Mindsiege (Mindspeak #2)(32)

But who? And why? Who was Sandra to Jonas and this mystery control freak?

“Hey, you,” Danielle said, interrupting my thoughts as she plopped into the chair diagonal from me. Her long blond hair was in a low, side ponytail, and draped halfway down her chest. Based on the yoga pants and fitted top, she had been to yoga class. “Why are you hiding in here?”

I looked around. “Hiding? I’m sitting out in the open on the main floor of the library, Dani.”

“It’s Friday afternoon. No one studies”—she lifted the corner of the book lying across my lap—“Advanced Biology on the weekend. You’re hiding from something. Or someone.” She raised a single brow.

I wasn’t hiding from anything. I couldn’t hide from Jonas. Why bother? He’d find me.

When I didn’t respond to her, she said, “Something happen between you and Jack?”

I studied her brown eyes. “No. Why?”

“I don’t know. You seem depressed or something. I’ve never seen you depressed. And since you’ve never been in love before Jack, I thought maybe he was the reason.” She reached out and gave my knee a playful knock. “If he did something, you know I can help. I know people.” Dani wiggled her eyebrows, giving me the signal that she’d have “her people” cut his legs off if I just said the word.

Finally, I gave in and laughed out loud. “No, Jack didn’t do anything.” I shook my head, then focused back on my best friend and roommate for the past six years. My normal friend. “Dani, why did your parents send you to Wellington?”

Dani seemed to shift in her seat at my question. “What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve been here almost as long as I have, but I don’t know much about your parents.” Other than that they never showed much involvement in her academic choices.

“Wellington kids don’t know each others’ parents. That’s how it’s always been.” She looked down, wringing her hands in her lap. “Well, except for your father, I guess.”

It was somewhat of an honor system at Wellington. We were never supposed to ask about Wellington students’ histories or their families. I’d known Dani’s parents were strict with her, but fairly absentee at the same time—like Dad in a lot of ways. Dani and I had spent many holidays and summers together at school. And when she did leave for holidays, she always traveled somewhere exotic, like Switzerland for skiing or Maui for scuba diving. Never home.

The only thing I knew for sure about her parents was that her father loved thoroughbred horse racing. “So, is your father in for the Keeneland October race meet?”

“Probably.” She chewed on a cuticle and scanned the room behind me. When her eyes found me again, she asked, “So, you going to study all night?”

I narrowed my gaze when she changed the subject, but decided to back off the interrogation. Why was I giving her such a hard time anyway? She’d been my best friend forever and ever. “Uh… no,” I answered.

“And nothing’s wrong with you and Jack?”

“No.” I shook my head to reinforce the answer.

“Good.” She stood and reached for my hand. “Then we’re going out.” She pulled me out of my chair.

“Out?”

“Yeah. Well, sort of. Not quite out out, but a double date.” Though her voice was upbeat, her shoulders slumped. “We were going to venture outside the confines of this place. Wellington lifted our security lockdown.”

“They did?” I knew they had. That was the only reason I agreed to stay at Wellington. Though I wasn’t sure I should be leaving the safety of the electric fence and dorm security guards just yet. I still wasn’t sure who had tried to kill me. Still, it was nice knowing we could get out if we desired, yet tough for outsiders to get in. “But we’re not going now?”

“No, apparently Jack squashed the idea.” She raised her hand and gnawed on a cuticle, then with a slight wave of her hand said, “Something about your safety and there being more to the truck that ran you off the road last week.”

“Jack said that?” I picked up my Advanced Biology book and hugged it against my chest.

Dani nodded. “You don’t think you’re still in danger, do you?”

“No.” I tried to put truth behind my words. “I think we’re okay inside Wellington. Jack’s just being overprotective.” I smiled. “So… who might Jack and I be doubling with?”

She looked down at her feet. I’d never seen her so shy about a boy in my life. “Kyle and me.”

I pulled her into a hug. It wasn’t that I was excited about this matchup between Miss Normal and Mr. Freak-Like-Me, but she obviously felt something for Kyle. I would not be the one to erase the smile from my best friend’s face.

Releasing her, I held her at arm’s length. “One problem. I have an early curfew tonight because of my meet tomorrow. I’m expected to qualify for state in three events.” I laughed. I had made practice only three times that week. Just enough to possibly win races, I hoped.

“I’m told they’ve got curfew covered.”

“Okay. Well, let me finish up here, and I’ll meet you back at the room.”

“Perfect.” Dani sashayed out the door, leaving me alone again with my computer and my thoughts about Dad, Sandra, and the IIA.