Page 93 of Bound By Stars
“Hope he likes waiting.”
Asha’s voice grows louder with every word, and students ahead turn back to stare.“Weslie, I love you, but will you please pull your head out of your ass and talk to him?”
What if Jupiter didn’t betray me? It wouldn’t be difficult for his family to hack his computer. Take it while he was sleeping. Load the data without him even knowing. And if he didn’t have anything to do with it, would he take my side against his family? An Earther girl he’s known for three weeks? No way.
When I open my mouth to tell her what I found, the cargo bay of stolen ILSAs, my chest is hollow, and my throat seizes. I can’t say it out loud. I lower my head and whisper, “It’s over between us. I mean, it was never anything anyway.”
“His parents didn’t warn him, you know? About the announcement.”
That stupid engagement announcement. Maybe he didn’t know it was happening that night, but he knew it was a possibility. All that time we’d spent together, and even if he really didn’t know about his family stealing ILSA’s design, he never happened to mention that the planned future he dreaded included an engagement that was as good as sealed.
In the wide hall outside the agriculture bay, Calypso thanks Dr. Abara on behalf of all of us and excuses the class.
Curran and Tar stop Jupiter in the middle of the hall, blocking my way home.
There’s a tugging sensation in my chest pulling me toward him.
Asha’s right. Every wasted second on this ship is one I’m losing with him. But it doesn’t matter. I look away, planting my feet and waiting for them to leave. He’s still engaged.
Asha’s already deep into recounting the show Ms. Lovell’s lover put on after dinner last night.
“Hey, Wesi,” Reve whispers over my shoulder, rustling my hair.
Asha’s eyes flicker between me and Reve standing behind me.
“Oh, it’s Wesi, now?” I raise my eyebrows as I slowly spin to face him. “Yesterday you decided we weren’t friends anymore, remember?”
Meridian bites her lip and her eyes wander over Reve slowly as she passes with two other girls flanking her. Loud enough for us to hear, she feigns whispering to her minions. “Figures the dust mite would attract her kind.” As though she weren’t just undressing him with her eyes.
Ignoring her, he leans closer. “You might practically be an Elysian now, but you’ll always be Wesi.” His voice is low and sweet and cuts right through me. He knows exactly what he’s doing.
I roll my eyes, tilting my head away and catching Jupiter watching us. I swallow the lump in my throat. “What are you doing here?”
“Came to find you and convince you to forgive me.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’m completely fine.”
“I’m going to let you two have a minute.” Asha touches my arm, widening her eyes. She looks Reve over before leaving. “Galaxies, I wish I had your problems.”
“What are you doing later?” he asks.
I cross my arms. “Sitting around eating cake and thinking of how above everyone I am. You know, general snobbery and superiority.”
“Meet me in the…” His eyes focus past me. He drops his gaze and presses his lips together.
I follow his eyes.
Jupiter is rubbing the back of his neck and staring at his shoes. Across from him, Curran turns his head away. Between the two, Tar grins and waves.
Reve takes a deep breath. “Can you meet me in the escape pod bay?” His voice is hollow. The usual self-assuredness is gone. The noncommittal tone almost sounds like he hopes I’ll turn him down.
“When?” I uncross my arms.
“Like…” He looks past me again to where Jupiter and his friends are still standing.
Did Jupiter threaten him? He might have lied about being engaged, but I can’t imagine him exerting his power over anyone like that.
“Three.” He forces the word out and immediately walks away.
