I waited for him to catch my meaning, but he only said, 'Up for a game?' He tilted his head toward the back of the arcade. Through the crowd I could just make out pool tables.
'Nora!' Vee called out. 'Get over here. Elliot is cramming defeat down my throat!'
'Can't,' I told Patch.
'If I win,' he said, as if he had no intention of being refused, 'you'll tell Elliot something came up. You'll tell him you're no longer free tonight.'
I couldn't help it; he was way too arrogant. I said, 'And if / win?'
His eyes skimmed me, head to toe. 'I don't think we have to worry.'
Before I could stop myself, I punched his arm.
'Careful,' he said in a low voice. 'They might think we're flirting.'
I felt like kicking myself, because that's exactly what we were doing. But it wasn't my fault-it was Patch's. In close contact with him, I experienced a confusing polarity of desires. Part of me wanted to run away from him screaming, Fire! A more reckless part was tempted to see how close I could get without… combusting.
'One game of pool,' he tempted.
'I'm here with someone else.'
'Head toward the pool tables. I'll take care of it.'
I crossed my arms, hoping to look stern and a little exasperated, but at the same time, I had to bite my lip to keep from showing a slightly more positive reaction. 'What are you going to do? Fight Elliot?'
'If it comes to that.'
I was almost sure he was joking. Almost.
'A pool table just opened up. Go claim it.' /… dare… you.
I stiffened. 'How did you do that?'
When he didn't immediately deny it, I felt a squeeze of panic. It was real. He knew exactly what he was doing. The palms of my hands touched with sweat.
'How did you do that?' I repeated.
He gave me a sly smile. 'Do what?'
'Don't,' I warned. 'Don't pretend you're not doing it.'
He leaned a shoulder against the console and gazed down at me. 'Tell me what I'm supposed to be doing.'
'My… thoughts.'
'What about them?'
'Cut it out, Patch.'
He glanced around theatrically. 'You don't mean-talking to your mind? You know how crazy that sounds, right?'
Swallowing, I said in the calmest voice I could manage, 'You scare me, and I'm not sure you're good for me.'
'I could change your mind.'
'Noooora!' Vee called over the din of voices and electronic beeps.
'Meet me at the Archangel,' Patch said.
I took a step back. 'No,' I said on impulse.
Patch came around behind me, and a chill shimmied up my spine. 'I'll be waiting,' he said into my ear. Then he slipped out of the arcade.
Chapter 8
I walked back to the foosball table in a cold daze. Elliot was bent over it, his face showing competitive concentration. Vee was shrieking and laughing. Jules was still missing.
Vee looked up from the game. 'Well? What happened? What'd he say to you?'
'Nothing. I told him not to bother us. He left.' My voice sounded flat.
'He didn't look mad when he left,' Elliot said. 'Whatever you said, it must have worked.'
'Too bad,' Vee said. 'I was hoping for some excitement.
'Are we ready to play?' Elliot asked. 'I'm getting hungry for some hard-won pizza.'
'Yeah, if Jules would ever come back,' said Vee. 'I'm starting to think maybe he doesn't like us. He keeps disappearing. I'm starting to think it's a nonverbal cue.'
'You kidding me? He loves you guys,' Elliot said with too much enthusiasm. 'He's just slow to warm up to strangers. I'll go find him. Don't go anywhere.'
As soon as Vee and I were alone, I said, 'You know I'm going to kill you, right?'
Vee raised her palms and took a step back. 'I was doing you a favor. Elliot is wild about you. After you left, I told him you have, like, ten guys calling you every night. You should have seen his face. Barely contained jealousy.'
I groaned.
'It's the law of supply and demand,' Vee said. 'Who would've thought economics would come in useful?'
I looked to the arcade doors. 'I need something.'
'You need Elliot.'
'No, I need sugar. Lots of it. I need cotton candy.' What I needed was an eraser big enough to scrub away all evidence of Patch from my life. Particularly the mind-speaking. I shuddered. How was he doing it? And why me? Unless… I'd imagined it. Just like I'd imagined hitting someone with the Neon.
'I could use a little sugar myself,' Vee said. 'I saw a vendor near the park entrance on our way in. I'll stay here so Jules and Elliot don't think we ran off, and you can get the cotton candy.'
Outside, I backtracked to the entrance, but when I found the vendor selling cotton candy, I was distracted by a sight farther down the walkway. The Archangel rose up above the treetops. A snake of cars zipped over the lighted tracks and dove out of view. I wondered why Patch wanted to meet. I felt a jab in my stomach and probably should have taken it for an answer, but despite my best intentions, I found myself continuing down the walkway toward the Archangel.
I stayed with the flow of foot traffic, keeping my eyes on the distant track of the Archangel looping through the sky. The wind had changed from chilly to icy, but that wasn't the reason I felt increasingly ill at ease. The feeling was back. That cold, heart-stopping feeling that someone was watching me.
I stole a look to both sides. Nothing abnormal in my peripheral vision. I spun a full 180 degrees. A little ways back, standing in a small courtyard of trees, a hooded figure turned and disappeared into the darkness.
With my heart beating faster, I bypassed a large group of pedestrians, putting distance between me and the clearing. Several strides farther on, I glanced back again. Nobody stood out as following me.
When I faced forward again, I ran smack into someone. 'Sorry!' I blurted, trying to regain my balance.
Patch grinned down at me. 'I'm hard to resist.'
I blinked up at him. 'Leave me alone.' I tried to sidestep him, but he caught me by the elbow.
'What's wrong? You look ready to throw up.'
'You have that effect on me,' I snapped.
He laughed. I felt like kicking his shins.
'You could use a drink.' He still had me by the elbow, and he tugged me toward a lemonade cart.
I dug in my heels. 'You want to help? Stay away from me.'
He brushed a curl off my face. 'Love the hair. Love when it's out of control. It's like seeing a side of you that needs to come out more often.'
I smoothed my hair furiously. As soon as I realized I looked like I was trying to make myself more presentable for him, I said, 'I have to go. Vee is waiting.' A frazzled pause. 'I guess I'll see you in class on Monday.'
'Ride the Archangel with me.'
I craned my neck, staring up at it. High-pitched screams echoed down as the cars thundered over the
