Behind the church-gymnasium and into the woods. Just like she'd expected his jump rope posture before she ever saw him working out. Just like she'd known about that cut before she saw it.
They walked at just the same pace, with steps just the same length. Their feet hit the grass at the same time, every time, until they reached the forest.
"If you come to a place more than once with the same person," Daniel said, almost to himself, "I guess it isn't yours alone anymore."
Luce smiled, honored as she realized what Daniel was saying: that he'd never been to the lake before with anyone else. Only her.
As they trekked through the woods, she felt the coolness of the shade beneath the trees on her bare shoulders. It smelled the same as ever, as most coastal Georgian forests did: an oaky mulch scent that Luce used to associate with the shadows, but that she now connected to Daniel. She shouldn't feel safe anywhere after what had just happened to Todd, but next to Daniel, Luce felt like she was breathing easy for the first time in days.
She had to believe he was bringing her back here because of the way he'd skipped out on her so suddenly the last time. Like they needed a second try to get it right. What had started out feeling like their first kind of almost-date had turned into Luce feeling pitifully stood up. Daniel must have known that and felt bad about his stormy exit.
They reached the magnolia tree that marked the lookout point on the lake. The sun left a golden trail on the water as it edged over the forest to the west. Everything looked so different in the evening. The whole world seemed to glow.
Daniel leaned up against the tree and watched her watch the water. She moved to stand beside him under the waxy leaves and the flowers, which should have been dead and gone by this time of year, but looked as pure and fresh as spring blooms. Luce breathed in the musky scent, and felt closer to Daniel than she had any reason to - and loved that the feeling seemed to come from out of nowhere.
"We're not exactly dressed for a swim this time," he said, pointing at Luce's black dress.
She fingered the delicate eyelet hem at her knees, imagining her mom's shock if she ruined a good dress because she and a boy wanted to pe into a lake. "Maybe we could just stick our feet in?"
Daniel motioned toward the steep red rock path that led down to the water. They climbed over thick, tawny reeds and lake grass and used the twisted stumps of live oak trees to keep their balance, Here, the shore of the lake turned to pebbles. The water looked so still, she felt she almost could have walked on it.
Luce kicked off her black ballet flats and skimmed the lily-padded surface with her toes. The water was cooler than it had been the other day. Daniel picked a strand of lake grass and started braiding its thick stem.
He looked at her. "You ever think about getting out of here - "
"All the time," she said with a groan, assuming he meant that he did, too. Of course, she wanted to get as far away from Sword & Cross as possible. Anyone would. But she tried at least to keep her mind from whirling out of control, toward fantasies of her and Daniel plotting an escape.
"No," Daniel said, "I mean, have you really considered going somewhere else? Asking your parents for a transfer? It's just ... Sword & Cross doesn't seem like the best fit for you."
Luce took a seat on a rock opposite Daniel and hugged her knees. If he was suggesting that she was a reject among a student body full of rejects, she couldn't help feeling a little insulted.
She cleared her throat. "I can't afford the luxury of seriously considering someplace else. Sword & Cross is" - she paused - "pretty much a last-ditch effort for me."
"Come on," Daniel said.
"You wouldn't know - "
"I would." He sighed. "There's always another stop, Luce."
"That's very prophetic, Daniel," she said. She could feel her voice rising. "But if you're so interested in getting rid of me, what are we doing? No one asked you to drag me out here with you."
"No," he said. "You're right. I meant that you're not like people here. There's got to be a better place for you."