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“Psh, you love me.” He picked up one of her sweet potato fries and ate it.

“You have it backward. I hate you.”

I didn’t know Kennedy that well, but by the expression on her face, it didn’t look like she actually hated him. She looked more annoyed than anything. Or maybe flustered?

“Great picture of you guys,” Felix said and nodded toward the one Kennedy had just given to me.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Weren’t you just leaving?” Kennedy said at the same time.

Why was she being so mean? I glanced over at the Untouchables’ table. Still no sign of them.

Felix laughed. “So tell me,” he said and leaned forward, trying to get my attention. “How did a girl like you end up in a shitty place like this?”

I laughed, trying to ignore the table that was calling to me. “You mean the nicest school in the city?”Because my mom died. Because my uncle works here.But I didn’t want to talk to him about my mom. And my uncle didn’t want anyone to know he worked here. “Like you said during gym. I have a scholarship.”

“Obviously, but I meant the fact that you’re not a local. You’re clearly not from New York.”

I wasn’t sure whether to be offended or take it as a compliment. I wasn’t a New Yorker. And I was glad I wasn’t. Before I could think of what to say, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. Mason, James, and Rob were all seated there now, but Matt was still missing. James didn’t look anything like he had this morning. I was pretty sure he was even wearing a freshly pressed uniform, because the one he had on earlier had looked disheveled.

“I’m sorry, what was your question?” I asked.

“Where are you from?”

“She’s from a small town in Delaware,” Kennedy said. “And she knows better than to get mixed up in whatever the hell you’re doing. So scram.”

Felix laughed. “I’m just talking to you guys. I’d never sell anything to someone like Brooklyn.” He winked at me.

Again, I didn’t know whether to be offended or not. But his statement seemed to confirm that Kennedy was right. Felix was a drug dealer. She was probably right about all of it. He was trying to befriend me so I’d buy from him. He should have been talking to the rich kids here, not me. I didn’t have money for drugs, not that I’d ever take them. “Kennedy’s right, I don’t do drugs.”

“Great.” He glanced at her and then back at me. “Because I’m not trying to sell either of you anything. I swear.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Kennedy said.

He shrugged. “Believe me or not, I have more than enough clients. I didn’t come over here to sell you pot. I was actually inviting you to a party at my house on Friday night.”

Kennedy laughed. “No thanks.”

“Newb?” he looked at me.

“God, you already have a nickname for her and everything?” Kennedy rolled her eyes.

“What Kennedy meant to say is thank you, but we’re working,” I said. “I’m sorry.” I was apologizing more for her behavior than anything.

He smiled. “It’ll go pretty late, so swing by after. Kennedy knows where I live. Catch you girls later.” He tapped twice on the table, stood up, and walked away.

“What the heck was that?” I asked. “You didn’t have to be so mean.” I felt the hairs rise on the back of my neck, the same way they had when Matthew had walked into the bathroom Friday night. I glanced at his table out of the corner of my eye. But he still wasn’t there.

“Me? You kept looking at the Untouchables' table the whole time he was talking to you. That was just as rude.”

“You kept telling Felix to leave,” I said without acknowledging her comment. I knew I kept glancing at the Untouchables' table. I was practically addicted to looking at them. But this wasn’t about me. Something was up with her. “Why?”

Kennedy shook her head. “Stop talking.”

“Really, what did he do to you? Please don’t tell me you used to be addicted to crack or something.”

Even though I said it as a joke, Kennedy started to shake her head even more frantically.