important. It was as if he lived in a parallel world that occasionally dipped into mine. Despite whatever promise he had made me give to continue our chat, I had little interest in picking the conversation back up.
Being the new guy, he got a lot of attention, especially from the girls, as I was well aware. It had been my experience that anyone who flirted with one girl, did it with all the girls. And so I tried to be as cautious as possible.
In History, I noticed everyone turning in their desks as he spoke, although I couldn't hear what he was saying. For a fleeting moment I wished I could, and tried to read his lips. His mouth had become an unconscious obsession for me, the first place I gazed when I saw his face.
Ambrose Slaughter, who was sitting next to him, frowned beneath the golden mass of his hair. Ambrose had always been as interesting to everyone as Henry was now, although I had never understood the attraction. He had the personality of a dripping towel. I turned back around in my seat, scribbling a tornado in the margin of my History notes.
In Art class, I got around to apologizing to Theo for Becky and the others at lunch. I hadn't wanted to mention it in the lunch room, worried it would bring up hurt feelings. But she didn't seem fazed.
"It wasn't right for them to act that way," I said.
Theo shrugged, putting the finishing touches on a feather of a bird in her book.
"I'm used to being picked on, Ariel," she said softly. "It's not a big deal. People leave me alone here, most of the time. I don't really care what they think of me as long as they don't say it. I was getting tired of being called Tinkerbelle every day."
"But Tinkerbelle's basically a fairy pinup," I said. "That's like a compliment."
She smiled slyly and shook her head.
"I was teased some last year," I said, turning my art gum eraser over in my fingers. "By you don't have to guess who," I continued, and nodded towards Lainey. "She's actually being nice to me this year so far in comparison. You know how you said you weren't Goth enough or normal enough for people? That's how it is here. I just never realized it before, back when..."
I trailed off. I hadn't mentioned Jenna once to Theo, and I preferred to keep it that way. To her credit, she never asked, although I assumed she had heard something about it.
Henry sauntered past our table then, causing me to straighten. I had gotten to the point where I could tell it was him just from seeing him walk in my periphery vision. He started digging in the supply cabinet behind us. Not wanting him to hear me badmouth his new best friend, I changed the subject.
"I think I'm going to fail Geometry this year," I groaned. "This morning Mr. Vanderlip held me after class to lecture me about my abysmal quiz score."
"That's no good," Theo said sympathetically. "I'd offer to help, but I don't do that great in math myself. I usually pull a little over a C."
"He told me I should get a tutor," I said. "But I don't know where to find one."
"Maybe ask one of the seniors?" she suggested.
Suddenly, Henry came around and put his elbows on the side of the table across from me. He leaned his face in his hands, his fists squishing up his cheeks. I tried to ignore how cute it made him look.
"May we help you?" I asked, and I heard Theo snicker beside me.
"Geometry is my second favorite subject, right up there next to physics," Henry said. "If you ever need any help, I'd be happy to offer my qualified services." He grinned at me, turning his charm up another notch.
"You want to be my tutor?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. The day was suddenly veering off into the bizarre.
"Sure, why not?" He stood up, and tapped his knuckles on the table. He had beautiful hands, I noticed, the rigid veins trailing like rivers beneath his skin. Really, he had beautiful everything. "If you can handle being around me for long without wanting to run far away."
"I don't know if that's possible," I said dryly. Though I was attempting teasing, I could feel my pulse racing in a peculiar way. Suddenly his attention didn't seem so unwanted. He lowered his voice to a throaty whisper and gazed into my