Page 23 (1/2)

"Is everything okay over here?" Steven laid his tan pal-brown-eyed you-can-tell-me nod

But Luce was still nervous around him after what he'd said to her and Dawn on the life raft the other day Nervous enough that she'd even avoided bringing it up again with Dawn

"Everything's great," Shelby responded She took Luce by the elbow and jerked her toward the deck, where so their mock interviews "Luce and I were just about to talk r?sum?s"

Francesca appeared behind Steven "Miles," she said softly, "Jasmine still needs a partner if you'd like to pull up a desk next to her"

A few desks down, Jasree on who should play indie starlet and who should play"--her voice dropped an octave--"casting director So she abandoned me for Roland"

Miles looked disappointed "Casting director," he " He headed o to join his partner, and Luce watched hio

With the situation di used, Francesca steered Steven back to the front of the room But even as he walked beside Francesca, Luce could feel hi her

She subtly checked her phone Callie still hadn't texted her back This wasn't like her, and Luce blamed herself Maybe it would be better for both of them if Luce just kept her distance It was only for a little while

She followed Shelby outside to a seat on the wooden bench built into the curve of the deck The sun was bright in the clear sky, but the only part of the deck that wasn't already packed with students was under the cool shade of a towering redwood Luce brushed a layer of dull green needles o the bench and zipped her chunky sweater a little higher on her neck

"You were really cool about everything last night," she said in a low voice "I wasfreaking out"

"I know," Shelby laughed "You were all--" Shezoh My one chance to learn so about my past, and I totally choked"

"You Southerners and your guilt" Shelby gave a one-shouldered shrug "You gotta cut yourself some slack I'eezers came from Maybe even some who aren't so close to death's door" Before Luce's face could collapse, Shelby added, "All I' down another fa on me Luce, it's kinda weird"

"Shelby," Luce whispered suddenly, through clenched teeth "Don't est,in the long shadow cast by an enor Luce's eyes, Shelby looked out at the ground The Announcer was using the real shadow of the tree as ca

"It looks sick, or skittish, or, I don't know " Shelby trailed o , curling her lip "There's so past Shelby at the staircase winding down to the ground level of the lodge Below them were a bunch of unpainted wooden supports that propped up the deck If Luce could get hold of the shadow, Shelby could join her under the deck before anyone saw anything She could help Luce glie and they could make it back upstairs in time to rejoin the class

"You're not seriously considering what I think you're seriously considering," Shelby said "Are you?"

"Keep watch up here for a minute," Luce said "Be ready when I call you"

Luce descended a few steps, so that her head was just level with the deck where the rest of the students were busy carrying out their interviews Shelby had her back to Luce She'd give a sign if anyone noticed Luce was gone

Luce could hear Dawn in the corner, ad-libbing with Roland: "You knoas stunned when I was nominated for a Golden Globe "

Luce looked back at the darkness stretched out along the grass It occurred to her to wonder whether the other students had seen it But she couldn't worry about that She asting tiood ten feet away, but where she stood close to the deck, Luce was shielded from the other students' eyes It would be too obvious if she walked right over to it She was going to have to try to coax it o the ground and over to her without using her hands And she had no idea how to do that

That hen she noticed the gure leaning up against the other side of the redwood tree Also hidden from the view of the students on the deck

Ca to himself like he didn't have a care in the world Except that he was covered entirely in blood and gore His hair was matted to his forehead, his arms were scratched and bruised His T-shirt et and stained with sweat, and his jeans were splattered too He looked lthy and disgusting, as though he'd just eed from battle Only, there was no one else around--no bodies, no anything Just Cam

He winked at her

"What are you doing here?" she whispered "What did you do?" Her head swa o his bloodied clothes

"Oh, just saved your life Again How arette "Today it was Miss Sophia's crew, and I can't say I didn't enjoy it Bloody otten out that you're here And that you like to wander into that dark forest unchaperoned" He pointed

"You just killed the up at the deck to see whether Shelby, or anyone, could see the up at the deck to see whether Shelby, or anyone, could see them No

"A couple of them, yes, just noith my oo hands" Ca red and sliree the woods are lovely, Luce, but they're also full of things that want you dead So do et to ask usts me"