Starlee's Turn (The Wayward Sons 2)

“I spent some time with my mom before I came back here.”

Her brown eyes watch me carefully, like she’s looking for a lie—some crack in my façade. Nothing I said isn’t true, but I’m sweating like a witness on the jury stand. To my surprise, she thrusts out her hand. “I’m Christina.”

Christina. I’ve heard that name before. Maybe from Margaret the ambassador?

“Starlee. Nice to meet you.”

Her grip is bone-crushing but I fake my way through it anyway.

“Do you plan on joining any clubs?”

“I hadn’t thought about it,” I say, reaching for my jeans. “I have to work most afternoons with my grandmother at the lodge.”

“You should. It looks amazing on your college applications. Suzy is in the hiking and adventure club.” She points to a blonde nearby. “Or you could join the environmental club or Young Leaders. I’m in both of those. Or…” she says, touching her chin in thought. “Maybe you should try out for cheerleading. There’s a spot open. Virginia Sinclair got knocked up over the summer. She moved to live with her grandmother in Bakersfield. Oh wait, kind of like you!”

There’s a smug tone under the cheerfulness. I shrug innocently. “That’s too bad. I’m not particularly athletic. Plus, I help out at my grandmother’s business and I’m tutoring Jake after practice. I just don’t think I have time for extra-curriculars.”

The smugness vanishes from her face. “You’re helping Jake study?”

“Sure. We really bonded over literature this summer.” I shove my gym clothes in the locker and heave my backpack over my shoulder. It’s time for me to get away from this nosy bitch. “I guess I should run. I’m still finding my way around campus, you know.”

I dart from the rows of lockers out into the main hall. Jake stands across from the entrance, where he’d waited for me.

“Hey,” he says, glancing over my shoulder at the door. “That took a while. Everything okay?”

“Just meeting some of the girls at school.”

“Ah, yeah, be careful, some of them bite.”

“You know that from experience?” I can’t deny there was something territorial about all of Christina’s questions, but I’m not about to act jealous in front of Jake.

“High school dynamics may be new to you, Starlee, but they’re not to me. There are some cool people here—like me and the guys.” He flashes me a grin. “And a few of the girls, too. But there are a few you have to keep your distance from.”

Christina and a few of the other girls, Suzy included, walk out of the locker room and into the hall.

“Hey, Jake,” Christina says, passing us by. He barely lifts his chin. She doesn’t even acknowledge me.

Once they’re out of sight, I ask, “Is that one of the ones that bite?”

“Christina?” he asks, tightening his fingers around his shoulder straps. “Not only does she bite, she has fangs, with venom. Definitely stay clear of that one.”

I’m not going to have any problems with that, but something makes me wonder if he can say the same.

16

Starlee

The lodge is still pretty busy right now with people coming through the area for fishing at the lakes and heading into Yosemite to see the leaves change. Leelee says weekends are the busiest, so she doesn’t need my help during the week—Katie’s taken over a lot of my duties. Even so, I find myself hanging around a lot while the boys are busy. I don’t like being alone.

“So,” I say one afternoon when it’s just me and Katie in the office. I’m folding brochures advertising the Christmas tree lighting ceremony held here the day after Thanksgiving. When I’m finished, I’ll put them in the welcome packets that go in each room. “I’ve noticed Leelee is over at the café a lot more now.”

“You noticed that too, huh?”

“Is it about the food or something else?”

“I don’t think it’s about Cassidy the dog, if you know what I mean,” she replies, waggling her eyebrows. She then takes a bite out of her Moose’s Muffin I brought over after school.

“Tom?” He’s the man that owns the café. A little younger than Leelee but they’ve always seemed close. Maybe I missed something over the summer. “How long has that been going on?”