I laughed, and my anger melted like Sophies makeup in July. In fact, I almost felt sorry for herbut not too sorry to dangle that little nugget of information in front of my cousin the next time she flirted with Nash in front of me.
The quad was actually a long rectangle, surrounded on three sides by various wings of the school building, with the cafeteria entrance on the end of one long wall. The fourth side opened up to the soccer and baseball practice fields at the rear of the campus.
Emma had claimed a table in the far corner, mostly sheltered from the wind by the junction of the language and science halls. I sat on the bench opposite her, and Nash slid in next to me. His leg touched mine from hip to knee, which was enough to keep me warm from the inside out, in spite of the chilly, intermittent breeze at my back.
Emma had claimed a table in the far corner, mostly sheltered from the wind by the junction of the language and science halls. I sat on the bench opposite her, and Nash slid in next to me. His leg touched mine from hip to knee, which was enough to keep me warm from the inside out, in spite of the chilly, intermittent breeze at my back.
Whats with the dance team? Emma asked as I bit the point off my slice of pizza. They came through here a minute ago, squealing and bouncing around like someone poured hot sauce in their leotards.
I laughed and nearly choked on a chunk of pepperoni. They won the regional championship on Saturday. Sophies been insufferable ever since.
So how long will they be squeaking like squirrels?
Holding up one finger, I chewed and swallowed another bite before answering. The state championship is next month. After that, there will either be more irrepressible squealing, or inconsolable tears. Then its over until May, when they audition for next years team. Regardless, I would mourn the end of the competition season right along with Sophie. Dance-team practices took up most of her spare time for several months of the year, giving me some much-coveted peace and quiet while she was out of the house.
And, as spoiled and arrogant as she was, Sophie was totally dedicated to the team. She gave the other dancers more respect than shed ever seen fit to waste on me, and the dedication and punctuality she showed them were the only evidence Id seen in thirteen years that she had a single responsible bone in that infuriatingly graceful body.
Plus, most of her teammates could drive, and someone always seemed willing to give her a ride. After the state championship, Sophie would go back to daily ballet classes, and now that I had a car, I was fairly certain her parents would make me drive her to and from. Like I had nothing better to do with my time. And my gas money.
Well, heres hoping we all go deaf either way. Emma held her bottled water aloft, and Nash and I clinked our cans into it. So She screwed the lid back on her bottle. Heard anything new about that girl from Arlington?
Nash frowned, his brows lowered over eyes more brown than green at the moment.
Yeah. I dropped the remains of my pizza onto my tray and picked up a bruised red apple. Her name was Alyson Baker. Happened just like Jimmy said. She fell over dead, and the cops have no idea what killed her.
Was she drinking? Emma asked, obviously thinking about Heidi Anderson.
Nope. She wasnt on anything either. Nash gestured with the crust of his first slice. But she has nothing to do with the first, right? He glanced my way, brows raised now in question. I mean, you didnt predict this one. You never even saw her, right?
I nodded and took the first bite out of my apple. He was right, of course.
But there was an obvious connection between the two girls: they were both dead with no apparent cause. The local news knew that. Emma knew it. I knew it. Only Nash seemed oblivious. Or at least uninterested.
Emma pointed at him with the business end of a plastic fork, her porcelain face twisted into an equally beautiful mask of disbelief. So you dont think its weird that two girls have dropped dead in the past two days?
He sighed and pulled the tab from his empty soda can, watching it, rather than either of us. I never said it wasnt weird. But I dont get this morbid obsession you two have with those poor girls. Theyre gone. You didnt know either of them. Let them rest in peace.
I rolled my eyes and peeled the vendors sticker from my apple. Were not disturbing their rest.
And its not obsessionits caution, Emma countered, aiming her water bottle at him like a conductors baton. No one knows how they died, and Im not buying the coincidence angle. That could be either one of us tomorrow. Her gaze turned my way, clearly including me among the potential victims ofumdropping dead for no reason. Or any one of them. She nodded toward the cafeteria, and I turned to see Sophie and several of her friends bounce down the steps in the company of half a dozen jocks in matching green-and-white jackets.
Youre totally overreacting. Nash pushed his tray away and twisted on the bench to face us both. Its just a weird coincidence that has nothing to do with us.
