Page 3 (1/2)

If only I hadn’t pressed hiistered for fall classes, he questioned why I wanted to take econoree I wondered if he had sensed, even then, that this here we’d end up Or if he'd known

"I can’t"

"You can and you will" She ripped the coet to French on time or Monsieur Bidot will question me mercilessly in passé colish God knows I can’t do it en français at ass o’clock in the "

I arrived outside the classroo that Kennedy, habitually punctual, would already be there The classrooh the back door, I spotted hiht was e chart the second week of class, and he used it to take attendance and give credit for class participation I would have to talk with hiain

My eyes scanned the back rows There were two e on his hand,and chattering nonstop to her neighbor The other open seat was on the back row, next to a guy who appeared to be doodling soin of his textbook I turned in that direction at the same time the professor entered a side door below, and the artist raised his head to scan the front of the classrooo If I could’ve moved, I would have turned and fled the classroo back The helplessness The terror The huht, thankful for Erin’s text that she was staying with Chaz I hadn’t told her what Buck had done--partly because I knew she’d feel responsible foret it had happened at all

"If everyone will be seated, we’ll begin" The professor’s state I bolted to the euy

She glanced atin her weekend confession of how trashed she’d been and where and hoh to notice when I slid into the bolted-down chair between them, but he didn’t otherwise move

"Is this seat taken?" I whispered to him

He shook his head andWhatever"

I pulled a spiral fro, relieved I tried not to look at Kennedy, but the angled seatingHis perfectly styled dirty blond hair and the familiar uncreased button-down shirt drew reen plaid next to his striking green eyes I’d known hirade I’d watched him alter his style frouy who sent his fitted shirts out to be pressed, kept his shoes scuff-free, and always looked as though he’d just stepped froazine I’d seen more than one teacher turn her head as he passed before snapping her gaze away from his perfect, off-liether He focused onhis diabouthimself a part of them I’d never been so confidently pursued As our class president, he was familiar to everyone, and he made a concerted effort to become familiar with everyone As an athlete, he was a credit to the baseball tea was in the top ten percent As a uments and an unbeaten record

As a boyfriend, he was patient and attentive, never pushinga birthday or an anniversary Neverme doubt his intentions for us Once ere official, he changedthe wife of Jack Kennedy, his namesake and personal idol

He wasn’t related His parents were just weirdly political--and also at odds with each other He had a sister naan and a brother naone by Jacqueline, and I fought daily to regain that one original part ofI’d given up, or the et back

Between trying to avoid staring at Kennedy for fiftyskipped the class for teeks, ish and uncooperative When class ended, I realized I’d absorbed little of the lecture

I followed Dr Heller to his office, running through various appeals in ive me a chance to catch up Until thatNow that the possibility had become a probability, I was terrified I had never failed a class What would I tell my parents and my advisor? This F would be on ht, Ms Wallace" Dr Heller removed a textbook and a stack of disorderly notes from his battered attaché andthere "State your case"

I cleared my throat "My case?"