Diary of a Teenage Jewel Thief(17)
Monday morning looms like one giant shadow. It doesn’t help any that the morning is a chilly, drizzly one. I suspect we’re in for snow soon, because the temperature seems to have dropped quite a bit just since I woke up two hours ago. I wrap my coat tighter around me and hunch my shoulders to help cover my ears.
Will is a bright spot in my gloomy morning when I meet him at the corner where our two streets intersect on the way to school. He is pacing back and forth on the sidewalk today, looking entirely too awake and energized for a Monday morning. I’m almost surprised he hasn’t worn a permanent groove into the pavement. Maybe something is bothering him.
Between my heavy navy wool coat and light-blue knit cap, Will must not immediately recognize me, because I’m practically on top of him before his eyes land on me and his expression softens. And his pacing stops. “Morning.” His breath mists out with his words.
I nod and offer him a tiny wave as he falls into step beside me. “Morning.”
The silence is heavy this morning, weighted with tension, and I’m not sure what’s causing it. Finally, Will says, “So, I didn’t see you after school on Friday.”
Oh! Suddenly his troubled air makes so much more sense. He’s upset because he thinks I ditched him. I feel bad for a moment but quickly push away the guilt. I never said I would walk with him every day. He just shows up and assumes we’re walking together. As much as I like the guy, and as flattered as I am that he wants to spend time with me, I’m not the kind of girl who will let a guy make her feel guilty for having a life. I choose my words carefully and keep my tone flat. I want to make my point without killing any chance of him wanting to walk with me again. “Yeah, I stayed after for a club.” I pat the camera hanging from my shoulder by its strap.
“Yeah, I waited for a while.” His tone isn’t accusatory, and I can tell he’s trying to cover up the fact that my no-show bothered him. “So, you’re into photography?”
“Yeah, it’s probably going to be a regular thing from now on. You don’t have to wait on club days, if you don’t want.” But secretly, I’m hoping he will.
“Cool,” he says, and we finally fall into that comfortable place where neither of us feels the need to fill the silence.
“Admit it, you missed me.” I have no idea where it came from, but teasing him almost feels natural.
He blushes an adorable shade of pink and ducks his head. “Maybe I did.”
The moment stretches into awkwardness, and I scramble for something to say to move us back into comfortable conversation. “I don’t think I’m going to be very good at photography.” I duck my head as soon as the words are out of my mouth. I didn’t mean to be self-deprecating. I’m not usually that girl.
“Why do you say that?” Even without looking at him, I can tell Will is studying me intently.
I steel my features against his perusal. “I don’t know. We’re all supposed to get a shot using shadow as the theme, but I’m having trouble coming up with anything good.”
Will is silent for a moment. Then, “Nah, flower, I don’t think that’s lack of talent. I think it’s just because you don’t know the area well enough to find your perfect picture.”
That makes sense. I spent the weekend taking pictures, but they were all from within the confines of my apartment. What if I wasn’t devoid of all original inspiration but just missing the muse because she wasn’t hanging out at home with me? “Maybe.”
“You know what that means?”
I didn’t. “Um…”
“We’re just going to have to spend some time scoping out the neighborhood so you can get those primo photo ops like a true local. Right?” Will is all charm, and a smile tugs at the corners of my lips.
Truth be told, spending a few hours touring the Upper West Side with Will sounds great. “Right.”
“Then it’s settled.” He wraps an arm loosely around my shoulders, resting on my backpack. “Today after school, I’m showing you all the best places, and you’re going to get your shadow picture.”
I can’t wait.
…
I’m on my way into the cafeteria when Trin jogs up next to me. “Hey, girl! We have the same lunch period. How cool is that?”
And for the first time since I started school here last week, I’m actually looking forward to lunch. It’s funny what a difference having a friend around can make. “Pretty cool. Does Lacey have second lunch?”
Trin’s halfway through fixing her hair and has an oversize spider clip hanging out of her mouth, so her only response to my question is a shake of her head and a muffled, “Uhn-uh.”
“That sucks.”
“Tell me about it. We’ve been friends since eighth grade, and this is the first time we’ve ever not had the same lunch.” She loops an arm through mine and tugs me along toward the food line. “But now I have you, so it’s all good.”
I grab a tray and set it on the metal counter. Trin takes a tray, leans around me to peer at today’s food offerings, and wrinkles her nose in disgust. Then she returns her tray to the stack.
“You’re not gonna eat?” I ask, but as I look down the line, I see why. The main entree is an unidentifiable meat smothered in lumpy gravy, and the sides are carrots that look like they might be left over from last week and mashed potatoes that by all appearances probably have the consistency of soup.