The Hidden - Jessica Verday [51]
Even in my bedroom it didn’t really feel like we were alone anymore, knowing that one of the Revs was always downstairs, or outside watching the house.
“I’ll talk to Uri about it,” he said. “But no promises, okay?”
My pout turned into a grin. “Okay!”
Caspian groaned. “I mean it. I’m not promising anything. If they think it’s best to keep doing what they’re doing, then it’s going to stay that way.”
“But you will talk to them?”
“Yes. I will talk to them.”
“That’s all I ask.” I stuffed my book bag into the bottom of my locker and pulled out the first set of books I’d need. “Okay. Gotta run. See you after.”
“Have fun,” he said. He grinned at me, and I blew him a quick kiss before he turned to leave. I was just about to shut my locker door when I realized I forgot to grab a pencil.
“Shoot.”
“What’s up?” Cyn’s voice drifted over the top of her locker, startling me.
How long has she been there? “I, uh, just forgot to grab something.” After reaching for a pencil, I slammed the locker door shut. “Got it now. Catch ya on the flip side.”
I gave her a quick wave, but she just stood there and watched me go, wearing an odd expression on her face.
Ben caught up with me at lunch and slid his orange plastic cafeteria tray next to mine. Beth joined us a moment later. She’d been eating lunch with me since the first day of school.
“Meatloaf surprise,” Ben said, staring down at the quivering blob of gray mush in front of him. “Surprise! No meat.”
Beth laughed. “And yet, you’re still going to eat it. Aren’t you?” She had a small tub of wilted lettuce in front of her and was steadfastly picking out all of the brown bits.
I pushed my spork around in my meatloaf. “It’s not too bad if you cover it with gravy. Then you can’t tell what it is.”
“I’ll stick to my salad, thanks.” Beth picked up a tiny forkful of lettuce and chewed. “Did you guys see the new posters the cheerleaders put up for the Hollow Ball this year? It’s supposed to be some art-deco thing, but it looks like crap.”
Ben snorted some of his meatloaf surprise.
“It’s true!” she said. “It looks like someone took twelve buckets of paint and just splashed it all around. And I think that someone was blind.”
“Hey,” I said. “Blind people can create amazing art. I saw this exhibit in the city once that was just incredible.”
“Let me rephrase.” Beth tilted her head to one side and thought about it, lettuce dangling limply from her fork. “A blind someone who isn’t a professional artist and doesn’t have an ounce of creativity in their body. Better?”
Not really, but okay. “I can’t believe that it’s October already.” I changed the subject. “Where did the last two weeks go? I never even saw them putting the posters up.”
“You didn’t?” Beth looked shocked. “They’ve been putting them up, like, every two feet around the whole school. And the bathroom walls are plastered with ’em.”
I shrugged. I’d been too busy thinking about the Revs and Caspian to pay any attention. “Who are you taking to the ball?” I asked her. “Lewis? Or someone new?”
“Depends on what day of the week it is. If you ask me on a Monday, I’m going with Lewis. But if you ask me on Thursday? I’m thinking Grant, a cute junior I have computer class with.”
“Does it matter what day of the week the Hollow Ball falls on?” Ben asked.
I nudged him with my knee. “Ooooh, good question.”
“I don’t get it,” Beth said.
“Well, if you tell Grant on a Thursday that you’ll go with him, but the Ho’ Ball falls on a Saturday, does that change things?”
Beth stuck her middle finger up at him, and Ben just laughed.
“I’m sure whoever you go with, you’ll have a great time together,” I said.
“Thanks, Abbey,” Beth said sweetly. “I think so too.”
I moved my sludge-masquerading-as-food around a bit more. No amount of gravy was going to help it. “Ugh, I’m so done.”
“Me too.” Beth pushed away her salad and then downed a carton of milk. “I have to—” Her phone buzzed, interrupting her. She looked down at it. “Aaaand, it’s Monday.”
She punched a couple of buttons, then looked up and glared at the table two rows