Finding You

chapter 36

"Shhhh! Don't actually say it. Someone might hear," she looks around wildly.

"Why? Lee is a cute middle name."

"No it's not. I can't-"

Whatever she was going to say is cut off by the bell. I quickly gather my books and walk out with her.

"We need to go dress shopping," Savannah announces.

I inwardly groan. I hate dress shopping. I never can find the right dress. I'm always unsatisfied. "Can't we wait until next week?"

"No way! Next weekend is Prom, we can't wait till last minute," she exclaims.

"That's kinda the point," I grumble.

I feel Zay fall into step besides me. "Hello Amber. Savannah." He nods to her.

She stares at him for a second before saying, "Okay. That's my cue to leave."

"Sav, please," I say.

She dismisses my disapproval with a smile. "I'll see you at lunch." She starts walking faster in order to rid herself of me and Zay.

"Why doesn't she like me? What did I do?" he asks, defeated.

I laugh. "Remember way back when? You kissed me and then totally shunned me the next day? Well she saw that it upset me and that's all it takes to get on her bad list."

He widens his eyes. "Did I ever apologize?"

"Yes, you did but I'm always open to hear it again."

He puts his face near to mine. "I'm sorry I was a jerk, I was being stupid. I can't think of any good reason to treat you like that, because you deserve to be treated like gold." He kisses my cheek at the end of his apology and I feel my stomach flutter.

"Apology completely accepted. Now go to class."

He frowns adorably. "I don't want to."

"You need your education." I kiss him, savoring the taste of his lips. "Bye bye."

"Bye angel," he says and turns to his class.

I daydream about him on the way to my class and just about knock over some guy as I turn a corner.

"Oh, my bad," the guy says politely.

I don't acknowledge him. Embarrassed, I keep walking. I'm so clumsy, it's awful. One day I might fall into a hole without realizing it.

***

"Why do these mashed potatoes taste like vanilla? And they're cold," Max comments.

"That's because it's ice cream," Ethan says, giving him an odd look.

"Oooh. That explains it."

Savannah steals the attention of the lunch table. "Me and Amber are going shopping this weekend. If you guys want to come, you can."

The guys give each other a look. Max widens his eyes, Ethan starts coughing, and Zay scrunches up his nose slightly. "Uh, shopping?" Zay asks.

"Yeah, for Prom?" she says.

"Um... I'm busy this weekend," Zay says, lying through his teeth. He would have told me if he was doing something.

"Yeah, me too," Ethan adds, also lying.

"With what?" Savannah says incredulously.

"Actually, the three of us were going to buy our stuff for Prom together. But it's a guys only type of thing," Max decides.

"Why can't we just do it together?" Savannah complains.

"Sav, it's obvious they would rather die a slow death than go shopping with girls. Let's just keep it you and me," I say saving them all.

They give me a thankful look that I understand. I mean, I don't even want to go dress shopping with myself.

Savannah frowns. "Well, fine. You dorks can ditch us then." She faces me. "Did you hear about the new kid? He's a senior and apparently he's really hot; Lola wants him."

"Who transfers at the end of their senior year?" Max puts in.

I go to ask Zay if he's seen him yet, when all of a sudden, his eyes go distant and a chill goes through my body. A strange look goes over his face. I touch his hand and lower my voice. "What'd he say?"

He shakes his head, still not completely here. "It's... nothing."

I don't believe him. "Zay, what's wrong?"

He gets up abruptly. "Hold on, I'll be back." I move to go with him but he shakes his head again. "No, stay here," he says in a voice that makes me falter for a second, giving him the chance to leave.

Savannah nudges me. "It's okay. It's probably nothing," she says with a reassuring smile.

I smile back at her as if I don't suspect anything bad. But something tells me that whatever just went on definitely wasn't good.