you remember? We talked. The restaurant, before we saw that movie, Harley brought you. Right Harley?"

His eyes widened like a deer in headlights, in a cute comical way. I watched him look at me, and then at her, wordless motions forming on his lips.

Miranda's nostrils flared. "Right, Harley?"

He ducked his head, and mumbled something incoherent. I'm sure he was wishing he hadn't bothered to check his backpack. I had been wishing that too, but now I think there are a few words I'd like to have with Miranda.