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"Why are you here so early?" he asks He doesn’t ask it like he’s accusingsmall talk but I already feel defensive

"Chunk had to be at school early," I say

He nods and grabs the hem of his shirt, then wipes sweat off his forehead "You still coht?"

I think about his question I think really hard, but I’ht that I would need to go to

"Daniel, do you even knohat the hell I’ about?"

I shake my head "No idea," I admit

"Dinner at Sky’s house Karen invited you and Val? They’re having a big welcoetsVal, though We broke up, remember?"

"Yeah, but dinner is still ten hours away You ain by then"

Sky walks up and hands Holder his bag "Daniel, have you seen Six?"

"No," I ilances toward the school, not having noticed the defensiveness infor classes inside" She turns to Holder "I’o find her" She reaches up and kisses him on the cheek, but Holder’s eyes remain on ood

Sky walks away and I begin to walk right behind her, toward the school Holder’s hand lands on my shoulder when I pass him, so I pause I turn around, but it takes me a few seconds to look him in the eyes When I do, he doesn’t look happy

"Daniel?"

I raise an eyebrow to match his expression "Holder?"

"What are you up to?"

"I do not knohat you are talking about," I reply innocently

"You do knohat I a, you do not use contractions when you speak"

I ponder his observation for a few seconds Is that true?

Shit It’s true

I breathe out a heavy breath and dohi at the dirt beneath my feet "I had sex with Val just now In my car I didn’t want you to know because you and Sky seemed excited that we broke up"

Tension releases from Holder’s shoulders and he shakes his head "Dude, I could care less who you date You know that" He begins walking toward the school, so I follow suit "Unless it’s Six," he adds "You aren’t allowed to date Six"

I keep walking forward, even though that comment makes me want to freeze "I have no desire to date Six," I say "She’s not really that cute, anyway"

He stops in his tracks and spins around to face er like he’s about to lecture me "You’re not allowed to talk shit about her, either"

Christ Hiding our relationship fro her, no hating her, no screwing her, no dating her Got it Anything else you want to add?"

He thinks for a second, then lowers his arm "Nope That covers it See you at lunch" He turns and walks inside I glance back to the parking lot in tiives me a quick wave I wave back, then turn and head inside

I walk my tray toward the table and internally rejoice when I see the only available spot is right next to Six She glances at me as I walk up and her eyes smile, but only briefly I set my tray down across from Holder and findthe dinner at Sky’s house tonight, but I’ve had dinner there before Karen doesn’t knohat real food is She’s vegan, so I norh

"Will there be meat?" I ask

Sky nods "Yeah Jack’s actually cooking, so the food should be good I also baked a chocolate cake"

I reach across the table for the salt, even though I don’t need it It gives me an excuse to lean in ridiculously close to Six

"So, Six How do you like your classes?" I ask casually

She shrugs "They’re okay"

"Let me see your schedule"

She narrows her eyes like I’ive her a look to let her know she has nothing to worry about Even if I wasn’t into her, I’ conversation with her

"It sucks we don’t have any classes together," Sky says "Who do you have for History?"

Six pulls her schedule out of her pocket and hands it to me I open it and make a quick scan of the classes, but none are the sa to Sky’s question I hand Six back her schedule and give her a look to let her knoe don’t have any classes together She looks bu

"Can you speak Italian very well?" Breckin asks Six

"Not well at all I speak better Spanish than I do Italian I chose Italy because I had enough funding and I’d rather have spent half a year there than in Mexico"

"Good choice," Breckin says "The men are hotter in Italy"

Six nods "Yes they are," she says appreciatively