Twenty

"What're you reading?"

Early one morning in the cafeteria, Chloe Hart slid into the seat across from Chris Mathis. The roads were icy and so Mrs. Hart had been in nothing short of a tizzy about her daughter leaving early, giving herself time, driving carefully. Consequently, Chloe was at school nearly half an hour before she had to be to make first bell.

Chris was always here this early. Just in case. In case for what he didn't know, but the "just in case" policy had helped him out more than once: when he realized he'd forgotten to print papers, when he forgot entire assignments, when he had to make up tests and didn't have to get up any earlier.



He held up his book. "Good choice," Chloe applauded. Truman Capote. In Cold Blood. Chris raised an eyebrow; he hadn't pegged Chloe for much of a reader. She shrugged one shoulder. "Summer reading." Chris nodded, and set aside his book.

"What's up?" he asked her. Maybe she thought their conversation in Subway had made them friends. It didn't, though Chris would have appreciated more information about the Lena situation. If anyone was going to know, it would probably be Chloe.

She shrugged. "Just got here early. Waiting for my boyfriend to show." She couldn't stop from smiling at his mention. Apparently this was a new development.

For the sake of conversation, Chris asked, "You have a boyfriend?" He hadn't known of one.

Chloe blushed. "Mike Sullivan."

"Really?"

She didn't detect any sarcastic undertones--Chris couldn't see Mike Sullivan being with Chloe Hart. Mike Sullivan was on the chess team. But Chloe just smiled and nodded.

"Congrats," Chris said. He didn't know what else to say. He didn't want to be the first one to bring up Lena.

But Chloe didn't bring it up at all. "So," she asked, seeming perfectly comfortable talking to this near stranger in an empty cafeteria; Chris wasn't half so comfortable. "What're you doing for Christmas this year?"

Chris was going to his aunt's house. He told Chloe so. She cheerily relayed her plans. Chris couldn't understand why she wasn't talking about Lena. That was the only link the two had. Lena Harrison. Goddamn it, he wanted to know more about what was going on.

If Chloe noticed that she was the only one making any effort to continue the conversation over the next few minutes, she didn't let on. Chris nodded and smiled at the right places and then promptly forgot everything that had been said.

Mike Sullivan walked in and looked at Chris Mathis with open hostility. Chloe offered him a cheerful goodbye and left. Chris tried to shove down his disappointment.