Secret Lucidity(94)

“It will. And thank you,” she responds with modest perk.

“I guess I’ll see you around then.”

I start to head to class but only make it a few steps when she shouts, “Wait.” I turn back, and she adds, “You never told me your name.”

“Kason. People just call me Kason.”

“Very funny.”

“See you around, Adaline.”

“It’s Ady,” she corrects as I head down the hall to first period, and I chuckle before making a detour that causes me to show up tardy.

I knew I’d never make it the full seven hours.

The day moves along in the same pattern as every day before, but it isn’t until sixth period that I see her again. I sit in my usual seat at the back of the classroom and watch her eyes skitter around the room to find an unoccupied desk. She tucks a lock of hair behind her ear while kids file in behind her.

I typically mind my own business with girls, avoiding interactions that could possibly lead to an interest on their part. It’s safer that way. But for some reason, I decide to put the poor thing out of her misery.

“Adaline.”

She raises her chin and smiles when she spots me.

“I told you, it’s Ady,” she says when she approaches, but I ignore her reminder.

“No one has ever claimed the desk in front of me.”

“Seriously? It’s March.”

“Your point?”

She hangs her bag on the back of the chair and shifts to the side to look at me when she takes her seat. “No point. Just wondering why you’ve sat back here for nearly the whole year by yourself.”

“Maybe I’m a loser.”

She laughs. “That’s a stretch.”

“How so?”

“I saw you at lunch. I can tell you’re not a loser.”

“Spying on me?”

She unzips her bag and takes her notebook out. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m the new girl, remember? It’s kinda my job to be observant.”

I catch Micah from the corner of my eye as he walks down the aisle, and Adaline looks up, following my line of focus.

“You again,” he says to her before taking the seat to my right.

“You’ve already met?”

“Third period English,” he tells me and then turns to her, saying, “And for the sole purpose of you being new, I won’t hold it against you that you’re sitting in my desk.”

She shoots me an annoyed glare, to which I smile.

“In my defense, he told me no one sat here.”

“Figures. This dick would throw anyone under the bus for a good-looking blonde.”

“You think I’m good-looking?” Her tone is playful and full of mockery.

“His words, not mine.”

“That isn’t a denial.”

She then turns in her chair, closing off the conversation, and I’m already somehow intrigued with the new girl and her air of confidence. Looking to my side, Micah mouths she’s hot. I shake my head at him and then open my notebook, trying to redirect my focus when I feel the fangs of urgency bite.

I shift in my seat, hyperaware of my surroundings, but as I take a quick scan of my classmates, I find them all lost in their own conversations.

The teacher calls everyone’s attention and begins her instruction while I struggle to pay attention to the lecture. I take notes and listen, all the while counting down the minutes until the final bell. When the last tick hits, I grab my bag, scrape the legs of my chair against the floor, and rush to get my fix.

“Dude,” Micah calls. “Don’t forget. Indian Rocks tonight.”

“Got it,” I throw over my shoulder, not wanting to look back and risk the chance of catching another glance of her. Sitting behind her and smelling the sweet scent of her shampoo was torture enough. So, I hightail it to my car and speed home to quell what’s starting to feel like a curse.





He runs out of class so fast that I don’t even get a chance to say goodbye. Maybe it’s a good thing. I don’t know how much longer I can put on this charade of the easy breezy self-assured new kid.

“What’s Indian Rocks?” I ask Micah as we’re packing our books.

“Pretty much the only decent place around here to skim.”

“Your words are totally lost on me.”

He drags his hand through his over-grown blond hair and walks with me out of the classroom. “Skimboarding. We’re trying to get our fill before spring break hits and the beaches are filled with kooks for the next few weeks. You should come.”

I have no clue what a kook is, but I nod, feigning understanding because I don’t want to look like a complete moron. “I still have a lot of unpacking to do.”

“Suit yourself, Guppy. But if you change your mind, we’ll be there pretty late.”

“Guppy?”

He laughs. “I could toss you in my pocket and you’d still have room to grow,” he teases of my petite stature. “Gotta run, though. See you later?”

“Maybe. Like I said, still unpacking and all.”

“Micah, come on,” a guy hollers from down the hall, and Micah shoots me a quick, “Later,” before catching up with his friend.