Delphic Song

Chapter Three

“Yep.” I nodded. It was taking all my focus not to scrunch my face up into a very unattractive grimace of pain; the bag’s strap was digging into my shoulder so sharply I would’ve sworn it was lined with a knife blade.

“Do you like it there?”

I considered his question. “Yeah. I mean, its high school, so you know how it is. But it has a great sports program and an even better arts program. Plus, with all the exchange students boarding on campus, you really get a good experience there.”

Nate smiled. “Sounds like it shouldn’t be hard to convince my mom to let me finish high school there.”

My stomach fluttered. “So, does your mom want to move here, or is it just you?”

Nate grinned. “It was mostly her at first, but now I think I'm on board.” He wriggled his eyebrows at me. “No, scratch that. I’m definitely on board.”

I felt like one of those girly, boy-crazy teenagers who have to rely on Cosmo Girl articles on to know how to act around men. I was struck speechless. The only thing I could think of to say was, “Yeah,” or “Nice,” or, even worse, “Cool.” None of those one syllable responses were witty enough for my liking.

“Hey, is that another costumer?” Nate shaded his eyes, peering up at the stand where a figure was outlined stark against the pink and orange sky. “Sorry if I've been monopolizing your time,” he said, as if realizing that we had been hanging out all afternoon for the first time. “I hope you didn’t lose any business.”

I squinted more closely at the figure. The lean body looked familiar, but it took me another second to recognize the silhouette.

“Oh, no, that’s not a costumer,” I said. “That’s just my friend, Liam.”

Nate glanced at me sharply. “Liam? Are you guys… close?”

“Yeah. We’ve been friends since I was born. He was at my birth and everything.” That was probably a little too much information. Now he’s probably picturing me as a slimy baby, wailing and red-faced with an umbilical cord sticking out of me. Great, just what I need.

“Did you guys ever date?”

I hesitated, picturing the way he had looked at me last night during our water fight. “No.”

Nate relaxed visibly, and I couldn’t help a small smile lift the corners of my mouth. Was he jealous because he liked me?

Just then, Liam waved a greeting. I waved back, but Nate neither said nor moved anything.

“He’s a great guy,” I said to Nate. “I think you too will get along.”

“Maybe,” Nate answered.

I raised my eyebrows skeptically at his tone, but didn’t comment on it as we halted next to Liam. I immediately dropped the bags of apples to the ground, groaning and rubbing my sore shoulders.

“When you come back,” I languished to Nate, “You are not getting this many apples. I think I actually hurt my shoulders beyond repair.”

Nate raised an eyebrow. “When I come back, hmm? So you think that’ll happen? What if I wasn’t impressed with your service?”

I laughed with him. Liam looked back and forth between us. “So you guys know each other?” he asked.

“We just met today.” Nate grinned and stuck out his hand. “Nate.”

Liam reached for it. “I’m –“

The second their hands touched, they both pulled back as if burned. I watched the expression and Liam’s face go from friendly to wary in an instant. I couldn’t see Nate's expression – his back was too me – but I assumed it was the same. I frowned.