Page 16 (1/2)

I bounced up and down, freezing and nervous as I waited in line to get on I didn’t see a single sign of anything yellow and glowing, except for the bus’s lights I wasn’t going to letto be very careful and stay close to someone at all times

A first forabout here

By the tile seat had someone in it Great Where was I supposed to sit?

The little orange lights on the ceiling spotlighted down onfor someone to sit by I’d never talked to anyone besides Aislin and Alex And Aislin was already sitting by so a black beanie My only other option was to sit by Alex because, of course, he was sitting alone

As I deliberated whether or not sitting by hi a seat with Anna Miller and Sarah Monroe, all of theht-year-old triplets or so

Kelsey smirked up at me "Lost?" she asked vindictively

I should have knoas co next, but I was too distracted with the whole where-should-I-sit dile out into the aisle right in front of me I had very little time to react I stumbled clumsily over her boot, but fortunately, for the sake of face planting it onto the ground right in front of everyone, I ed to brace myself on the back of a seat

"You’re such a Loser" She snickered

The urge to slap the s volcano about to erupt I felt the prickle poke at the back of o head At least that’s how I chose to take it I liftedit down, a set of warlittered lowered at hirateful I , except forsuspended from school

Still, I felt the need to protest "I didn’t need your help" I jerked my arm away from him

"Noe both know that’s not true" He s exactly? Hitting her?"

"No," I lied

He stared at me, unconvinced

I folded my arms across my chest "Well, so what if I was? She would have deserved it"

He laughed and shook his head "You and your teued, which yes, I knoas a lie I did have a teer by the ot unleashed a couple ofto be a little intense

"I beg to differ," he said

I rolled my eyes "Whatever"

Then we just stared at each other Through the sounds of people talking, I thought I could h

"You know," he said, leaning back in the seat, "ere getting along pretty well the other day It seeain"

I turned to face hi to happen is if you tellto Sophia about"

"I can’t," he said simply

"Why not?"

"Because I just can’t"

"That’s it? That’s your answer?"

He nodded "It’s the only answer I can give you"

I threw my hands in the air exasperatedly "But you’ve told "

He actually looked a little sad "I know"

The bus jerked forward and the lights went out It got dark Really, really dark

And then, ere off

I turned away from Alex, tried not to think about the fact that I was about to break the proo back to the entle buzz of sparks lullinto Star Grove, a small park that resided at the bottom of the foothills It was surrounded by tons of trees, and I suddenly wished I’d gone ho lot, I should have jumped in my car, drove back to ain

But instead, here I was, sitting in a bus that had taken et distracted If I hadn’t been so caught up with atteht things through better and jumped off the bus before it pulled away

But I didn’t And noas stuck on a bus next to Alex I wished he’d just tellon I wished I could trust him It would have been nice to have someone I could trust and be able to confide in about the yellow-eyed ht But it was only wishful thinking And whether wishes werestar, they never cae, plowed-out area, in the center of Star Grove, telescopes were scattered about As soon as we stepped off the bus, Alex darted off to the closest one But Aislin protested, insisting that if ent up front then we’d have a "better view" I’ue because the closer to the front ere meant the farther ere frolove covered hand on top of a telescope "What about this one? Does it work for everyone?"

Alex shook his head and let out a frustrated sigh "You’re the one who is being picky Aislin, so just choose one already Gemma and I were fine with the first one"

Aislin tapped her finger on her chin as she looked down at the telescope, then up at the sky, then at Alex "Well…if this one’s okay with you guys, then I’d like to use it It’s got a great view"