What if its not? I demanded, and even I recognized the pain in my voice. I couldnt let go of the possibility that I could have helped. Could maybe have saved Heidi, if Id only said something. No one knows what happened to those girls, so you cant possibly know it wont happen again.
Nash closed his eyes, as if gathering his thoughts. Or maybe his patience. Then he opened them and looked at first Emma, then me. No, I dont know what happened to either of them, but the cops will figure it out sooner or later. They probably died of totally different, completely unrelated illnesses. An aneurism, or a freak teenage heart attack. And Ill bet you my Xbox that they have nothing to do with each other.
His eyes narrowed on mine then, and he took my hand in both of his. And they have nothing to do with you.
Then how did she know it was going to happen? Emma stared at us both, brown eyes wide. Kaylee knew that first girl was going to die. Id say that makes her pretty deeply involved.
Okay, yes. Nash turned from me to glare at her. Kaylee knew about Heidi. Thats weird, and creepy, and sounds like the plot from some cheesy horror movie
Hey! I elbowed Nash, and he shot me a dimpled grin.
Sorry. But she asked. My point is that your premonition is the only weird part of this. The rest is just coincidence. A total fluke. Its not going to happen again.
I pulled my hand from his grasp. What if youre wrong?
Nash frowned and ran his fingers through his artfully mussed hair, but before he could answer, a hand dropped onto my shoulder and I jumped.
Trouble in paradise? Sophie asked, and I looked up to find her beaming at Nash over my head.
Nope. Were all shiny and happy here, thanks, Emma said when I couldnt unclench my teeth long enough to reply.
Hey, Hudson. A green-sleeved arm slid around Sophies shoulders, and I found myself staring at Scott Carter, the first-string quarterback and my cousins current plaything. Makin new friends?
Nash nodded. You know Emma, right?
Carters jaw tightened as his eyes settled on my best friend. He knew her, all right. Emma had turned him down cold over the summer, then dumped a Slushie on his shirt at the Cinemark when he refused to take the hint. If anyone other than Jimmy had been working with her, shed probably have been reported and fired.
Nashs hand curled around mine. And this is Kaylee.
Carters eyes turned my way, for probably the first time ever, and his smile returned as his gaze traveled from my face to the front of my shirt. Which he could probably see straight down, since he was standing. Sophies sister, right?
Cousin, Sophie and I said in unison. It was the only thing we agreed on.
Hey, were taking my dads boat out on White Rock Lake Friday night. You two should come.
She cant. Sophie sneered at me, curling her arm through Carters. She has to work.
As if it were a dirty word. Though personally, after what Emma had to say about him, Id rather spend all night scraping gum from the underside of theater chairs than spend one minute on Carters fathers boat.
As if it were a dirty word. Though personally, after what Emma had to say about him, Id rather spend all night scraping gum from the underside of theater chairs than spend one minute on Carters fathers boat.
Well catch you next time, Nash said, and Carter nodded as Sophie tugged him toward a table at the front of the quad, already swarming with green-and-white jackets.
Wow. Emma whistled softly. He is such a dick. He just looked down your shirt with Sophie and Nash both standing there. Thats a jock for you.
Were not all bad, Nash said, but he looked distinctly unamused by both Carters optical invasion and Emmas commentary on it.
Without his teammates around, it was easy to forget that Nash played football. Baseball too. What could he possibly want with me, while girls like Sophie were standing in line to drool all over him?
Dont you usually sit over there? I asked, nodding toward the green-and-white bee swarm. Wed sat with the jocks earlier in the year, when Emma was going out with one of the linebackers, but honestly, the noise and constant posturing got on my nerves.
You two are much better company. Nash grinned, pulling me closer, but for once, I barely noticed. Something in that crowd of matching jackets had snagged my attention. Something feltwrong.
Nooo! It couldnt happen again! Nash had said it wouldnt!
But already the first tendrils of panic were prickling the inside of my flesh.
The edges of my vision went dark, as if death hovered just out of sight. My heart hammered. My skin tingled, and my hands curled into fists. Nash flinched and pulled his hand from mine. Id forgotten I was holding it and had drawn blood from his palm.
Kaylee? His voice was thick with concern, but I couldnt look away from the green-and-white crowd. Couldnt concentrate on him while panic thundered through my head and guilt clawed at my heart. Someone was going to die. I could feel it, but I couldnt tell who yet. The jackets blended into one another, like a herd of Technicolor zebras, individuals hiding among the mingling multitude.