Page 65 of Save Me

“But you didn’t do anything,” I reply in confusion.

She shakes her head. “My friends and I were all out of order.”

“So you’re having lunch with us?” Lin asks skeptically.

Lydia just shrugs. “I’ve seen what vultures people can be. If I sit here, no one will dare come over.” She nods toward a group of kids who are staring at us. When they notice that I’ve looked around, they look away and stick their heads together, whispering.

“And I wanted to check on how you’re doing,” Lydia adds.

I can’t hide my surprise. Thinking back on our last conversation, all I can see is her distrustful gaze. She didn’t give me the impression of being interested in my well-being, and I can’t help wondering if my dip in the pool is really the only reason she’s sitting here at our table.

I decide to answer her question honestly all the same. “I’d prefer it if that hadn’t happened on Friday. But I’m OK.”

“Cy really doesn’t know when to stop sometimes,” she says.

I shrug my shoulders.

“But I’ve known him all my life,” she continues. “That genuinely was his idea of funny.”

“What he did was anything but funny,” Lin objects, looking surprised when Lydia nods.

“He crossed the line. And I’ve told him so.”

I glance up from my soup in surprise. “Really?”

“Yes. Of course.”

For a moment I don’t know what to say. In the end I settle on: “That was kind. Thank you.”

Lydia smiles and turns back to her penne.

I look at Lin at the same moment that she looks at me. I give another almost imperceptible shrug, and we both focus on our lunch.

After a while, Lin tells me about her morning, which began badly when her car wouldn’t start. It feels weird to make small talk with Lydia there, but she joins in on our conversation as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and in the end, I stop asking myself what her ulterior motive might be. Maybe she’s just being nice and genuinely wanted to apologize. She wouldn’t be the first member of her family to surprise me.

Once we’ve finished eating, I heave my backpack onto my lap and pull out a little tin that I put in the middle of the table.

“There were some cookies left from the weekend,” I say, taking off the lid. “Anyone up for dessert?”

Lydia’s eyes light up. “Did you make them yourself?”

“With Lin and my sister,” I say. “On Saturday, in our PJs.”

“That sounds amazing,” she says, taking a cookie. “Way better than my Saturday.” She bites into it and chews pensively. “Oh, wow, this is delicious.”

“Thanks.” I smile. “James said you had family visiting.”

“Yeah, that’s always…something else. I’d way rather have spent the day in my pajamas.”

I can’t imagine someone like Lydia in pajamas at all, and the attempt makes me grin.

After lunch, Lin and I head for the group room to get ready fortoday’s meeting. While I write the agenda on the board, Lin puts the handouts we just got printed at the school office at everyone’s places. Then we wait for the others, who gradually drift in. James takes the window seat, same as always. He puts the black notebook on the table in front of him and crosses his arms over his chest. The familiar sight gives me a twinge because it makes me realize that whether or not James and I are getting on better, he’s not here voluntarily. Being here means he isn’t at lacrosse training—it’s a punishment that he hates.

“Ruby?” Kieran came up to me without me noticing.

“Hmm?” I say, looking at him. Kieran’s only a fraction taller than me. His black hair falls over his face and he shakes it aside.

“I wondered if you had a minute after the meeting? I’ve got quite a range of bands, and I thought I’d rather discuss them with you before narrowing them down to three.”

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