That shut me up.

Her voice took on a giddy note. "Did you see how Adam was hovering over you? It was so romantic."

I hadn't. I'd been distracted.

"You guys are going to make a great couple. I can already tell."

"How?"

"What?"

"How can you tell? You don't even know me."

"Well… Okay, I'm being honest here, but you weren't all fabulous before. I mean, I've always known who you are. We're lab partners, seriously, but I didn't care. But something changed with you this year. I have no idea what, but it's like you don't care anymore." When we pulled into a coffee shop, she laughed. "Then you showed up at that party in that outfit. It sounds stupid, I know, but there's just something about you, like you're a mystery or something. Everyone knew Jeff wanted you hardcore that night. And everyone knows he's been cheating on you. Then you showed up today and you told off those pathetic excuses for friends."

"Are you obsessed with me?" My hands were starting to throb. I sucked in a breath when I tried to flex one hand, but stopped right away. What the hell had I done?

She laughed another one of those high-pitched squeals and flipped the red curls over again.

I cringed.

"Um, no. Are you crazy? I mean, you are, but are you?" Her laugh weakened. She turned to face me in the car. "I've known Adam all my life. He's my neighbor and he's a good guy. He's one of the good guys. I was thrilled when he broke up with Ashley."

"So why don't you date him?"

The cheeks got red again and her hands started to fidget in her lap before she tugged her skirt further over her knees. She mumbled something then.

"What?"

When she looked back up, her whole face was red. "I'm not good enough for him. I'm fat. I know it. Everyone knows it. Your friends used to call me hippo every day until—they still do."

I frowned.

"Anyways, I'm happy that he likes you. Last year I wouldn't think you had any balls. I mean, look at who you were. You had two sleazy best friends and an even sleazier boyfriend. They were all sleazy together behind your back. Some people thought you were stupid or had special needs or something."

"Thanks," I said dryly.

She brightened. "Now you're awesome. Jill Flatten tried to decimate you and you got away from her, easy as pie. No one does that. And you made her look stupid too."

"Is that hard to do?"

"Ashley DeCortts is afraid of her. That says something."

I grinned. "Are you going to buy me dinner now? All this flattery, then you drove me, now's the food part? What's next? A movie and a drink?"

She went back to tugging her skirt down again.

"Relax." I caught one of her hands, but grimaced from the contact. My hands were going to be in rare form for awhile. I swallowed the pain down. "I'm sorry I'm not as excited about Adam Quinn. I don't know him. I've never cared to know him either."

She turned to the window and mumbled under her breath, "He's only the best guy in school. That's all who he is."

"I think you should try for him."

A corner of her mouth twitched up. "He doesn't like me like that. He's interested in you."

"Okay, well, we'll have to wait and see, hmmm?" I elbowed my door. "Can you help me out over here?"

"Oh." She scrambled around the car and opened my door. As we walked inside, she started to bounce up and down. "I picked up an application here for a job. I'm hoping to work here. I think it'd be awesome. Everyone cool comes here, you know."

"When'd you turn your application in?"

"A month ago."

"Have they called for an interview?"

Her smile dimmed when we approached the counter. "The girl said they were fully staffed, but they'd call when they had some openings."

A Help Wanted sign hung underneath the cash register.

"Can I help you?" A brightly smiling petite girl waited for our orders.

I shook my head. "No."

"What? I like this place." Becky hurried after me towards the door.

"You tore into me how I let people walk over me last year. If we're friends, then take my advice. Don't let this place walk over you." I pushed open the door and started to step out, but a wall slammed into me from the side.

I cried out and blinked past tears from the sudden pain. It speared through me, but hands caught my shoulders and set me to the side.

"Oh….hi…" Becky had become a third grade little girl.

I sucked in my breath through my teeth and tried to numb down the pain. It felt like fire as it bolted up my arms and through my legs. I couldn't see for a moment when more tears kept threatening to spill out.

A voice asked, "What happened to her hands?"

Becky shuffled around on the sidewalk. I could hear her blushing. "She had an accident."

"Did she scratch some girl's eyeballs out or something?" The same voice laughed and another male voice joined in.

"I dunno. She won't tell me." Becky's voice had grown soft, even weak.

Enough of my tears had cleared and I was able to see who was in front of us.

My heart stopped. Of course. My luck.

Mason was in front with Logan beside him and their friend on his other side. Logan had been the one asking. Their friend still snickered. And Mason watched me with impenetrable eyes.

I scowled.

Then the friend asked, "Can she drive home with those?"

Becky had been watching the sidewalk, but her head whipped up. "No. I know. I've been trying to reason with her so I could drive her home, but she won't let me—"

I shook off Mason's hand. He'd been holding my elbow and I surged away. "I'm fine."

"Sam, wait." Becky jogged to catch up.

I bypassed her car.

"I drove you here."

"I'm fine," I repeated through gritted teeth and when I rounded a corner, I started to run. Forget my iPod or running shoes, I was grateful that I'd worn sneakers to school that day. I'd just run home.

And I did, or I tried. At mile ten, I slowed to a walk. My legs hurt from the different sneakers and my back hurt from my bag. When a car slowed beside me, I snarled when I looked over. I was ready for anybody, but David stopped beside me.