practically the last thing I was interested in.
Cruz looked at me for the first time since Aranara’s arrival. “Cool!” he said, and I could feel her tense up next to me. Her frustration was palpable. Cruz turned back to her. “Can you make it too?”
“No. I ... have something,” she answered through gritted teeth.
A flicker of a smile played over Noon’s lips. He had this incredible calmness that acted like a gravitational field on me. He was so different from Cruz, but just as hard to resist.
This entire lunch scene had been a crazy-ass roller-coaster of emotions for me. Maybe even for Cruz too, because he pushed back his chair and wiped what I think were sweaty palms on his jeans. “Alright, gotta run, do some stuff before Math,” he announced.
I had to get out of there too. “Yeah, it’s been a slice,” I said as I stood up with my tray.
Cruz hurried out of the fast-emptying cafeteria. I tipped my leftovers into the garbage and put the tray on top of the pile. Before heading out I turned back and saw Noon and Aranara at the table, looking down at their untouched food. Each still with clasped hands. It was freaky. Almost like they were praying. Then I remembered – I needed to confront Noon about the Temple of Truth. As that thought formulated he unclasped his hands and looked up, straight at me. The jolt I felt was like a mental taser. The blood rushed to my cheeks and I turned swiftly away.
I wandered out of the cafeteria in a bit of a daze. I should have been excited about the prospect of watching Cruz at the tryout, but suddenly all I could think about was Noon – his searching gaze, his intelligent mouth and his hypnotic presence. How did all this happen so quickly? In fact, what was really happening?
* * * * *
A soft rain started to fall over the football field as Noon and I sat down on the bleachers. No one else was watching the team hopefuls trudge through the mud below us. It was hard to tell which one was Cruz underneath the padding and helmets. The uniforms had no names or numbers on the back (Chelsea Prep had money for sure, but wasn’t exactly renowned for its sports teams) and the only way Cruz stood out was his body language. It was just like when he quit the café – there was an animal energy to his stride. A purposeful focus, like a thick, coiled spring being flexed.
I was edgy, nervous. I had to talk to Noon about the Temple of Truth and this was the perfect occasion, huddled together under his big, black umbrella with the random pitter-patter above our heads.
“I, um, I need to ask you something.” This was a pretty good intro. But Noon turned his head slowly to face me and suddenly I’d lost the urge to pursue the matter. I blinked hard and tried to focus. Why was it so difficult? Come on, Kari – you like him, but do you literally have to act like a retard every time you’re with him?! Focus, focus, focus.
I cleared my throat, then blurted out, “Are you a member of the Temple of Truth?” and felt a wave of relief that I’d managed to actually say it.
He looked at me. The same burning gaze as always. What was he thinking? Was he going to get angry? Whatever. I’d opened the door , so I felt like I might as well barrel through it, all guns blazing.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you live in my building?”
I held my breath, totally expecting him to be pissed, or at least to have some sort of reaction. But there wasn’t one. What the eff was up with him? Was he even human? I couldn’t let up now.
“You walked me home after our study session at the café, but you never said you lived in The Warrington too.”
Then, to my astonishment, he looked down almost sadly and said, “I apologize, Kari.”
Now I almost felt bad for prying. “Oh no – I didn’t mean to – ”
“No problem,” he cut me off. “We’re secretive.”
So he was a member!
“And you know my mom works for the Temple, right?”
He nodded, then looked back at me. “Of
Cruz looked at me for the first time since Aranara’s arrival. “Cool!” he said, and I could feel her tense up next to me. Her frustration was palpable. Cruz turned back to her. “Can you make it too?”
“No. I ... have something,” she answered through gritted teeth.
A flicker of a smile played over Noon’s lips. He had this incredible calmness that acted like a gravitational field on me. He was so different from Cruz, but just as hard to resist.
This entire lunch scene had been a crazy-ass roller-coaster of emotions for me. Maybe even for Cruz too, because he pushed back his chair and wiped what I think were sweaty palms on his jeans. “Alright, gotta run, do some stuff before Math,” he announced.
I had to get out of there too. “Yeah, it’s been a slice,” I said as I stood up with my tray.
Cruz hurried out of the fast-emptying cafeteria. I tipped my leftovers into the garbage and put the tray on top of the pile. Before heading out I turned back and saw Noon and Aranara at the table, looking down at their untouched food. Each still with clasped hands. It was freaky. Almost like they were praying. Then I remembered – I needed to confront Noon about the Temple of Truth. As that thought formulated he unclasped his hands and looked up, straight at me. The jolt I felt was like a mental taser. The blood rushed to my cheeks and I turned swiftly away.
I wandered out of the cafeteria in a bit of a daze. I should have been excited about the prospect of watching Cruz at the tryout, but suddenly all I could think about was Noon – his searching gaze, his intelligent mouth and his hypnotic presence. How did all this happen so quickly? In fact, what was really happening?
* * * * *
A soft rain started to fall over the football field as Noon and I sat down on the bleachers. No one else was watching the team hopefuls trudge through the mud below us. It was hard to tell which one was Cruz underneath the padding and helmets. The uniforms had no names or numbers on the back (Chelsea Prep had money for sure, but wasn’t exactly renowned for its sports teams) and the only way Cruz stood out was his body language. It was just like when he quit the café – there was an animal energy to his stride. A purposeful focus, like a thick, coiled spring being flexed.
I was edgy, nervous. I had to talk to Noon about the Temple of Truth and this was the perfect occasion, huddled together under his big, black umbrella with the random pitter-patter above our heads.
“I, um, I need to ask you something.” This was a pretty good intro. But Noon turned his head slowly to face me and suddenly I’d lost the urge to pursue the matter. I blinked hard and tried to focus. Why was it so difficult? Come on, Kari – you like him, but do you literally have to act like a retard every time you’re with him?! Focus, focus, focus.
I cleared my throat, then blurted out, “Are you a member of the Temple of Truth?” and felt a wave of relief that I’d managed to actually say it.
He looked at me. The same burning gaze as always. What was he thinking? Was he going to get angry? Whatever. I’d opened the door , so I felt like I might as well barrel through it, all guns blazing.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you live in my building?”
I held my breath, totally expecting him to be pissed, or at least to have some sort of reaction. But there wasn’t one. What the eff was up with him? Was he even human? I couldn’t let up now.
“You walked me home after our study session at the café, but you never said you lived in The Warrington too.”
Then, to my astonishment, he looked down almost sadly and said, “I apologize, Kari.”
Now I almost felt bad for prying. “Oh no – I didn’t mean to – ”
“No problem,” he cut me off. “We’re secretive.”
So he was a member!
“And you know my mom works for the Temple, right?”
He nodded, then looked back at me. “Of
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