Frost

I turned my attention back to the skirt, clipping it onto the hanger and hanging it up in the exact spot it had been before. I felt an immediate sense of relief.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” I said, shutting the closet behind me and leaning against the door.

“What?”

“Tried on her skirt. Or looked through her stuff at all. Here I am, worried about what kind of roommate she’ll be, and I’m totally invading her privacy.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Abby said. “And if Celeste thinks you’re a bad roommate, maybe she’ll move out.” She raised her eyebrows.

No—I didn’t want it to be like that. I’d agreed to the arrangement, after all. Being a bitch wouldn’t help anything. And, despite my fleeting urges, neither would disappearing into the depths of the closet. I wasn’t Lucy Pevensie and this wasn’t a magic wardrobe.

“Give me two minutes to get dressed,” I said. “I’ll meet you out front.”

I rummaged through my bags until I found a denim mini and my favorite navy-and-white-striped tee, quickly put them on, and sat on my bed to do the buckles on my sandals.

Across the room, I noticed that the closet hadn’t stayed shut. The latch must not have caught, even though I’d leaned against the door. It had eased open to show a strip of inviting darkness.

As if it was telling me I could always change my mind.

Chapter 5

“ I’M GOING TO FIND CAM ”, Viv called. She headed out of the food-service area into upper left, our favorite of the four dining rooms in Commons, where Cameron, her boyfriend, was saving us a table.

“Behind you,” Abby called back.

I took a minute to pick a Granny Smith apple from the fruit bowl and followed in their direction.

 At the entrance to the dining room, a lone guy with dark hair and a soccer player’s build stood holding a tray, his back to me. David Lazar. Damn. Could I slip past unnoticed? Did I want to? He turned his head, side to side, shifted his weight from foot to foot, the way he had when he’d told me about Celeste. Of course, the view in front of him was a sea of unknown faces.

 “Need a place to sit?” I asked, stepping up beside him.

He glanced over. “Leena, hey,” he said. “Thanks, but I’m pretty wiped. Probably wouldn’t be great company.”

So why hadn’t he just taken an empty seat? Maybe, despite the tulip gesture, he didn’t want to eat with me.

 “Sorry I was rude at the dorm,” I said, adjusting the dishes on my tray so it was more balanced. “If you want to sit alone, that’s cool. But I’m with the rest of Frost House, if you’re curious to meet them.”

He tilted his head slightly. “They’re not going to hide under the table and jump out at me, are they?” he said.

I laughed. “No. I think you’re safe.”

We started into the room. I scanned it quickly until I spotted Viv and Abby at a table by the tea-and-coffee station.

Commons is one of Barcroft’s older buildings. It has a grand, Gothic feel—high, arched windows, paneled walls, massive chandeliers, and dangerously slippery marble floors. It took serious concentration to walk, hold my tray, and say hi to everyone I passed whom I hadn’t seen yet since being back at school, especially since I was conscious of David watching me from behind.

As we neared the table, Abby’s eyes were round, like I was bringing a gift-wrapped box with her name on it. The neckline of her tank top had dipped mysteriously lower.

“So,” she said to David, after he and I had sat down and I’d introduced everyone, “your first meal here and you already found the best dining room.”

“Did I?” he said. “Celeste mentioned this is the one she usually eats in.”

“Yeah, she would,” Abby said.

 “Why’s that?” David asked. I thought I heard an edge in his voice.

“Upper left tends to have more artsy types.” Abby gestured at students around us, as if they were all splattered with oil paint. “Although, Leena and Viv aren’t artsy, so it’s not a given. Jocks and more conservative types tend toward upper right. But some of the football guys are in here tonight, so that’s not a given either. The lower halls tend to have underclassmen and more nondescripts. Kind of a mishmash. Anyway, this is where you should look for us first. We’re usually here. Except when we’re not.” She grinned.

“Valuable information,” he said, smiling back.

A tall, auburn-haired girl I recognized but didn’t know stopped at the table. “David, right?” she said. “We met earlier? At registration? I just wanted to say that if you’re interested in the. Ride Club, you should totally come talk to me about it. My name’s. Cora.”

“Thanks so much,” David said. “I will.”

After Cora floated away, Abby pointed a carrot stick in her direction and said to David, “That’s why you’re going to want to find us at meals.”

“Uh, why?” he said.

 “You’re such a rarity,” she explained. “A new guy who’s not fourteen years old. You’re going to need our protection from the swarming hoards.”

 “Should I carry a Taser or something?” he said, pretending to be alarmed.

“Oh, definitely.” More grinning.