Page 98 of Eye of the Beholder

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Page 98 of Eye of the Beholder

There’s a lull in the conversation when I take an especially big bite, and when I look at Cohen, he’s watching me with a strange expression.

“What?” I say around my mouth full of burrito.

“We’ll keep in touch, won’t we?” Cohen says, surprising me. “At college, I mean.”

I swallow my food. “I want to. I mean, if you do,” I add, trying not to sound like a clingy, love-struck teenager.

Wait. Love-struck?

“I do,” Cohen says, still looking at me. “I want to stay in touch. I really—you’re a good friend.”

“So are you,” I say, smiling softly. And he is; he’s the best. My best friend, really. I can tell him anything—except how I feel about him. I hesitate, my smile growing. “You know, I never expected you to talk about your feelings as much as you do.”

He grins. “I don’t, usually. Just something about you, I guess.”

Something about me. I can get behind that.

30

Cohen

In the days leading up to my dad’s wedding, I have plenty of time to regret my decision to go. Several times I consider backing out and saying I’m busy, but the thought of Mina’s disapproving look makes me stop.

And, you know. I said I would go. So I probably should.

Things are back to normal between Mina and I, which makes me embarrassingly happy. She was right; I do talk about my feelings a lot when I’m with her, but I’ve been keeping my feelingsabouthervery quiet. That kiss blew my mind, and it wasn’t even very long. She doesn’t need to know any of that while she’s still with Jack, even if they are fighting.

And, speaking of Jack, he’s been throwing me a lot of dirty looks this week. Especially when, to the surprise of everyone but me and maybe Lydia, I settle myself squarely between my sister and Mina at their lunch table on Thursday. But I figure this is the best time to make the change; I can’t stand half the people I usually eat with anyway, and it’s the very beginning of the new term. New beginnings, right? And if Jack wants to sit with the girl who’s basically his girlfriend, he can. He probably should, actually. It’s sort of weird that he doesn’t. I guess they’re still rocky after the kiss.

But regardless of Jack, I have maybe six months before Mina and I go off to college and possibly never see each other again. So, yeah; I’m going to make these months count.

The cafeteria is particularly noisy today—it has been all week, actually. Probably people recounting their stories of winter break. But I’m leaning toward Mina, speaking close to her ear so she can hear me, teasing her about her juice box when suddenly Marcus is standing at our table, his eyes darting back and forth between Mina and I. My insides immediately go cold. They go even colder when I see Marcus blatantly ogle both Mina and Lydia with what I can only describe as a suggestive leer.

Mina leans over to me and whispers in my ear, “When you check me out, you’re more subtle than that.”

My mind whirs at the feeling of her breath on my ear, of her nearness, but I ignore it. “I should hope so,” I say under my breath. My eyes never leave Marcus. “And I never wear that expression.”

“No,” Mina says. “Your expression is different.”

She says this so casually that it makes me nervous. What expression do I wear? I’ve never paid attention to something like that.

I clear my throat and speak to Marcus. “What’s up?”

But he doesn’t look at me. He just looks at Mina.

“Listen,” he says, bending down so that Mina can hear him. He speaks quietly, glancing at me and then leaning closer to Mina. “I don’t do relationships and stuff. But if you ever want to have some fun”—he raises his eyebrows and grins suggestively—“you let me know. I’mveryinterested.” Then he turns his grin to me, looking smug.

I’m going to punch him in the face.

And where is Jack? I know Marcus is just goading me—probably because of what I said to him after he commented on Mina’s makeover—but anger still courses through me all the same.

I’m halfway to my feet before both Mina and Lydia yank hard on the back of my shirt, pulling me down to the bench between them again. Then I feel Mina’s hand on my knee under the table, and I take her hand in mine without even thinking about it. She gives it a quick squeeze, then looks at Marcus. Her face is ten times redder than it was mere minutes ago, and even though she smiles, I can see the smile shake a bit. I squeeze her hand, silently encouraging her.

“I’m definitely not interested,” Mina says. Her voice trembles slightly, but she speaks clearly and boldly, and she maintains eye contact the whole time. I smile; I’m proud of her.

Marcus’s face falls, and he shrugs as his suggestive expression is replaced by something colder. “If you sleep your way around the football team, you’ll get to me eventually. I’ll wait.”

This time I’m on my feet before Mina and Lydia can stop me, but to my surprise, Lydia is suddenly standing too.