“The crew.”
Carlton returns to his position, standing next to my seat when he’s done talking with the teacher. He avoids meeting my gaze, and my stomach ties itself in a knot.
And Mr. Saltzman claps. “All right, everyone. From the top!”
At lunch time, I try to swallow down my irritation when Carlton storms out of the drama room without me. Only Mabel hangs behind to wait for me while he, Meredith, and Rue sprint away, and we end up near the end of the lunch line.
“I wish we could find someone who would let us cut,” Mabel says, biting her lip and scanning the line ahead of us for a familiar face. She brightens. “Hey, what about Zayne? He’s up pretty far.”
My heart beats rapidly at the mention of his name. “No!” I practically shout. “Are you crazy?”
The mischief in her grin is unmistakable. “Why not? Aren’t you two like, buddy-buddy now? According to Little Birdie anyway.”
“No. We arenotbuddy-buddy. In fact, what Little Birdie says couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
But Mabel is already heading his direction, halfway up the line, and leaving me to look like an idiot talking to myself. I scurry after her, my beating heart now thundering. What is her problem? If Carlton catches me anywhere near Zayne outside of drama club, I might as well put a stake in whatever is left of our dilapidated, undefined, relationship.
“Hey, Zayne,” Mabel lilts when I catch up to her. “Mind if we cut with you?”
Zayne’s eyes sweep from Mabel to me, remaining a second too long before looking back at her. “Sure,” he says, stepping aside so we have room.
Mabel grins. I hesitate before stepping in front of Zayne and Lenny, who I didn’t realize was next to him.
“Hi, Lenny.” I wave at him.
He waggles his eyebrows. “Bardot-who-goes-by-Dot.” He turns to Mabel. “And Bardot-who-goes-by-Dot’s friend.”
She looks stunned, like she isn’t sure whether to laugh or continue staring at him, dumbfounded. “Uh, hi. You can just call me Mabel.”
“Queen.” Lenny states the word simply. “That’s what I’d call you if Bardot here didn’t already own the title.”
My lips twitch. Zayne closes his eyes and runs his hand down his face. “Lenny?—”
“Lady-in-Waiting will have to do,” he continues.
Mabel grins slowly, and Zayne rushes to explain. “You’ll have to excuse my brother, he’s?—”
“A charmer,” Mabel finishes for him. “He’s a charmer. I love it.”
Lenny takes Mabel’s hand, brushes his lips across the top, and bows without breaking their gaze. Mabel covers her mouth with her other hand and giggles.
I bite my smile away and turn to Zayne. “We should run lines.” It just comes out. But it’s true, nonetheless.
He looks around at the cafeteria, at the people in line surrounding us. “Now?”
I blush. “No. Obviously not now. But after school, maybe?” Even though spending extra time with Zayne is the last thing I need to be doing, I know it’s the right thing to suggest. Otherwise, me standing in the lunch line with Zayne looks to everyone else, including Carlton, like us hanging out. But if people think I’m only here to talk business with Zayne, especiallytheater business—the only business I have with him—there won’t be any basis for more rumors and Carlton can’t stay mad.
Zayne searches my face like he’s looking for the truth, or maybe a lie. “After school works. We can meet at my house again if you wan?—”
“Actually,” I cut him off, because meeting at his house again isn’t an option. Not after the field day Little Birdie had last time. “I’d rather not give you-know-who anything to talk about. Is there a…public place you know of that won’t make it look like we’re sneaking around or something?”
Zayne scoffs out a laugh. “Yeah. I know a place. There’s a park not too far. I can text you the address.”
“Perfect.”
Mabel furrows her delicately arched brows. “You aren’t going to invite Carlton, too?”
I didn’t realize she’d been listening, but it’s not like she and Lenny are far away.
