Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

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.

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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.