“I’m sure you will be.” I glanced back at Daemon, but he was already heading back to his table. I stood there for a moment, confused. What the hell had that been all about? There were the Thompson twins and Ash, huddled together. A few of the other kids were chatting. I had no idea if they were aliens or not. Daemon sat down beside them, pulled out a book, and started thumbing through it. Ash looked up and didn’t appear too thrilled. “Do you think anyone else will mind?” I asked finally.
“No. I hated that I didn’t sit with you yesterday. And I think it’s time for a change-up.” Dee looked so hopeful I couldn’t disagree. “Right?”
Lesa and Carissa were shocked into stunned silence for roughly five minutes after Dee joined me at their table, but she won them over and everyone relaxed pretty quickly.
Everyone but me.
Half the cafeteria watched me, probably waiting for me to get into another epic food fight with Blondie. It had been a week, and still everyone considered me the food ninja. Every so often, Ash glanced over at our table, a deep scowl on her beautiful face. She had on an electric blue tube top that matched her eyes. The white shirt she wore over it was unbuttoned, revealing that she had a kickass body.
God, what was up with alien DNA? I got that they were otherworldly, but Jesus, did that include perfect br**sts, too?
Dee nudged me with her elbow while Carissa and Lesa chatted with a freckle-faced boy at the end of the table. “What?” I asked.
She leaned into my shoulder, speaking so only I could hear. “What’s going on with you and my brother?”
I took a bite of my pizza, mulling over how to answer that. “Nothing, you know, the same-old.”
Dee arched a perfectly groomed brow. “Yeah, he was gone all day Sunday. And so were you. And while he was gone, a certain someone came looking for him.”
My slice flopped in my hand.
She picked up her drink, smiling slightly. “I didn’t get to tell you yesterday since he was up our butts, but you can’t tell me you haven’t noticed Ash giving you the stink eye.”
“I have,” Lesa cut in, plopping her elbows on the table. “She looks like she’s wishing you dead.”
I made a face. “Gee. That’s nice.”
“And you have no idea why?” Dee asked, angling her body so her back was to their table. “Pretend you’re looking at me. Right now.”
“I am looking at you right now,” I pointed out, taking another bite of my pizza.
Lesa laughed. “Look over her shoulder, genius. Toward their table.”
Rolling my eyes, I did as they instructed. At first, I noticed that one of the blond boys was turned in his seat, talking it up with a boy at the table in front of them. Then I shifted my gaze, and my eyes locked with Daemon’s. Even though several tables separated us, my breath caught. There was something…wicked in those emerald-colored eyes. Consuming. I couldn’t look away, and he didn’t either. The distance between us seemed to evaporate.
A second later, he smirked and turned away, focusing on what Ash was saying to him. Drawing in a shallow breath, I focused on my friends.
“Yeah,” Lesa murmured dreamily, “that’s why.”
“I…there’s no reason.” My face felt on fire. “Did you see him? He’s only making the lip thing at me.”
“That lip thing is sexy.” Lesa glanced at Dee. “Sorry. I know he’s your brother and all.”
“It’s okay. I’m used to it.” Dee rested her chin in her hand. “Remember the day on the porch?”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“What happened on the porch?” Lesa asked, curious enough that her dark eyes gleamed.
“Nothing,” I said.
“They were like this close.” Dee held up her finger and her thumb so that there was barely a centimeter between the two. “And I’m sure they’ve gotten closer.”
My mouth dropped open. “We have not, Dee. We don’t even like each other, like on a basic level.”
Carissa took her glasses off and blew on them. “What’s going on?”
Lesa filled her in, much to my horror. “Oh, yeah.” Carissa nodded. “They were googley-eyed in class on Friday. It was pretty steamy, the whole ‘I’m screwing you with my eyes’ thing they had going on.” I choked on my drink. “That was not what we were doing. We were talking!”
“Katy, you were so doing it.” Lesa picked up a napkin and started rolling it. “Nothing to be ashamed of. I’d do it if he’d be game.”
I stared at her a second, then busted out laughing. “You guys are insane. There’s nothing going on.” I looked at Dee. “And you should know that.”
“I know a lot of things,” she said innocently.
My brows furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She shrugged and pointed at my second slice. “You going to eat that?”
I picked it up and handed it over. She ignored my look while she happily devoured my extra slice of pizza.
“Oh, did you guys hear about Sarah?” Carissa flipped closed her cell phone, looking up. “I almost forgot.”
“No.” Lesa glanced over at me. “Carissa’s older brother Ben is friends with Sarah’s brother. They go to WVU together.”
“Oh.” I turned my drink around and started peeling off the label. When I thought of Sarah, I thought of the hospital and how I’d heard about her death. And I thought of the Arum, and how they were around.