Lighting a Match in the Rain

Twenty-Three

The lunch room seemed emptier than usual. I couldn't pin a reason as to why, but I definitely noticed because Reed was a lot easier to spot in the student-scattered room than usual.

He was sitting at a table, surrounded by peers that I would be scared to be within ten feet of. They were the kids that had more bad habits than good and more days of being suspended than they had being in school. They were the kind that robbed, beat, threatened and nearly killed if it came down to it. Half of them had been expelled from other schools and had to transfer here.

There was a girl sitting beside of Reed. She was pretty, I'll admit. Pale, almost snow-white skin, jet black hair and heavy makeup suited her and expressed herself well. But she also looked like she could take me down with her pinky finger if I were to glance at her for too long. She was exactly his type, and maybe that's the reason a little bit of jealous bit at my chest.

Why did I feel that way? I don't know. I had no right. We slow danced once at an art show while he admitted to breaking into my house, and now I'm suddenly feeling jealous of another girl sitting beside him? No. He wasn't mine to be jealous over. He's exactly the kind of guy that I have no business having a little feeling toward. So, I won't.

"Did you see anything at the art show over the weekend?" Kinsley asked me, before taking a large gulp of water. "Apparently the cops are going crazy."

Julian approached us and sat down beside of me like he usually did and Mallory sat down beside of Kins who was in front of me. "My dad said everyone at the department are frantic, trying to put together who it was," Mallory commented, overhearing the conversation. "Whoever did it, sure knew how to get in and out unseen."

"What happened?" Julian asked us. He was dressed differently than usual. For some reason, he wore a blue button up with his jeans. Maybe he had someone he was trying to impress and I wouldn't have to worry about him making a move on me, making our friendship awkward.

Technically, I was telling the truth when I answered, "No, we didn't see anything," to Kinsley. Everything that happened at the art show happened after my mom and I left. However, that being acknowledged, I still knew what happened and who did it.

"Someone stole a painting from the art show," I updated Julian since he was staring between us with furrowed brows in a confused daze. "It happened before it was taken to the buyer."

He chewed his cheek. "That's weird. Wasn't a painting stolen from your mom?" I nodded.

"Maybe the same thief?" Mallory guessed.

This caught Kinsley's attention and suddenly she was looking at me with an eyebrow raised. She knew. And she knew that I already knew. Ignoring my best friend, I just thinned my lips when looking at Mallory with a shrug. "Maybe. I don't know."

Shoving a look at Kinsley, I quietly tried to let her know that this was a conversation for later and not in front of everyone. Fortunately, she just shook her head in disapproval and continued eating her lunch.

"On another note, Ella, it seems that Reed finally showed up to school," Mallory commented. She was poking at the pees on her plate, trying to stab them with her fork and watching them as they rolled around as she failed.

I nodded, having already noticed and trying to act unbothered. Not that they would have a reason to look at me and see if I was bothered by his presence. Because if I was, that would be unacceptable...

"Let's just see if he actually shows up for council."

She huffed. "It's been weeks. Maybe after Laken's announcement this morning, he won't even bother coming back."