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“Well?” Kira asks, bouncing a little. “Who are they from Little Miss Popular?”
Elara takes the notes from each of the bouquets and opens the one from the white roses first. “It’s from Laith,” she says quietly. “Saying he hopes I get better soon.”
“Laith?” Kira asks sharply.
“Who?” says Jordyn.
“He’s in some of my classes. Kira’s, too.” Which would explain why Kira knows his name, although not why she’s no longer smiling.
“What about the other one?” Jordyn asks, now also bouncing.
Elara opens the second note and has to suppress a frown. “It also says get better soon. But with no name.”
“Ooh, a secret admirer,” says Jordyn.
Elara places the two notes on her bedside table, knowing exactly who sent the second one and not sure whether it’s creepy or sweet. Maybe Kade isn’t as bad as she thought. Maybe the flowers are an apology. Or maybe he’s taking his creepiness to the next level.
“It’s probably just someone who forgot to sign the card.” She glances at Kira, keen to change the subject. “Are you okay? Is your knee hurting you?”
Kira glances at the white roses then quickly looks away and yanks up a smile. “I told you, I’m fine. I plan on practicing my triple pikes again tomorrow.”
Elara smiles at the joke, letting the topic go even though she’s not convinced. Kira’s knee looked badly injured. “So, what did I miss today?”
Kira rolls her eyes. “Soo much. Just for something different, we spent the day going from one large room full of uncomfortable chairs to another, listening to self-important people talk at us. There’s a reason people call them lectures.”
“Wow,” says Elara. “You really lived it up, huh?”
Jordyn rolls her eyes as she pulls out her phone. “I took notes in any classes we have together. The lecture on functional genomics was fascinating. I’ll email them to you now.”
“Thanks.”
Her eyes widen as if she just remembered something. “And the molecular biology talk was canceled. Postponed, actually. It’s happening at the same time next week.”
Elara grins, glad to have some good news for a change. “That’s great!”
Jordyn frowns. “I’d better make sure I pack that special notepad I bought, just for this.” She taps on her phone. “I’ll set a reminder.”
“You two seriously need to look at your definition of fun,” groans Kira.
Their laughter is interrupted by Elara’s mom calling up the stairs. “Dinner’s ready, Elara. There’s plenty if Jordyn and Kira want to stay.”
“We’d love to, Mrs. Holloway!” calls out Kira. In a quieter voice, she says to Elara and Jordyn, “You mom is an amazing cook.”
“True,” says Elara. Her mom loves to cook and it shows. “But then again, anything tastes good after college food.”
Jordyn holds up her fingers, counting each one off. “Porridge, pasta, and pizza.”
Giggling, they descend the stairs and Elara notes that Kira’s knee really is looking better. There’s a slight limp but nothing else. Despite the pain she seemed to be in last night, it must’ve been just a sprain.
Dinner with her friends and her parents is fun, at least until Jordyn brings up the flowers and her “secret admirer.” Elara’s stomach plunges, and she picks at her mashed potatoes. She can’t tell her parents about Kade because they’d flip out about it. And she can’t blame them because she’s flipping out about it too.
What’s more, Kira goes quiet again. Quiet isn’t a word she’s ever associated with her outgoing friend.
“It’s probably just someone from school,” Elara says with false confidence. She doesn’t want her parents to worry, and although Jordyn glances at her and Kira also takes great interest in her mashed potatoes, neither of them says anything, something Elara’s grateful for.
She manages to make it through the rest of dinner without the topic coming up, then excuses herself to head back upstairs, finding she’s tired. With quick hugs, both being careful to avoid Elara’s injured arms, Kira and Jordyn leave.
Up in her room, Elara decides to change into a clean set of pajamas. All she’s done today is sleep, but at least if she gets into something fresh she knows then she’s actually accomplished something. She pulls her curtains closed, pausing when she thinks she sees a flash of movement. But long seconds stretch out with nothing, so she closes them entirely. Probably a neighborhood cat or something.
