if not for the news, we'd never even know things like that went on.”
Elise glanced over at her father, her stomach twisting as she hoped he would give more details, but unwilling to ask and have to fabricate an excuse for her sudden interest. She bit her lip, worried that Alex had been hurt in the riot-- after all, he'd said he'd be in New York all weekend. But that was silly, she told herself. There had to be hundreds of clubs in the city; the odds of him being at that particular one were extremely low. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness that overtook her, but to her disappointment her father didn't say anything else on the subject. She ate faster, eager to get to school despite the fact that she already knew she wouldn't see Alex until last period. She hoped she might at least get some clue that he was all right. Contrary to most of her peers, Elise didn't harbor any illusions that tragedy only happened on TV.
Despite her hopes, however, Elise didn't get any indication of Alex's well-being during the day. She tried to put him out of her mind, forcing herself to pay attention to her classwork with moderate success, but she still felt like the day dragged by. Finally, seventh period ended and she wove her way through the crowd, which was slightly more subdued than it had been last week as her fellow students settled themselves into the routine of the school year. She nearly cursed as an eleventh grader stopped dead in front of her, abruptly deciding he needed to visit his locker. Ducking around his friends, who all looked at her disconcertingly until she glared them away, she headed for the stairs.
“Miss me yet?” She heard the voice underneath the general hubbub of shouting, laughter, and slamming lockers as she passed the door to the art classroom.
Elise was already smiling as she looked back over her shoulder at Alex. “Oh, I was devastated-- a whole two days without you!” She flipped her hair nonchalantly, pretending that she hadn't been worried sick about him all day.
He fell in step beside her. “So, how was your weekend?” He asked.
“Uneventful,” she said, shrugging. “Got a new book, went to a family cookout-- you know, stuff.”
“New book?” He asked, eying the pile of textbooks in her arms. “I don't see one. Generally when I start something new, I can't put it down until it's over.”
Elise laughed. “I already finished it-- what do you think I did at the family cookout?”
“Depends on the family, I suppose,” Alex replied. “I had good fun with mine this weekend.”
“Yeah, well mine I generally try to avoid,” she grumbled, then grinned at him. “But how was your cousin's party? I see you're still on two feet today. What, not enough alcohol in New York City to knock you out?”
“Oh, I'm sure there would be if I cared to look for it-- but someone had to be the designated driver,” he chuckled. “I do have to say, though, my cousin enjoyed his party-- and I have enough blackmail photos to get anything I want from him for the next two years or so.”
“Is that so?” Elise asked, eyebrows raised, as they edged around a crowd of rowdy boys in varsity jackets blocking the water fountains.
“Absolutely,” Alex responded somberly, standing back and gesturing politely to allow her to pass through the stairwell doors before him. “See, my cousin will now be inviting me to all of his fraternity parties, and buying my drinks, unless he wants his mom and his new girlfriend to know exactly how he looks wearing nothing but a bra-- on his head.”
Elise burst into surprised laughter as
Elise glanced over at her father, her stomach twisting as she hoped he would give more details, but unwilling to ask and have to fabricate an excuse for her sudden interest. She bit her lip, worried that Alex had been hurt in the riot-- after all, he'd said he'd be in New York all weekend. But that was silly, she told herself. There had to be hundreds of clubs in the city; the odds of him being at that particular one were extremely low. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness that overtook her, but to her disappointment her father didn't say anything else on the subject. She ate faster, eager to get to school despite the fact that she already knew she wouldn't see Alex until last period. She hoped she might at least get some clue that he was all right. Contrary to most of her peers, Elise didn't harbor any illusions that tragedy only happened on TV.
Despite her hopes, however, Elise didn't get any indication of Alex's well-being during the day. She tried to put him out of her mind, forcing herself to pay attention to her classwork with moderate success, but she still felt like the day dragged by. Finally, seventh period ended and she wove her way through the crowd, which was slightly more subdued than it had been last week as her fellow students settled themselves into the routine of the school year. She nearly cursed as an eleventh grader stopped dead in front of her, abruptly deciding he needed to visit his locker. Ducking around his friends, who all looked at her disconcertingly until she glared them away, she headed for the stairs.
“Miss me yet?” She heard the voice underneath the general hubbub of shouting, laughter, and slamming lockers as she passed the door to the art classroom.
Elise was already smiling as she looked back over her shoulder at Alex. “Oh, I was devastated-- a whole two days without you!” She flipped her hair nonchalantly, pretending that she hadn't been worried sick about him all day.
He fell in step beside her. “So, how was your weekend?” He asked.
“Uneventful,” she said, shrugging. “Got a new book, went to a family cookout-- you know, stuff.”
“New book?” He asked, eying the pile of textbooks in her arms. “I don't see one. Generally when I start something new, I can't put it down until it's over.”
Elise laughed. “I already finished it-- what do you think I did at the family cookout?”
“Depends on the family, I suppose,” Alex replied. “I had good fun with mine this weekend.”
“Yeah, well mine I generally try to avoid,” she grumbled, then grinned at him. “But how was your cousin's party? I see you're still on two feet today. What, not enough alcohol in New York City to knock you out?”
“Oh, I'm sure there would be if I cared to look for it-- but someone had to be the designated driver,” he chuckled. “I do have to say, though, my cousin enjoyed his party-- and I have enough blackmail photos to get anything I want from him for the next two years or so.”
“Is that so?” Elise asked, eyebrows raised, as they edged around a crowd of rowdy boys in varsity jackets blocking the water fountains.
“Absolutely,” Alex responded somberly, standing back and gesturing politely to allow her to pass through the stairwell doors before him. “See, my cousin will now be inviting me to all of his fraternity parties, and buying my drinks, unless he wants his mom and his new girlfriend to know exactly how he looks wearing nothing but a bra-- on his head.”
Elise burst into surprised laughter as
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