Page 98 of A Scandal in Homeroom
I openedmy locker door and practically had to stop myself from bouncing in place I was so happy. Next period was lunch and I’d be seeing Locke. It was crazy, but it had felt like years since yesterday when he’d walked me home after hanging out at his place, then coffee.
After…well, I’d done it.
Okay, not doneitbut done something. Something that felt good and right and not gross. Something where my mother wasn’t in the forefront of my mind when it happened. Janie thought my feelings for Locke could mean I was healing, and I actually thought she could be right.
I didn’t feel as broken on the inside. I wasn’t carrying around this constant feeling of dread.
Yes, I was still in trouble with Moriarty. Yes, I was worried about what might happen once Coyle realized I was never going back to the game, but all of that seemed to pale in comparison to the good stuff.
I had a boyfriend I was hot for.
I had a boyfriend who was totally hot for me.
We were going to a super fancy dance together on Saturday because I had actually been invited. After school today, I was going to shop for a dress with Beth.
Janie had opted out, which was a little bit of a downer, but I totally got it. Who wanted to watch Cinderella get ready for the ball, if she wasn’t going herself?
I was so blissed out on the good stuff, I didn’t even hear him come up behind me.
“Don’t think this is over between us, Adler.”
I turned, my expression as neutral as I could make it. Coyle wasn’t a threat to me. I knew that now, based on how he’d reacted to me getting jumped. He didn’t like it. Not because he was worried about me, because he was worried about himself. Which meant he was just as afraid of Moriarty as I was supposed to be.
Only I wasn’t really. Not anymore. Not now that I had Locke on my side.
“What is that exactly?”
Of course he had no idea I had no plans to return to the game this weekend, so I really wasn’t sure where the hostility was coming from.
“You think you’re safe now, because you’ve got your boyfriend to protect you.”
“Safer. Definitely,” I said, with a bit of a smile. “My boyfriend has certain…skills.”
Of course he’d told me what went down with Coyle.
“How are your fingers by the way? I meant to ask,” I said.
“You think you’re so smart. So smart to start the game in the first place and you don’t even realize you were the one who got played. This whole time it was really all aboutyou.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked him, truly clueless.
Coyle shook his head. “Moriarty doesn’t do anything without a reason. Just remember that. Your boyfriend might think he can take him down, but Moriarty will always be miles ahead of everyone.”
“Look, Coyle, enough with the cryptic shit. Either spit out what you want to say or get lost. Either way, I don’t care. All this stuff is bullshit. It was a stupid game. It got out of control. If you’re smart, you’ll walk away before it all falls apart.”
“This isn’t over, Adler. None of it. Just remember I was the one who told you that first.”
I watched him storm away, then I didn’t think about him again. Next period was lunch, and I was going to see Locke. Then after school I was going to buy a dress that would make him drool.
Besides, none of what Coyle said made any sense.
Why would anything have to do withme?
A thought drifted through my head. A conversation I’d had a long time ago. A private one with Mrs. Darcy. It wasn’t possible anyone could have known about that.
Was it?
No. I shook my head and closed my locker door.
