Covet (Clann)

It’s just this…headache making me stupid. I’ll call you tonight when my head’s not trying to split itself in two, okay?”
    I managed a wave goodbye then stumbled out of the cafeteria and up to the catwalk, its metal awning blocking out the bright sunlight.
    The sudden and blessed quiet nearly made me sag with relief. But I couldn’t stay here for the rest of the lunch period or some teacher would probably show up and tell me to go to class. No one was allowed to hang around beyond the cafeteria on our lunch breaks. I checked my watch and groaned. There were still twenty minutes left before third period. I could go to the nurse’s station, but then I might have to answer a bunch of questions. And I definitely didn’t want to have to hide out in the restroom that long.
    The library was the best option. So I ducked into the main hall, walking slowly past the glass front wall of the office, then allowing myself to rush as fast as I wanted until I reached the double blue doors of the library.
    I opened one door just enough to peek at the checkout desk. No librarian in sight. She was probably in her office eating lunch, judging by the putrid smell in the air. Good. If she saw me here without a library pass, she would kick me back out.
    I slipped in then moved vampire fast along the carpeted aisles past the tall wooden bookcases, looking for a table out of view in case anyone else came in and tattled on me to the librarian. Spotting the edge of a table in the far back right corner, I hurried over to it.
    And nearly shrieked out loud when I discovered someone already seated there.

CHAPTER 18
    At the last second, I managed to swallow the gasp and whisper, “Sorry, didn’t see you there.”
    Ron looked up from the book he’d been reading. “Oh, hey, Savannah.” He was alarmingly loud.
    Then I remembered how deaf I’d seemed in English. “Shh. I’m not deaf anymore. I can hear you now.”
    Smiling, he held out a hand toward the table. “Have a seat if you want.”
    I opened my mouth to say no thanks.
    It’d be nice not to have to eat alone for once , he thought.
    Well, he did have the only table out of view of the front desk.
    And maybe if I sat here and listened to his thoughts long enough, I’d hear the truth about his breakup with Anne.
    I took the creaky wooden chair opposite him and sat down.
    “So what’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” he whispered with a lopsided grin. But underneath that, I heard him think, Anne’s best friend. Maybe she can tell me how to fix things with Anne. It’s been months. This is getting ridiculous.
    “I could ask you the same thing,” I whispered back. “I didn’t realize jocks read.”
    He shrugged, his smile fading. “It’s better than being in that jungle you call a cafeteria.”
    “That’s for sure,” I agreed without thinking. At his surprised look, I added, “It gets pretty noisy in there. It’s much quieter in here.”
    “I thought you were deaf last period.”
    It was my turn to shrug. “Temporary hearing loss. It came back with a vengeance. So what’s the deal with you and Anne?”
    He froze. “Why? What did she tell you?”
    “Nothing. That’s what makes me wonder. All she said was that she’s not the right girl for you. And that maybe you aren’t what you seem.” Or had Anne only thought that last part?
    “Nobody’s what they seem around here. Take you and Tristan, for instance. What’s the story there? No one knew you two were even dating for months.”
    I so didn’t want to talk about that. “Why don’t you focus on telling me what’s really going on between you and my best friend. Did you hurt Anne? Because if you did—”
    “No way!” He grabbed the edge of the table. “I would never hurt her.”
    I searched his thoughts. He was too upset for me to pick out a single thought, his emotions swirling into a big tangle. But he was telling the truth. “You really cared about her.”
    He blinked once, twice, gave a short, sharp nod. “But now she won’t see me, won’t talk to me. I don’t know what to do. I’ve tried to be patient, but she’s driving me nuts here.”
    I crossed my arms over my chest. “Maybe she has a good reason.”
    “Or maybe she’s just being pigheaded.”
    “Maybe. It is Anne we’re talking about.” We smiled at each other in understanding. “You’ll just have to let her come around when she’s ready. If she does. Or you could always move on, date somebody else.”
    He was