slippery.
?I think that would be best,? she mumbled.
He didn?t say anything. He just turned on his heel and left her.
?Hi, Luke . . . bye, Luke,? Claire said as she joined them. She
looked back and forth at the two of them. ?Fight??
Helen shrugged and took Claire?s hand, leading her into the locker
room. ?I don?t really care,? was all she had the energy to say.
205/395
As they ran the trail she asked about Claire?s day. She let Claire in
on the auditorium secret, and told her to tell Matt about it, too, in
order to avoid a friendship meltdown. Claire looked at her funny,
but she didn?t ask any questions.
Helen felt as if the whole world had turned into some gigantic
punch line that she had waited patiently for, and then when she
heard it she found it insulting. If she had been in a comedy club
she would have gotten up and walked out, but instead she had to
go to the comedian?s house after school and let his cousin beat the
crap out of her.
When track was over, Helen dutifully rode her bike to the Delos
compound, arriving before Lucas, Jason, and Hector did. She went
down to the tennis courts, which were in the process of being converted
into a proper fighting arena with a sandy bottom, and
looked around. There was a sword on the ground. She picked it up
and gave it a swing to see how it felt.
It felt goofy as hell. Helen supposed she wasn?t a swordswoman.
?I think Hector wants you to learn the spear first. It?s considered
traditional,? Cassandra said behind her.
?Wouldn?t want to mess with tradition,? Helen said sarcastically
as she threw the sword down, point first, into the sand so that the
hilt made a cross above the ground.