"Share what?" Della sounded clueless.
Kylie raised an eyebrow. "What happened while you were at home? I know you were lying. So does Miranda."
"Oh, that." She pulled a long blade of grass from the ground and started tying it around her finger.
Kylie thought Della wasn't going to answer, and then ... "I went to see Lee."
Kylie suspected that Della hadn't stopped caring for her ex. Not that Della had admitted to it. "And?"
"He's practically engaged to another girl. His parents are pushing him to make it official. They like her." The pain in Della's voice matched the pain Kylie felt for Derek.
Kylie hugged her knees. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be," Della said. "It's for the best. He could have never accepted me being a vampire."
"Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt." And damn if Kylie didn't know that for a fact.
Della hesitated. "She's a hundred percent Asian. Not a mishmosh like me."
"He said that?" Kylie really disliked this guy.
"Not exactly, but he said his parents had pushed him to date her. And I know they didn't like me because I'm half white."
"You need to move on," Kylie said.
"I already have." Della tossed the grass back to the ground.
It was a lie, but Kylie didn't think calling Della on it would do any good. Kylie leaned back and stared up at the trees. The moisture from the recent rain soaked into her clothes, but she didn't care. The coolness felt good in the Texas heat. A blue jay flitted from one limb to another in the tree. Kylie's emotions seemed to be doing the same.
She studied the bird, so happy, so innocent and trouble-free. Della released an exaggerated breath, as if she were still thinking about Lee.
"Steve likes you," Kylie said.
"No, he doesn't."
"Yes, he does." Kylie glanced at Della. "I saw him looking for you today when we were in the dining hall. You should go for it."
"If he likes me, he'll come to me."
"I don't mean throw yourself at him. Just be nice. Make yourself more approachable."
"I'm approachable," Della said.
About as much as a rattlesnake, Kylie thought.
Della picked up another blade of grass and then lay back on the ground beside Kylie. Their shoulders almost touched. "It's not easy."
"Believe me," Kylie said. "I know."
They lay stretched out on the damp ground for several long minutes without talking. The sun leaked light through the trees and created shimmering golden shadows throughout the woods. Through the leaves, Kylie saw the sky painted in an array of stormy-looking clouds in a variety of colors. Her mind went round and round and somehow landed back on Derek.
"I can't believe he brought Ellie with him." The idea of having to see Derek with Ellie made Kylie's chest tighten.
"Yeah, that'll be tough. I mean, if I had to see Lee with his girlfriend, I'd end up killing someone."
"No, you wouldn't." Kylie sat up, pulled her hair over one shoulder, and removed a few clinging twigs. "You'd do exactly what I'm going to do."
"What's that?" Della sat up.