Part 2 (2/2)

I hadn't had a chance to question him about his odd comment, and honestly, I wasn't even sure I wanted to.

”It's too bad we can't, say, read minds. Then perhaps we'd know the killer's ident.i.ty.”

How did you ask someone if they could read minds? I'd caught him looking at me a few times, but other then a pa.s.sing glance he'd seemed to have forgotten all about me. And it irked. For one moment I'd been admired by the female population. For one moment I'd thought I wasn't alone, that someone finally understood me. The moment had pa.s.sed and I began to wonder if I'd imagined his odd comments and attention.

The front door burst open and Trevor stumbled outside. His hair was mussed, his blue t-s.h.i.+rt half untucked from his jean; already wasted even though the party had just started. ”Hey,” he muttered, then leaned over and threw up in the bush, producing a wrenching sound that made me want to gag in kind.

Annabeth gasped like a mother who'd just heard her kid curse for the first time. Well, she'd wanted to go to these parties; she should get used to it. I shook my head, laughing. ”Every party starts the same way. I swear I don't understand why anyone wants to go to these.”

I was getting bored with them to be honest.

Annabeth shrugged, flus.h.i.+ng. ”It's just nice to be included.”

I brushed off my guilt. Sometimes I forgot that Annabeth wasn't as popular as the rest of my friends. She was hoping that would change tonight, I wanted to tell her not to hold her breath. Not because Annabeth didn't deserve to be popular, but because my friends were...to be blunt...kind of a.s.ses.

As we made our way into the huge foyer of Emily's home, or should I say mansion, Annabeth gasped again. ”Oh my G.o.d.”

”I know,” I said with a sigh. And I did. I didn't need to read minds to know exactly what she was feeling because I'd felt it the first time I'd gone to Emily's too. A loser...who didn't belong here. From the marble floors to the crystal chandelier hanging above, Emily's home reeked of money.

”Hey, you think they'll care if George comes by? I told him to pick me up at ten.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. A twenty-five year old hanging out at a high school party? What was his deal? ”Yeah, sure, its fine.” But I knew better. Emily would have a fit. It was one thing to bring quiet and una.s.suming Annabeth, but her loser boyfriend wouldn't exactly be welcomed with open arms.

We made our way through the throng of dancing kids in the living room, their cups of illegal beer splas.h.i.+ng onto the floor as they jumped and spun in a mock imitation of dancing. They looked like ducklings trying to fly.

Emily held this party every year when her parents went to Boston for some conference. Usually the next day I'd help her clean, correction, I'd clean. Instinctively, I searched for her familiar blonde hair. I admit I did kind of missed her now that the excitement of Savannah's death had faded. Two weeks and still not one suspect. People were nervous, but less so, thinking the murderer had been merely traveling through town. For the most part, it was back to homework, sports and flirting.

”There's Emily,” Annabeth yelled over the pounding music.

I glanced toward the French doors that led to the back patio. I'd been in this house so many times I knew it as well as Emily. Her parents had practically adopted me. Even though I knew they thought of me as a charity case, I didn't care. Emily's family was the closest I'd come to a real life.

She was easily noticeable standing near the doors. Only Emily could get away with wearing a super mini skirt and tight white t-s.h.i.+rt that did little to cover her red bra. I felt Annabeth's envy tickle the back of my neck. I understood it well for I'd had the same feeling often enough, but I'd learned how to deal with my emotions. Emily tossed her hair back and laughed as she leaned in, pressing her huge b.o.o.bs to some pathetic guy with dark hair. Yet, something about the set of his shoulders, and the curl of his hair seemed familiar. I stiffened as realization hit.

Lewis.

My heart stopped for a brief moment. I couldn't seem to move, couldn't stop staring as anger washed through me in a sickening wave that left me shaking. Her hands fisted in his vintage New York t-s.h.i.+rt. Bunching the material, she pulled him closer. Bile rose in my throat. She was going to kiss him and he was going to let her. I realized, in that panicked moment, I didn't want them to kiss. She could have Trevor, she could even have Kevin, but she couldn't have Lewis too.

