Bloodlines (Bloodlines #1)(48)

"How's PE?" Adrian's words dragged me from my own thoughts. He was still getting the summary of school from Jill. She made a face at the question. "Not great," she admitted, giving a recap of some of the worse moments. Eddie shot me a meaningful look, similar to the one from earlier.

"You can't go on like that," exclaimed Lee. "The sun around here's brutal."

"I agree," said Keith, of all people. "Sydney, why didn't you tell me how bad it was?"

I think my jaw hit the floor. "I did! That's why I was trying to get you to contact the school."

"You didn't really give me the whole story." He flashed one of his sugary smiles at Jill. "Don't worry. I'll take care of this for you. I'll get in touch with school officials - and the Alchemists."

"I already talked to them," I argued.

But I might as well have not said anything. Keith had already switched topics and was talking to Clarence about something irrelevant. Where had this about-face come from? Yesterday, Jill's discomfort had been low priority. Today, Keith was her knight in shining armor. And in the process, he was suggesting that I was the one who'd screwed up. That's his plan, I realized. He doesn't want me here. He never has. And then something even worse occurred to me.

He's going to use this to start building a case against me.

Across the room, Adrian caught my eye again. He knew. He'd been eavesdropping when I talked to Keith in the driveway. Adrian started to speak, and I knew he was going to call Keith out on his lie. It was gallant but not what I wanted. I would deal with Keith myself.

"How was LA?" I asked quickly before Adrian had a chance to say anything. He looked at me curiously, no doubt wondering why I wouldn't let him be a witness to my case. "You went there with Lee last night, right?"

Adrian looked confused, but a grin smoothed over his face. "Yeah," he said at last. "It was great. Lee showed me college life."

Lee laughed. "I wouldn't go that far. I don't know where you were half the night."

Adrian got this look on his face that was somehow charming but made me want to slap him at the same time. "We parted ways. I was getting to know some of the other Moroi in the area."

Even Eddie couldn't stay silent at that. "Oh, is that what you call it?"

Jill abruptly stood up. "I'm going to get my blood now. Is that okay?"

There was a moment of awkward silence, largely because I don't think anyone really knew who she was asking permission from. "Of course, my dear," said Clarence, stepping into his role as host. "I believe Dorothy's in the kitchen."

Jill gave a curt nod and hurried out of the room. The rest of us exchanged puzzled glances.

"Is something wrong?" asked Lee, looking worried. "Should I... should I go talk to her?"

"She's still just stressed," I said, not daring to mention the screaming or crying episodes.

"I thought of something that might be fun for her... for all of us to do," he said tentatively. He glanced around and then settled his gaze on me. I guess I was the designated mother here. "If you think it's okay. I mean... it's kind of silly, but I thought we could go mini-golfing in the evening. They've got all these fountains and pools on the course. She's a water user, right? She must be missing it out here."

"She does," said Eddie, frowning. "She mentioned it yesterday."

I shivered. Keith had been texting on his phone and froze. No matter our differences, we still shared a core of similar training, and both of us were uneasy with the idea of Moroi magic.

"She'd probably like that a lot," said Adrian. He sounded reluctant to admit it. I think he was still uneasy with the idea of Lee being interested in Jill, no matter how friendly the two guys were. Lee's idea was both innocent and conscientious. Hard to find fault with.

Lee tilted his head thoughtfully. "You have a later curfew on the weekends, right? Do you want to go tonight?"

It was Friday, granting us an extra hour extension at our dorm. "I'm game," said Adrian. "Literally and figuratively."

"If Jill's there, I'm there," said Eddie.

They looked at me. I was trapped. I wanted to go back and catch up on homework. Saying that sounded pathetic, though, and I supposed I had to represent as Jill's only female chaperone. Besides, I reminded myself, this assignment wasn't about me and my academics, no matter how much I pretended it was. It was about Jill.

"I can go," I said slowly. Thinking that this sounded very much like fraternizing with vampires, I glanced uneasily at Keith. He'd gone back to texting now that magic wasn't being discussed. "Keith?" I asked by way of permission.

He looked up. "Huh? Oh, I can't go. I have to be somewhere."

I tried not to grimace. He'd misread me and thought I was inviting him. On the bright side, he also wasn't objecting to the rest of us going. "Ah, how nice," said Clarence. "An outing for you young people. Perhaps you'll share a glass of wine with me first?" Dorothy was just entering with a bottle of red wine, Jill trailing behind her. Clarence smiled at Adrian. "I know you'd like a glass."

Adrian's expression said he most definitely would. Instead, Adrian took a deep breath and shook his head. "I'd better not."