Page 3 (2/2)

He looked at her, then rolled his eyes heavenward "Can I take the Fifth on that?" he said As Elena’s face fell, he added, "It doesn’t have anything to do with that new guy, does it?"

"No," Elena said after a hesitation, and then added quickly, "I haven’t even met him yet I don’t know him"

"But you want to No, don’t say it" He put an arently turned her "Come on, let’s head toward school If we have tihnut"

As they walked, so thrashed in the walnut tree above theest crow I’ve ever seen"

Elena looked, but it was already gone

School that day was merely a convenient place for Elena to review her plan

She had woken up this athered as much information as she could on the subject of Stefan Salvatore Which wasn’t hard, because everyone at Robert E Lee was talking about hie that he’d had some sort of run-in with the admissions secretary yesterday And today he’d been called to the principal’s office So about his papers But the principal had sent hi-distance call to Ro seemed to be settled now Officially, at least

When Elena arrived for Euro History class that afternoon, she was greeted by a lohistle in the hall Dick Carter and Tyler S there A couple of prize jerks, she thought, ignoring the whistle and their staring They thought being tackle and safety on the varsity football team made them hot stuff She kept an eye on the her lipstick and fiddling with her coiven Bonnie her special instructions, and the plan was ready to be put into effect as soon as Stefan showed up The coave her a wonderful view of the hall behind her

Still, shesomehow He was beside her suddenly, and she snapped the co happened before she could Stefan tensed-or, at least, there was so about him that seemed wary all at once Just then Dick and Tyler stepped in front of the door to the history classrooht Elena Fulared at thea they were co there

"Excuse me" It was the same tone he’d used with the history teacher Quiet, detached

Dick and Tyler looked at each other, then all around, as if hearing spirit voices

"Scoozi?" Tyler said in a falsetto "Scoozi hed

Elena watched hten under the T-shirt in front of her This was completely unfair; they were both taller than Stefan, and Tyler was about twice as broad

"Is there a problem here?" Elena was as startled as the boys were at the new voice behind her She turned to see Matt His blue eyes were hard

Elena bit her lips on a smile as Tyler and Dick moved slowly, resentfully out of the way Good old Matt, she thought But now good old Matt alking into class beside Stefan, and she was left following the at the backs oftwo T-shirts When they sat down, she slid into the desk behind Stefan, where she could watch hi watched herself Her plan would have to wait until after class

Matt was rattling change in his pocket, which an at last, uncohed It was a bitter sound "Who ae?" There was more emotion in his voice than Elena had heard before, even when he had spoken to Mr Tanner And that emotion was raw unhappiness "Anyhy should I be welcome here?" he finished, almost to hi at Stefan; now his jaw squared with decision

"Listen," he said "You were talking about football yesterday Well, our star wide receiver tore a ligament yesterday afternoon, and we need a replacement Tryouts are this afternoon What do you think?"

"Me?" Stefan sounded caught off guard "Ah I don’t know if I could"

"Can you run?"

"Can-?" Stefan half turned toward Matt, and Elena could see a faint hint of a smile curve his lips "Yes"

"Can you catch?"

"Yes" "That’s all a wide receiver has to do I’m the quarterback If you can catch what I throw and run with it, you can play"

"I see" Stefan was actually alh Matt’sAstonished at herself, Elena realized she was jealous There was a warmth between the two boys that shut her out completely

But the next instant Stefan’s smile disappeared He said distantly, "Thank you but no I have other commitments"

At that mohout Tanner’s lecture on Europe,

Elena repeated to herself, "Hello I’ Coned to show you around the school Now, you wouldn’t want to getme do my job?" That last ide, wistful eyes-but only if he looked like he et out of it It was virtually foolproof He was a sucker for h class, the girl sitting to her right passed her a note Elena opened it and recognized Bonnie’s round, childish handwriting It read: "I kept C away for as long as I could What happened? Did it work???"

Elena looked up to see Bonnie twisted around in her front-row seat Elena pointed to the note and shook her head, , "After class"

It seeave some last-minute instructions about oral reports and disoes, thought Elena, and, with her heart pounding, she stepped squarely into Stefan’s path, blocking the aisle so that he couldn’t get around her

Just like Dick and Tyler, she thought, feeling a hysterical urge to giggle She looked up and found her eyes exactly on a level with his mouth

Her mind went blank What was it she was supposed to say? She opened herca out "Hi, I’ Coned-"

"I’m sorry; I don’t have ti, that he wasn’t even going to give her a chance to finish Her ht on with the speech

"-to show you around the school-"

"I’et to football tryouts" Stefan turned to Matt, as standing by looking aht after school, didn’t you?"

"Yes," Matt said slowly "But-"

"Then I’d better getMaybe you could show me the way"

Matt looked helplessly at Elena, then shrugged "Well sure Colanced back once as they left Stefan didn’t

Elena found herself looking around at a circle of interested observers, including Caroline, as openly s Elena felt a numbness in her body and a fullness in her throat She couldn’t stand to be here for one more second She turned and walked as quickly as she could from the room