“Harper,” he said through clenched teeth, “if you pull money out of that bag, I’m going to scream.”
I tensed, every muscle tightening, tears pricking my eyes.
“You can’t do that,” I whispered. “You can’t just saynothing. For weeks. And then expect me to guess that you have…feelingsbecause we had one moment at the bonfire. It doesn’t work that way.”
Orion swiveled to look at me, his eyes boring into mine. “I screwed up,” he said. “I admit it. I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing. But are you honestly telling me you never felt anything? That you don’t feel something right now?”
My jaw worked soundlessly, and my mouth went dry, but before Icould formulate a coherent thought, Langford breezed in.
“Sorry, sorry. NoSci meeting ran late.” He dumped his portfolio on his desk and beamed at Orion. “Speaking of, so glad you joined us, Mr. Mercer! As the deadline approached, I’d begun to worry you were going to skip out.”
Orion hunched his shoulders. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“That’s the spirit. We expect great things from you.” Langford’s smile on Orion was like a spotlight on the star performer before he moved on to explain today’s lab.
“I thought youweregoing to skip it,” I whispered.
“That was the plan,” Orion whispered back, not looking at me. “Then a surprise visit from Father changed the plan.”
So that was his mystery phone call. The tension—that snake that coiled in my guts, sending its adrenaline poison coursing through my veins—–struck again.
He’s going to win. He’s going to win just because of his name…
Screw that. I’d just have to work harder. Later late nights. Weekends…
“No one is going to fuck with you again,” Orion whispered suddenly, picking up his bag. “I’ve seen to that. And I’m sorry for everything that happened already. They’re all pricks.” He shook his head, the exhaustion falling over him again. “Maybe I am too.”
And without another word, he strode out of the classroom.
“Orion?” Langford turned to me. “Something happen, Harper?”
“I…think he’s not feeling well.”
“Ah. It happens to the best of us. Can you handle the lab alone?”
“Sure.”
“Excellent.” Langford beamed at me, then bent to speak in a low voice only I could hear. “I’m very much looking forward to the two of you going toe to toe for the NoSci. I have a feeling it’s going to be a tight race.”
He shot me a wink and started his lecture. I shivered and tried to ignore the itchy feeling I always got around Langford and eyed thedoor. I wanted to follow Orion, to talk this out properly, but I was pretty sure if I bolted from class, I’d get a summons to the VP office to explain why. And the last thing I needed was a mark on my exemplary record.
I couldn’t afford one mistake.
Orion didn’t return to chem and was absent in history and piano too. I could hardly concentrate. The events of the last two days were boiling in my mind like some weird stew of good and bad, horrible and wonderful. My busted car and Dash’s laughter. My mother’s behavior and then chemistry.
Us.
There might’ve been and now there wasn’t.
Because it’s impossible, I thought, calling an Uber to take me to Ralph’s Repair to pick up my car. I’d go get Dash, because my mother couldn’t. Because she was working into the nightat a dentist’s officewhose normal business hours ended at five. Because I had a contest to win and a 4.0 to maintain. Because a storm was coming.
I could feel it.
Mom was going to fall off the wagon, if she hadn’t already. Or she was having an affair with Hensley, and that was going to crash and burn, and I’d have to pick up the pieces. Another round of her chaos, and it was going to take everything I had to survive it.
Everything.
***