Lewis turned his head and met my gaze. I should've been startled by his sudden attention, but I was only relieved that he was finally noticing me. Emily was saying something, trying to regain his attention, but he didn't break eye contact with me. In fact, he moved away from her and started our way, those broad shoulders easily pus.h.i.+ng aside everyone else. He was tall and lean, like a swimmer. I couldn't help but be attracted to him. My heart thundered madly in my chest. I could barely hear Annabeth's chatter. The music faded, the people around me faded. There was only me and Lewis.

”I...I need some air,” I think I said.

Before Annabeth could follow I darted toward the open doors and into the backyard, leaving Lewis and Emily behind. I was abandoning Annabeth and I'd feel bad about it later, but at the moment I needed to worry about my own survival.

Truth was, I didn't really believe Lewis had murdered Savannah. No, the person who had murdered Savannah couldn't hide his thoughts. But that didn't mean I trusted Lewis. And I certainly didn't trust my feelings around him. I liked him, a lot. So did Emily and Emily always won. I wasn't about to set myself up for humiliation...again.

The evening air was cool and refres.h.i.+ng. Reality rushed back on the breeze and I could breathe again. A few students were outside, some making out in the shadows, others hanging around the pool. Sarah, the attention wh.o.r.e, had even jumped in with her clothes on and was currently screaming and splas.h.i.+ng for help. I shook my head, disgusted with her antics.

Not wanting to make conversation, I moved toward the perimeter of the yard where the trees thickened and the woods spread out into a forest so dense, you couldn't help but wonder what was lurking out there. How I loved coming here where no one could read my thoughts. If I didn't turn on the charm and win Emily back, I would lose her, my status, and any sense of normalcy I had.

”Hey.”

Lewis' voice caught me off guard. I froze there, in the shadows of two maple trees that had lost their leaves days ago. Of course I was surprised that Lewis had followed me. Surprised and thrilled, although I knew Emily wouldn't be.

With my heart racing in my chest, slowly, I turned. ”What do you want?”

I couldn't see his face in the darkness and I wanted so badly to read his features. ”Sheesh, nice att.i.tude when I'm just being friendly.”

”Bull.” I crossed my arms over my chest, a defensive action, as if that could keep him from reading my mind. I suddenly felt cold and warm at the same time, like I was getting sick. Wouldn't that just be the icing on the cake, if I puked all over his Adidas. ”You want something, I just haven't figured out what yet.”

He shrugged and leaned his palm on the tree. His hand was next to my head, close to me, too close. He smelled like soap and minty toothpaste and something else, something warm and lovely, something that made my insides twist. ”Maybe I just want to be friends.”

Maybe I would puke after all. Fun. He wanted to be friends. Story of my life where guys were concerned.

He looked away, his eyes sparkling with humor, as if hearing some unspoken joke.

I stiffened, realizing the joke could be me. c.r.a.p! Had he just read my mind? Oh G.o.d, think boring thoughts...the tree. I flattened my palms to the rough bark. The tree. Yes, the tree was nice, the fall colors, the bark brown...

”I think you need a friend.”

I laughed a little hysterically, my attention slipping unwillingly back to him. ”No, I don't.”

He reached out and took a strand of my hair in his hands, twirling the lock around his finger. It was a romantic action, something a boyfriend would do. Not a friend.

”A good friend.” He dropped the lock and looked directly into my eyes. I couldn't seem to breathe as I waited for his next words, as if they were the most important words I'd ever hear. ”Someone who understands you and what you're going through.”

”And you do?” I whispered, daring him to answer.

”More than you think.”

He was admitting it. Practically admitting he could read minds, wasn't he? Confused, shocked, I wasn't sure how to respond. Was he playing with me?

He smiled, a slow smile. ”I think I like you.”

Such simple words, such silly words, so why did my heart stop beating and sigh with ridiculous longing? I wanted to push him away and run home to the safety of my small cottage. I wanted to pull him close and kiss him, taste his lips. What was it about this guy that had me so confused?

”I think...” He looked away briefly as if carefully weighing his next words. ”I think we could be very good together.”

Good together? A warm tingle spread across my back. Okay, I was no expert, but I was pretty sure that was boyfriend talk. ”I thought you were interested in Emily.”

He laughed, a deep chuckle. ”No. How can I be? She doesn't understand.”

”Understand what?” I latched onto the word and dared him once again to tell the truth; to stop beating around the bush.

He was silent for one long moment, his gaze drilling into mine, so intense that I had to stop myself from looking away.

<script>