“You know,” I whispered. My gaze darted around, praying no one was watching or listening. “The déjà vu thing. Do you ever experience it around me?”
He tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Maybe we need to do something to find out.”
I sighed. “C’mon, Trent. I’m not messing around here.”
“Neither am I.” He straightened and crossed his arms.
“Just answer me. Please.” I was seconds away from begging, but I didn’t care.
I needed to know what was happening to me every time I was near Trent, and I needed to know how I knew him but didn’t remember him.
“I know that we know each other,” I said quietly, glancing around to make sure no one overheard me. “Jaxon confirmed it, but he won’t tell me how. Or why.”
I studied Trent carefully. His eyes darkened, and his jaw tensed. I held my breath, waiting. Would he finally come clean about everything?
He dropped his hands and rubbed the back of his neck. “Meet me after school, and we’ll talk.” Then, he walked away without another word.
Well, that didn’t go as I’d planned, but at least he was willing to talk. Hopefully, he’d actually talk to me, unlike his brother had. Readjusting my backpack, I turned to head toward class.
Olivia stared daggers at me. Normally, I would’ve put my head down, or walked around the long way to get to class, but this time, I smiled at her and walked by without a second thought.
When I walked into class, Simon was sitting at my desk.
“Um, you do know you’re not in this class, right?” I said around a laugh.
“I know.” He smiled and slid out of my seat. “But you are.” He kissed my cheek, and this time, I didn’t pull away. Mostly because I was just so relieved he wasn’t ditching me. Because like it or not, I did need a friend, and I hated to admit it, but Jaxon was no longer that person. Not when he was lying to me and keeping secrets.
Students filed into the room, and Simon stepped back. “See you at lunch,” he said.
Hands in his pockets, he strolled out of the room, grinning. Olivia gave him a dirty look as she passed him, which she then turned on me.
I quickly took my seat, refusing to let her ruin my good mood. Any class with Olivia was brutal, but this one was twice as bad as normal. She couldn’t seem to stop glaring at me.
Thankfully, I didn’t have second period with her, and class progressed peacefully. I was the first one out of the room when the bell rang, and I rushed toward the English building. My cell phone vibrated in my back pocket.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Chloe?” There was a loud sob, followed by sniffling.
“Yeah.” I stepped outside, away from the noise of the crowded hallway. “Ellie?”
Why was she calling me now? She should be in school, too.
“They did it. They finally told me.” Her words were strangled by uncontrollable crying.
“I can barely understand you. Who did what?” I’d never heard her so upset before. Normally, she was happy and bubbly.
“My parents.” She sniffled. “They finally told me they’re getting a divorce.”
My heart sank. I leaned against the brick building, my mind reeling. This could not be happening, not to her. The night of her sleepover, she’d confided in me that she thought her parents might be getting divorced and that she was terrified of being forced to move, or having to choose between which parent she wanted to live with.
“I’m so sorry, Ellie.” I closed my eyes and blew out a breath. Now, more than ever, I wanted to be home. I wanted to be there with Ellie, to hug her and let her cry on my shoulder.
“You’re the only one I ever told. I didn’t know who else to call.” She hiccupped.
“It’s okay. You can always call me,” I said softly.
“Thanks,” she mumbled. “I just don’t know what to do. I mean, I kind of knew this was coming, but I still wasn’t prepared, y’know?”
“Yeah, I know.” I sighed.
Students rushed by to class, and I expected the bell to ring any second. Not that it mattered—I wasn’t going to hang up with Ellie just so I wouldn’t be late to class. She needed me, and I was determined to be here for her, even if we were hundreds of miles apart.
“Ugh.” She groaned. “My mom’s coming. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Make sure you do,” I said.
Slowly, I lowered my phone from my ear and blinked. Disbelief wrapped around me, suffocating me.
What if Ellie’s parents made her move before I made it back home? I might never see her again. Next to Abby, Ellie was my best friend. The best friend I’d ever had, if I were being honest. I really needed to get back to Keene Valley. The sooner the better.
“Everything all right?”
I gasped at the sound of Trent’s voice. “You scared me.” Which was odd because I could normally sense him.
He studied me with concern, waiting for a reply.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I forced a smile. “Just got some bad news.” Pushing off the building, I shook my head. “But it’s okay.”
“Want to get out of here?”
“What?” I had to have misheard him. “What about school?”
He shrugged. “What about it? You got bad news, and you want to talk to me, so… let’s get out of here.”
“You want to skip school?” I asked.
Trent nodded. “Why not?”
“I’ve never skipped school before.”
Ugh. I did not just say that. I mentally rolled my eyes at my utter lameness.
“Never, huh?” He smiled as if he knew something I didn’t. “Well, allow me to be your first time.” His words dripped with innuendo, and he held out his hand.
My gaze darted between his face and outstretched hand. A flurry of nerves erupted in my chest. What if the school called Larissa, or my dad? I’d be in so much trouble; my father would probably never let me out of the house. But
