Page 59 of Searching for Nova

“I hope so,” she says.

“I can take that,” Easton says, reaching for my backpack as we walk through the parking lot.

“I’ve got it,” I say, holding onto it.

We get to his Jeep and he opens the door for me. “You have a bad day?”

“No. Why?”

“Just wondering.”

I guess I am being kind of rude to him. I didn’t even say hi. I’m used to keeping people at a distance and sometimes that comes off as being a bitch. I don’t mean to be that way. I just don’t trust people enough to let my guard down. The few times I’ve trusted people, I’ve end up hurt and alone.

“Thanks for picking me up,” I say as Easton gets in the Jeep. “This is a lot better than the bus.”

He nods but doesn’t say anything. He starts the Jeep and drives off, still not saying anything. Is he mad at me? He seemed fine in the diner. He seemed happy to see me, but now he’s acting like I’m not even here.

“You okay?” I ask.

“Yeah.” He glances at me. “Why?”

“You’re really quiet.”

“I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

He gets quiet again, then finally says. “That woman at the diner. The one who walked out with you. Are you guys friends?”

“Kind of. We don’t hang out, but we’re friends at the diner. Why?”

“Does she know?”

“Know what?”

“About your past. Your parents. How we met.”

“No. I haven’t told her.”

Easton just nods.

“I don’t care if she knows,” I say. “I just haven’t told her. It’s never come up.”

“Do other people know?” He glances at me. “Do any of your friends?”

“Mateo knows, and Rielle. She’s one of my closest friends, but I don’t see her much now that she’s pregnant. But I saw her at the mall last week and we had lunch.”

“She’s pregnant?” Easton asks, sounding surprised. I guess the girls at his fancy rich school don’t get pregnant, or they do but they get rid of it before anyone finds out. “How old is she?”

“Seventeen.”

He stops as we come to a red light. “Does anyone else know? About your past?”

“No. Why are you asking me this?”

“I just wondered if you’d told anyone.” He takes off as the light turns green. “Are you good with Mexican for dinner? If you’re not, we can go somewhere else.”

“Let’s just skip it. I have a lot to do and you don’t seem like you want to go out.”

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