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I waited thirty seconds. I was calm enough now—I reached back into my pocket and pulled out my phone, and sure enough, I’d really sent it. Just by thinking. I waited another half a minute—but I couldn’t hide in the bushes all day. I walked back inside with the volume of my phone turned off. When she texted me back I knew I would know.

Ms. Liebel let me back in the room after I apologized and claimed to have had a stomach complaint. Everyone in the class snickered, but I didn’t care, I just sat back next to Sarah.

“Drama queen much?” she whispered. I ignored her.

CHAPTER 25

Sarah waited until the end of class to resume our conversation. “Well I’m glad your colon and I agree.”

“On what?”

“That Danny’s a shit.”

I still hadn’t gotten word from Lacey. I’d even checked my phone with my own two eyes to be sure. “I just think we should wait to hear Lacey’s side of things.” How did she want me to play this? How was she gonna play it if she ever came back to school?

“If she bothers to tell you,” Sarah said, then went on. “Don’t you think it’s trashy?”

“Of him to talk, given the circumstances? Yes.” I attempted to be as circumspect as possible.

“Well, yes, that, but—I mean,” Sarah shouldered her bag and we walked for the door. “She just did it. No dates or anything—just saw him there and spread her legs wide open.”

“Sarah,” I said, my voice low in warning. She turned and looked at me. “We really need to talk to her first.”

She gave me a look of disbelief. “It’s just trashy. It’s trailer-trash-trashy.” Whichshecould say, becauseshehad moved.

“Oh, so, you sleeping with Ryan is all rainbows and unicorns?”

“For your information, yes, it is. I mean we’ve been dating for three months.”

“One fourth of a year. Got it. That’s the cut off. Two months and twenty-nine days, whoredom, but at the 90 day mark, you’re free and clear.”

Sarah blinked at me. “I had no idea you were such the jealous type, Jessica.”

That wasn’t it, but there was nothing I could tell her until Lacey told me I could. “I just need to go, okay?” I said, sidling past her into the hall.

I flung myself into the river of students going to class, hoping to lose myself in their number. There was so much going on in the real world right now—and the other-world pressed in on every side, as phones chirped and lights beamed and air conditioners thrummed. What had the lightning gotten me into?

I looked up, hoping to find some strength from somewhere and saw someone standing tall in the waves of chaos, like an island.

Darius.

I headed straight for him. “Can I talk to you?”

“Sure.”

We diverted off to an unoccupied patch of wall, and because I didn’t want anyone else to hear what I had to say I stood close by him. “I feel like I’m becoming more sensitive.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Can you use your phone now?” he asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah—I, uh, managed to send a text without touching any keys just a little bit ago.”

He got a wicked smile. “That’s badass.”

“Kind of? But also weird as hell. Juicejam helped—I think I need to practice more, though.”