A Rose as Black as your Heart

(29) We Should Go Out Sometime

Chapter 29

The day was like whirlwind, sweeping me through lessons in a blur and leaving my thoughts scattered like paper in the breeze. Heading into lunch, it felt like I’d only been in school for ten minutes, despite the stares and occasional whispers I’d been subjected to. It was kind of like first day all over again.

“Have you seen Travis?” I asked Rose as we headed into lunch.

“I saw him this morning in the car park,” she told me, “but he wasn’t in geography.”

“He wasn’t in biology, either.” I’d needed back up, too; Miss Bolivar hadn’t exactly been pleased with the sight of my tattered, holey text book. I got out my phone as Rose and I joined the queue, and sent him a quick message. Hey. Where r u? Xx

He replied quickly. Ill. Sry :(

I raised an eyebrow. “He says he’s ill,” I told Rose.

She snorted. “Liar.”

Rose saw u today b4 school. Busted! R U skiving? Xx

Nah, felt sick b4 1st period. Will b fine 2moro Xx

Gd. Feel better soon Xx. As I put my phone away, it buzzed with another text from Travis. I pulled it out again.

Heard bout U and Daniel ;)

My mouth dropped open. “How is that even possible?”

“What?” Rose read the text over my shoulder. “Wow. News travels fast. Watch it, or you’ll end up in the Bridgewood Weekly.”

“Shut it.” I lightly slapped her arm. I suddenly wondered if Travis would approve of my relationship with Daniel; he didn’t seem to like the guy much.

My eyes scanned the lunch hall until they latched on to the person I was looking for. Daniel was by far the most handsome person in the room, and when his blue eyes caught mine and he smiled, I felt like I could grow wings and fly around the room. That beautiful boy belongs to me.

“You look all dopey when you’re smiling like that,” Rose told me, moving up the lunch queue and ladling food on her plate.

“I do not!” I protested, helping myself to food. “Are you gonna sit with the A-listers or the crazy people today?”

Rose squinted and sighed. I knew she always hated it when I asked her that. “Maybe you could come sit with us? You’re Daniel’s girlfriend now.”

“Um, sit with a bunch of Demons?” I joked. “No thanks.”

“So? You’re always with Daniel and me.”

I glanced over at the A-list table. Apart from Daniel, Dom and Harrison, the rest of the Demons were giving me stink eye. I half wished James was still at school, just so he could tell them to stop staring. “I don’t mind you guys. It’s the scary bunch that worries me.”

Rose sighed. “Fair enough.”

I tugged on her sleeve. “Come sit with us! Pleeease? Nancy’s there and Candace-”

“Who hates me,” Rose interjected.

“No she doesn’t, and Travis’ friends Jake and Damien, and that funny guy you said was cute-”

“Luke?” she asked hopefully. I nodded- and then felt a stab of guilt for Harrison. I should be encouraging her to sit next to him. He was watching her from the A-list table, glued to her every move.

“Fine. You convinced me,” she grinned. I grinned back as I led her to the table, and glanced over at Harrison, whose eyes were still following an oblivious Rose. My heart squeezed in sympathy. Poor guy.