Page 15 of Styx & Stones

@alaskasaerosoladdiction: But not the pedophile part, right?

@zedatwoodsbellybuttonlint: Right.

@alaskasaerosoladdiction: I like having you to talk to about this stuff. It makes it ... easier ... you know?

@zedatwoodsbellybuttonlint: Yeah, I know.

CHAPTER NINE

ALASKA

At school, I sit atour lunch table. I search the cafeteria for Grace, and Eleanor, who are usually already here with fries and shakes, but they’re absent.Again.

I haven’t talked to Grace since our fight last week, and El texted a few times, but it’s clear she’s still avoiding me. Maybe I’m a cancer on my friends too.

I sip my strawberry shake. I love strawberry shakes, but today it makes me want to puke. I glance at my phone, send a text to my friends, and when I glance up, Styx is standing in front of me. I shove a few fries in my mouth to avoid having to speak to him.

He sits opposite me.

I glare, finish my fries, and swallow. “What the hell are you doing?”

He looks around and then back at me, pointing to himself and mouthing, “Me?”

“Why are you sitting here?” I take a pull from my straw, trying to dislodge the stuck fry in my throat.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Is this not the cancer table?”

I spit milkshake all over his face. A beat passes. I cover my mouth, trying to hide my laughter as strawberry milk drips off his hair.

“Guess not.” He picks up his tray and stands. I throw a French fry at him.

“Stay.” I bite my lip to keep from smiling. He sits, and stares down at the fat, pink drops that splatter his lunch with apat, pat, pat. “Here. I have some wet wipes in my bag.”

“You carry wet wipes? Wow. I thought you were so much cooler than that.”

I shrug. “Never know when you’re going to have a makeup emergency. Or in this case, a funny-bastard emergency.” I hand him the wet wipes and he glances at the pack.