Gravity - By Abigail Boyd Page 0,38

always seemed to pop up the instant I was away from him, guilt for being here to experience anything when Jenna was not. I got up and peered out through the blinds. A shiny black Lexus sat in front of the house.

"Nice car," I said. I dropped the slat, and turned around. "So you really are rich?" I asked, and instantly realized it sounded tactless. "I mean, you know. Your family. With them being lawyers I suppose you would have to be..."

He just laughed. "I suppose so. Why are you so shocked?"

"You seem too humble to be from that kind of money," I admitted.

"It's just a part of who I am. Not the sum total," he said.

He tugged his sweatshirt on over his head. He had taken it off earlier and laid it across the arm of the couch. For a moment I flashed out of nowhere back to my dream, and looked away. He didn't notice my distraction. I walked him out of the room and to the front door.

"Bye," I said, leaning in the open doorway, wishing I had a reason to make him stay longer.

"Bye," he repeated, turning to leave. Then he stopped, and faced me again, flipping his hood over his hair.

"We could do this every week, if it would help," he offered.

"Okay," I said, feeling the smile grow on my face.

"It was fun. And besides, I have nothing else to do. Please don't make relegate me to putzing around my house," he said, putting his hands together as if in prayer. "Save me from my boredom."

I couldn't help but laugh. It was extremely flattering. My laughter pleased him, and he looked satisfied, one side of his mouth smirking. It made him look incredibly sexy.

"Same time, same place?"

"Sure," I said. Henry waved at me. Blackbirds were printed on the white fabric inside his hood, framing his face.

Rain had begun to patter, promising colder weather. I closed the door, and waited for the inevitable crash.

Chapter 10

"Alright, what happened?" Theo asked, ambushing me the second I walked into the commons the next day before school. A polka dot skull barrette held up either side of her fiery hair.

"What happened with what?" I asked, feigning innocence

"Your tutoring session." She put the words in air quotes. "I saw Henry coming out of your house, late. So how many bases did you run? Was there tongue?"

"Whoa, whoa," I said, pulling her by the arm to a free corner. The commons was full and I didn't need everyone hearing.

"He was helping me study, the whole time. That doesn't require tongue, unless you count speaking," I explained. "Do you just spy on my house all the time?"

"Pretty much," she said, shrugging. "Don't feel special. I spy on all the neighbors. It makes for interesting drawing material sometimes."

I told her a bit about what happened. In truth, I was kind of dying to gossip about it. I didn't know if it was my imagination, but it had seemed like there was a spark between Henry and me.

Theo looked disappointed by the time I was finished.

"Boring," she declared, crossing her arms behind her head.

"What were you expecting?" I asked.

"After the other day, I had no idea," Theo said. "But since I can't get a boyfriend I'm living through your romantic life. In order to do that, you need to have a romantic life for me to live through."

"I'll get right on that," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Good," she said, looking satisfied.

"I've never really had a boyfriend either," I said truthfully. That's why Henry's behavior struck me as so odd. I didn't have the experience to judge where it could be leading.

Not much had changed with Henry during school. The occasional small smile came in my direction, but otherwise he didn't acknowledge me any more than he had before. I don't know what I had been expecting. I took comfort in the secret he'd made me keep, that it was all for show. I couldn't exactly imagine Lainey thinking dragon appreciation was a plus in a guy.

The next day, when I got home from school, Claire was in the kitchen in her best red dress. To my recollection, I had only seen her wear it before twice, which was a shame, because she looked fantastic, the color brightening her dull, office skin. She normally all but slept in a suit. Dangly rhinestone earrings glittered in the little elf ears I had inherited.

"What's up?" I asked her.

"Go up and ask Hugh," she said with a secretive smile.