Page 105 of Wonderstruck

I elbowed her. Lightly.

Behind us, a burst of laughter cut throughthe arena’s thick hum. A group of girls slid into their seats, their excited chatter bubbling over like soda fizz. At first, I barely noticed, my eyes fixed on Finn as he glided across the ice, his jersey rippling with each stride. He skated up to his teammates, murmuring something before they pulled into a tight huddle at centre ice.

Then, one of the girls spoke, her voicelifting above the rest.

“Why the fuck did I wear heels? And whythe fuck are there so many steps?” one of them whined.

“Will you stop complaining?” Another pleaded.

“No I won’t, Amy. You said that we couldstand up against the glass, that they’d be able to see us.” She groaned, almost like she couldn’t get comfortable. “I wore my goddamn Mother of Pearl Van Cleef to be sat in the ceiling.”

Amy sighed. “I thought we could! Somegirl in my modern art class was talking about it.”

“Well tell her thank you. She owes me newJimmy’s.” Mother of Pearl groaned.

What sounded like a third voice entered in.

“Can we all just calm down? We can see fine. Look, you can even make out Kilner's leg muscles from here.”

“Kilner’s so hot that it’s painful.” one ofthem, Amy I think, practically moaned.

“Are you blind?” That grating voice wasMother of Pearl. “Adrian is so much hotter. Actuallyno, I call Hatterson.”

“Doesn’t he have a girlfriend?” The thirdasked.

Mother of Pearl hummed. “Not that Iknow of. Why? Did you hear something?”

“No, but if he is single then you better getin there fast.”

I fought the urge to turn round and muttersave yourself.

Then the girl directly behind me clearedher throat, I think that was Amy. “Are youboth blind? Look at Rhodes. He’s like some territorial animal out there,”

“And in the bedroom, according toGracie.” Mother of Pearl mumbled, prompting a round of laughter.

I stiffened, my heart stammering.Glancing at Daisy, who raised an eyebrowat me, I froze completely.

“What?” she mouthed.

I didn’t respond, just nudged her shoulderlightly and tilted my head toward the girls behind us. She caught on quickly, leaning closer so we could eavesdrop together.

“How did you hear about him andGracie? That was ages ago.” one of the girls asked.

I was too busy trying to breathe than decipher who.

“She hasn’t shut up about it in the ninemonths since. Said he was amazing. And he must be because she’s with Henry Sommerford now and hasn’t once bragged about their sex being that good.”

I felt my stomach twist.

Another girl snorted. “I heard the samefrom Gretchen. And didn’t he hook up with Sabrina, too? Last year?”

“Which one? Sabrina I was dorm mateswith or Sabrina from Zeta Kappa’s luaus?”

“Probably both.” Mother of Pearlsnickered. “Lucky bitches.”

The hot chocolate burned my palms, but Iclung to it like a lifeline, the steam curling up and stinging my eyes. Or maybe it was tears I was holding back.

The girls’ laughter echoed in my head,each giggle twisting the knife.

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