Page 18 of Made of Steel (Made of Steel 1)

He definitely remembers.

"Don't bother asking, there is absolutely no switching partners. Exchange contact information with each other so you can start getting some ideas. Topics will be due on Friday. Class dismissed."

I shoved my notebook into my backpack.

"Hey, Sadie."

I almost jumped. Class had been dismissed just a few seconds ago. Had he run over to me? "Hey."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to catch you before you ran off again."

I laughed. "Oh, yeah, sorry about the other night."

"You owe me one, by the way. I had to third wheel with Patrick and Kins all night. It was incredibly awkward."

"I'm sure it wasn't that awkward."

"They started making out right next to me."

"Okay, fine. That's a little awkward." I stood up and pulled my backpack over my shoulder.

"Do you have another class right now?"

"Um...no."

He smiled. "Let's get lunch. We can talk about the project." He started walking toward the door, not bothering to wait for my response.

I quickly caught up to him. "Actually, could we just exchange numbers? I was hoping to get a little work done during lunch. So I don't really have time to hang out right now."

"I doubt you have any work." He pushed through the door leading outside and held it open for me to walk through.

"Thanks," I said as I walked through the door. "But I do actually have work. There's this reading assignment for my sociology class. And it looks like it's going to be pretty interesting. I'm excited to get started."

"Come on, you're the only person I've met that isn't from New York. Us non-locals have to stick together."

I laughed.

"It's just lunch. To discuss our project. It'll be fun." He smiled. "Plus, it's kind of work too."

Fair point. "Okay, yeah. Sure."

"Awesome. Let's go." He started walking in the opposite direction of the dining hall.

"Isn't the dining hall that way?" I asked and pointed down the walkway.

"Yeah." He turned around but continued to walk backwards. "But what's the point of coming all the way to New York if we're not going to explore it?"

He was right. What was the point of moving here and changing my identity if I wasn't going to try to embrace my new life? The same chill I felt earlier ran down my spine. I glanced over my shoulder. There were just a bunch of students walking to and from class. No one was watching me. I tried to shake off the eerie feeling. Maybe if I knew more people, I wouldn't feel like everyone here was out to get me. That could start with Eli. I ran to catch up to him and his smile seemed to grow.

"What are you in the mood for?" he asked.

"I would kill for a burger and fries."

He laughed. "Well you don't have to kill for it. I forced you to come with me, so I'll buy you lunch."

"Oh, no, that's not what I meant. I just meant that I'm hungry. You don't have to buy me lunch. I can pay for my own food."

He shrugged his shoulders. "That's okay. I want to buy you lunch."

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