Escape Velocity

Chapter Seven

Mr. Hopkins was a bland-looking man in aviator glasses and nondescript clothing. As I passed by him, heading back to the table, I caught the distinct whiff of mothballs. Not completely non-descript after all. With the shared gestures and completion of each other's sentences, Mr. Hopkins and Ms. Voorhees were a matched set.

"We have a busy day today," Ms. Voorhees said. "Best be going," Mr. Hopkins finished. They pushed back from the table and rose simultaneously. They reminded me of synchronized swimmers.

I coughed to hide my involuntary snicker. Melisse heard me and cocked her head as if to say they were cute. I reached for the blackberry jam to mask a sudden awkwardness sludging through my body.

"Did you all bring your swimsuits?" Kate asked. I caught the subtle twist to her lips, the typical sneer that most people missed. "With all this great Southern food, exercise will have to be on the agenda."

I didn't care about swimsuits. I wasn't going near the pool. I slathered extra butter on another biscuit, raised it slowly, waiting for the right moment. Kate's eyes connected with mine and, as the melting butter dripped off one edge of the biscuit, I took a bite. She curled her lip and left no doubt she was disgusted.

Mission accomplished.

Ms. Robbins tipped the last drop from her cup and asked for our attention. "Here's what's on the agenda for today: We'll meet in the lobby at nine o'clock to head over for a tour of Green Bank Observatory and your lab orientation. In the afternoon, class will begin, and the competition will officially be underway. By the way, leave your phones in your room. Does anyone know why?"

Christina raised her hand, but Kate jumped in before Ms. Robbins could acknowledge her. "While I was researching the observatory, I read about the National Radio Quiet Zone and restrictions on electronics, but I'm not sure because I've been able to use my phone to call my boyfriend." Kate's smile bloomed with self-satisfaction and a side of showboating.

"See those square white boxes in the corners at the ceiling?" Ms. Robbins pointed to the box above us. "There are hundreds of them inside and outside the resort. They're cell antennas. But Hidden Springs is an aberration this close to the Green Bank Telescope. No cell phones there. Christina, do you have something to add?"

Christina shook her head. "Never mind. Wasn't important." Her eyes narrowed and her gaze darted toward Kate, who was oblivious. Christina poked at her eggs.

Seeing her small frown with its trace of annoyance, I leaned toward her and whispered, "Typical. Kate making it about herself and not actually about the Quiet Zone." I cleared my throat lightly to emphasize my sarcasm, but Christina's shrug wasn't encouraging. My comment was too subtle. Or too obvious. Something. Maybe Christina's reaction had nothing to do with Kate. I hadn't mistaken her irritation by being upstaged by Kate. Unless I had. Maybe she actually liked Kate. What made me pretend I'd be able to know?

People were so confusing to me. Here I was yet again, seeing myself as one of those people in videos where the sound doesn't quite match the lip movements, where the script didn't fit the action. Every interaction told me the same thing: I didn't belong. Why couldn't I be invisible? The world punishes people who don't fit in.

As Ms. Robbins left the dining room, she said, "Remember, be in the lobby at nine. Don't be late."

Melisse, who had been quiet, jumped up from her chair. "Thirty minutes! I promised to call my parents." She raced out.

I followed her from the room, then spun back quickly and was startled to see Kate staring at the tray of muffins on the buffet. She shook her head and seemed to mumble a few words. Kate's hand darted out, and she stuffed two muffins in her backpack. She took a hop away from the credenza the moment she saw me. "What are you staring at?" she asked, her sharp tone oozing out aggressions.