Illusions

anything!”

“Come on, Laurel,” Chelsea said, softly now. “I get that Tamani likes you, but honestly, that doesn’t really matter. Half the guys in our class like you. You’re gorgeous. I’ve seen them stare. It doesn’t bother David. If anything, I think it makes David happy. He’s dating the hottest girl in school and everyone knows it.”

“I’m not the hottest girl in school,” Laurel said stiffly, pulling up to the curb in front of Chelsea’s house. She knew she was pretty, but there were a lot of beautiful girls at Del Norte. And Chelsea was one of them.

“You are the hottest girl in school,” Chelsea repeated, “and Captain Science is your boyfriend. You didn’t know David before high school, so let me spell it out for you: The moment you gave him the time of day, you changed David’s life. He would do anything for you. And he’s not really the jealous type.”

“I’m starting to think all boys are the jealous type,” Laurel grumbled.

“I’m telling you, David isn’t mad at Tamani because Tamani’s jealous. David’s mad at Tamani because you’re jealous.”

Laurel leaned her forehead against the steering wheel in defeat.

“Is he really in love with you?” Chelsea asked after a long, silent moment.

“Yes,” Laurel admitted, looking up at Chelsea but leaving her head against the wheel.

Chelsea raised her eyebrows. “Well. Good luck with that.”

Chapter Sixteen

“I DON’T KNOW WHY THIS THING IS BOTHERING ME so much this year,” Laurel said, hiding behind David’s much-larger frame to adjust the sash around her blossom in the hallway.

“Maybe it’s because you didn’t get to keep it free on Saturday,” David suggested. “Kinda like muscles being sore if you don’t rest them, or something.”

“Maybe,” Laurel agreed. “And this weekend isn’t going to be any different.”

“Do you need to skip the dance?” David asked, hiding a smile. “I wouldn’t mind.” David hadn’t been entirely pleased to hear that they were going to the dance with Tamani — though, on hearing that Yuki would be Tamani’s date, his attitude had improved. Marginally.

“I know you wouldn’t,” Laurel said, “but Chelsea would. She needs this. Especially after last week. It will be a good night for her and Ryan.”

“You’re sure I can’t just deck Ryan?” David growled. It was interesting to watch how protective David was of Chelsea. Laurel knew their friendship went back years, but when she’d told David about Ryan’s SAT scores, she’d half expected him to come to Ryan’s defense — after all, David and Ryan were friends too, and Chelsea still refused to ask Ryan for an explanation.

“There will be no ‘decking,’ David,” Laurel chided. “Of anyone.”

“Yes, Mother,” David said, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, and Tamani wants us to meet up before the dance — you and me and Chelsea.” He’d dropped that on Laurel in Government class, with scant explanation. “Strategy meeting or something, I guess. He says it’s important.” Laurel rubbed at her temples. The stress of Yuki was almost worse than having trolls lurking. At least with trolls, you knew where you stood. Trolls liked treasure, revenge, and tearing people limb from limb. For all Laurel knew, Yuki and Klea were valuable allies — but then, they might be busy engineering her death, or worse. Laurel suspected it was that uncertainty that had been bringing on these crippling headaches lately.

“Is it bad today?” David asked as he ran his hands over her shoulders and bent a little to touch his forehead to hers.

Laurel nodded, a tiny movement that didn’t jostle David’s forehead from hers; she liked the feel of his face so close. “I just need to go outside,” Laurel said quietly. “Get out of these halls.”

“Hey, Laurel.”

Laurel looked up to see Yuki. Smiling.

At her.

Her eyes went to Tamani, who was standing just behind Yuki. “Hey,” Laurel answered, a little nervously.

“Listen,” Yuki said, “I wanted to thank you for coming by the other day.”

“Oh,” Laurel said, finding herself at a loss for words. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s got to be weird, being somewhere totally new.”

“It can be. And…” Her eyes darted up to Tamani and he smiled his encouragement. “I haven’t been super- friendly and you were really nice.”

“Really,” Laurel said, feeling awkward now. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

“So, do you mind if Tam and I eat lunch with you? You guys always eat outside, right?”

“I like it there,” Laurel said, feeling vaguely defensive. “Um, sure you can join us. If you want.” This is what we’ve been working for, she reminded herself.

Tamani and Yuki went off to get their lunches and Laurel turned back to her locker. Her headache was getting worse. She was glad it was lunchtime. Getting out of the school for a few minutes usually helped.

“You okay?” David asked, locking his locker, his lunch tucked under his arm.

“She’s going to notice how I eat,” Laurel said. “Why didn’t Tamani stop this?” But she knew why. It was worth the risk. Probably.

David didn’t answer, just put an arm around her shoulders as they walked toward the doors.

Chelsea and Ryan and a few of the other regulars were already sitting and pulling out their lunches when Laurel and David arrived, moments ahead of Tamani and Yuki. The group hardly looked up when Tamani and Yuki sat down; they often had people come and go. Yuki sat down right beside Laurel. Tamani sat next to Yuki.

So much for low-key, Laurel thought. Three high school students sitting in a row, eating nothing but fruits and vegetables. Perfect. That shouldn’t draw any attention at all. Laurel hesitated before opening her salad. At least she’d had some extra time this morning to make her lunch; her colorful salad looked more like a meal than the usual half cup of spinach with a couple strawberries, or piece of fruit and small bag of carrots. She pulled out a can of Sprite and made a bit of a show of opening it and taking a long swallow.

Yuki didn’t seem the least bit self-conscious as she pulled out her own lunch. Laurel couldn’t help but stare at the small Tupperware containing a pale, oblong, sandwich-sized mound with dark green strips tied around it.

“What is that?” Laurel asked, hoping it sounded like a friendly question.

Yuki looked up at her. “Cabbage roll,” she said simply.

Laurel knew she should leave it alone, but she had never eaten anything resembling the thing that Yuki was currently biting into and her curiosity overwhelmed her caution. “What’s that stuff wrapped around it?”

Yuki looked over at her in surprise. “Nori. Um, seaweed, basically. You’ve probably seen it on sushi.”

Laurel turned back to her own lunch before she drew too much attention to their meals. She felt suddenly lonely as she watched Yuki, eating her cabbage roll and drinking her cold green tea. What would it be like to have a faerie friend who lived in the human world? Someone who could swap camouflage secrets and lunch recipes? She realized just how well she and Yuki could get along. If only she could know Yuki wasn’t a threat — to herself or Avalon.

“Aren’t you eating?” Yuki asked.

Laurel looked up, but Yuki wasn’t talking to her — she was talking to Tamani, who was sprawled casually on the grass. He shrugged. “I’m fine. I usually go out, but I wanted to keep you company today,” he said with a winning smile, touching her knee.

Laurel turned away from Yuki, her warm feelings melting away.

“Do you want some of mine?” Yuki asked.

Laurel didn’t turn, but she listened, wondering how Tamani was going to get out of this one.

“Oh, no thanks. I’ll be all right. I don’t really like green stuff.”

Laurel almost choked on her Sprite. She saw that Tamani was watching her with laughter in his eyes. She placed one hand on David’s thigh and looked pointedly away from her impish guardian.

* * *

Tamani felt uncomfortably like a teacher as he stood in front of Laurel and her friends before the dance. He’d asked them to come to Laurel’s house early, while Ryan was still at work, so that they could all talk freely. “First, I