Page 50 of Catch the Sun

Our algebra teacher paces the front of the classroom, rambling on about the thrill of factoring. He’s waving his arms like a conductor in an orchestra. His chalk-dusted hands create a cloud of academic enthusiasm that has failedto reach the majority of the class, who are either doodling on their textbooks or participating in undercover texting.

I flip to a blank page in my notebook and scrawl another note, then twist it in Kai’s direction.

Mr. Barker’s zest for parabolas and roots is bordering on manic.

He grins at me and scribbles something back.

I read it with a side-eye.

Nonsense. His excitement is contagious. Spoiler: I’m regretfully immune.

Holding back a chuckle, we continue the notebook conversation for a few more minutes until the bell rings and students scatter.

Kai stops me in the hallway, pushing his jet-black bangs out of his face. “Hey,” he says, holding out his hand. “I’m Kai.”

“Ella,” I greet back, accepting the handshake. “This is probably the part where I should welcome you to Juniper High with shining hope and optimism, but I’m no liar. I hate it here.”

“Have you lived here long?”

“Luckily, no. We just moved back to town a few months ago.” I readjust my backpack, which took days to fully dry out on my front porch. Some of the doodles and designs are now nothing but droopy ink and smears of color. “Are Andy and his dumb friends giving you trouble?”

He shrugs. “Not really. They haven’t acknowledged my existence. There’s a really nice girl in my art class, though—Brynn Fisher.” His honeyed cheeks pinken. “Have you met her?”

“Yep, she’s cool. She was the only person who really gave me the time of day, aside from—”

“Sunny.”

The rich baritone voice of Max Manning has me pivoting around in a full circle until our eyes meet. He’s leaning against a wall of blue lockers with irises three shades lighter, and his arms are not visible today due to the faded black hoodie he’s wearing. The hood is drawn up, also concealing the majority of his pecan-brown hair, save for a few stray locks that spill over his forehead in a casual sort of disarray.

Shoulder pressed to the locker, he flicks his attention to Kai and then me.

“Hey,” I say, my voice still hoarse from bouts of dry coughing. “This is Kai. He just moved here.”

Max gives him the smallest nod before returning his attention to me. “Meet me in the clearing after school today. You know the one.”

“Oh.” I fiddle with my backpack straps. “I was going to head into town after school. There’s a coffee shop off Walnut Street that has a job opening.”

He nods again. “I can drive you.”

“Drive me?”

“Yeah, in my truck with wheels.”

I blink, then shake my head. “Right. Um…sure. I guess I should refrain from biking until this cough clears up.” On cue, my throat tickles and I start to cough.

Also on cue, some guy sweeps past me and smacks me on the back. “Lay off the deep-throating, Sunbury. You sound rough.”

Max looks like he’s about to fly at him, but the student scampers away like a frightened mouse as a barricade of football buddies and cheerleaders bursts out laughing and surrounds him on each side.

Embarrassment warms my cheeks while I watch them disappear around the corner. I’m not sure why. These idiots don’t get under my skin—nobody does, really—but for whatever reason, I don’t like the implication that I’m a floozy when Max is within earshot.

My gaze trails to Max, who has one taut hand pressed to the locker. His face is full of hard lines and edges and his blue eyes gleam with fire when he looks at me. It’s then I notice his split bottom lip, the wound looking a few days old. I frown. I’m about to ask him about it when Brynn! skips into my line of sight, dragging McKay behind her by the shirtsleeve.

“Hey, guys!” She beams, dressed in a sun-yellow dress with white polka dots, a light denim jacket, and canvas sneakers. Her hair is braided and tied with pink ribbon, and it shimmers like a golden summer under the recessed lights.

She’s the Barbie to my Monster High doll.

I almost forget Kai is hovering beside me when he inches forward and taps me on the shoulder. “Hey, it was nice officially meeting you. See you around.”

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