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My stomach drops. If for a moment I thought I could get out of the friend zone, it was erased with that comment.
“Yeah.” I swallow past the hard knot in my throat. “She is.”
“Though you two seem a little mismatched.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know. Just an observation.” He shrugs. “You’re just so... sweet.” His features soften. “And kind of quiet. Where Lulu...”
“Is not. I know. But I calm her crazy and she pulls me out of my comfort zone and forces me to live a little. It works out.”
“That’s good. You need friends that can challenge you.” He straightens back in his seat. “And friends that can reel you in when you need it,” he adds, right as the bell rings and the teacher brings the class to a start.
My mind spins the entire period. I can’t focus. Can’t concentrate on a single thing. I think back to Chemistry. The way Alec and I laughed. The way he smiled when he accidently brushed my hand and how he looked at me when I was trying really hard to concentrate.
It was almost like he could see me.
Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Lulu to come into his mind and like clockwork, I slowly faded into the background.
It’s clear he’s interested in her. Of course he is. I was foolish to think he would see little ol’ me with Lulu’s bright light blinding him from anything else.
I’m quiet as we make our way out of class forty-five minutes later. If Alec senses something is wrong, he doesn’t let on. Then again, he doesn’t really know me that well.
“Where is your locker?” he asks, his long strides easily keeping pace with my much shorter ones.
“Over by the east entrance. You?”
“Same. I think.” He looks around the hallway. “Wait, remind me what classes are on the east side.”
“The one’s that aren’t on this side.” I smile up at him, not able to help myself.
“Right. Because this is the west side.” He chuckles to himself. “I’ll get it eventually.”
“It seems a little overwhelming at first. When I was a freshman it took me an entire week to remember where every class was. This place is like a maze.”
“It really is,” he agrees. “My old school was bigger but more straight forward. Two floors. Two main hallways. You get the jist.”
“Do you miss it? California, I mean?” I turn right down one hallway and then immediately turn left, Alec staying with me.
“Yes and no. I miss my house. I miss my friends. And I miss the ocean. Which is kind of weird considering it was a two-hour drive to the nearest beach. It’s not like I lived super close and got to see it all the time.”
“But that’s not the point, is it? Youcouldgo see it. Now you’d have to drive five times that to see the ocean. I’ve heard when you live that close, you can smell the sea in the air.”
“I never really noticed, but it definitely smells different here. Dryer, if that’s even a thing.”
“You’ll get used to it. Though I’m purely speculating because I’ve never lived anywhere else before. I’ve lived in Hensley my entire life.”
“That’s not such a bad thing. Kind of nice to live somewhere where you know everything and everyone.”
“Yeah.” I shrug. “I guess there’s an upside to it. Though I don’t plan to stay here forever. I’ve got big plans for my life.”
“Is that so?” He comes to a stop next to me when I reach my locker.
“It is. I’m moving to New York after graduation.”
“And what’s in New York?”
“Only the best Culinary Institute in the country.” I spin the dial of my combination lock.
