Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

your locker??

Gratefully, Helen ducked

into homeroom and tried to blend in

with her desk. Mr. Hergeshimer asked if she was feeling better,

and then ignored her completely as soon as she answered that she

was feeling fine. She could have kissed him for that.

Matt just waved and sat down without a word. Helen guessed

correctly that he had been threatened by Claire to act like he?d forgotten

the whole thing, but he kept trying to stop himself from

glancing over at her, so Helen knew he was still really worried. She

caught his eye and smiled warmly, and after that he seemed a little

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less preoccupied. Zach turned his head and looked out the window

as soon as he took his seat, making a big show of not looking at

her.

She made it through the rest of the morning without incident,

right up until lunch. As she walked to the cafeteria she realized too

late that she was going to pass by Lucas?s locker. She was about to

turn and go another way, which was ridiculous because that would

mean she would have to literally go around the entire school, when

she was spotted.

Gretchen and Zach noticed her as she stood wavering indecisively

in the middle of the hall. They were at their lockers, which just so

happened to be right next to Lucas?s and Jason?s. Some of the fuzz

fell off of Helen?s memory and she recalled Gretchen?s and Zach?s

petrified faces floating around in the background as she tried to

choke Lucas. It made alphabetical sense for their lockers to be together,

Brant?B, Clifford?C, Delos?D, but Helen blamed her terrible

luck for the fact that all of the most popular people in her

grade had been firsthand witnesses to her moment of utter