mean beating.?
?Well, I owe her one, but it?s not what you think.? Helen grabbed
his hand and pulled him toward the door.
Lucas waved to Zach on his way out. Zach waved back, but he
was still pouting.
?I think I?ve lowered your rank. Sorry,? Helen said as they got in
the little silver Mercedes.
?What are you talking about?? Lucas asked, backing out of the
parking lot.
?Well, Zach and all those guys saw us together,? she said, like her
meaning was obvious.
?And??
?Zach and Gretchen aren?t my biggest fans, which makes me sort
of like popularity antimatter at school,? Helen explained sheepishly.
Lucas?s face cracked into a huge smile and he grabbed her
hand, but he had to let it go to shift.
?I?m going to have to start driving an automatic,? he mumbled to
himself before continuing. ?You think you?re unpopular? The first
hour I was on this island I heard about the beautiful, perfect, heavenly
Helen Hamilton. You know that?s what the boys call you,
right? Heaven Hamilton?? Helen dodged his seeking hand, but he
eventually captured hers and held it tighter.
?Stop it, Lucas. This isn?t a joke to me. And what?s up with this??
she asked, holding up their linked hands.
?I don?t know,? he said with a curious tilt of his head. ?But it feels
right, doesn?t it? Look, why don?t you tell me what?s really
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bothering you about being seen with me. Are you afraid of people
talking??
?Yes and no. You don?t understand because you haven?t been