I guess my confused tone sounded true because it got her to turn and look at me. “Like you don’t know.”
“Know what?”
Her eyes narrowed on my face as she studied me, but she found nothing because I really had no idea what she was talking about. After a few minutes of her scrutinizing me she gave up and looked at her feet. “I figured the first place he’d go was to you.”
“What are you talking about, Kimber?”
“Cole dumped me.”
My breath caught. Why would he do that? Now, it would absolutely look like he was interested in me—at least to Kimber anyway. “I had no idea.”
She laughed. It sounded hollow and bitter at the same time. “Right.”
I caught her wrist and squeezed. “Really. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” But I can’t say that I wasn’t surprised.
She looked down where I grasped her and then back up at me. For a minute, I thought I caught a glimpse of the friend I used to have. Her aura seemed to shift, ready to change but then the same old colors bloomed back around her. They were the same colors that filled the space around her every time we saw each other anymore: red, brown and some orange. I sighed and released her at the same time that Mrs. Britt stood up and called the meeting to order. The bench we were sitting on vibrated as Cole walked across to slide in next to Logan. He offered his fist to Logan who smiled and bumped his against Cole’s. I smiled. Guys were so strange sometimes.
He gave me a little wave, which I returned and then scowled, motioning at Kimber with my head. He grimaced and turned his attention up front. Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at Kimber who was glaring straight ahead. If she believed me at all before, she didn’t now.
The meeting seemed to drag on forever with Mrs. Britt going on about what time to be at the airport and how important it was to be on time. She went over all the airline regulations on security and packing and passports. She handed out info sheets for our parents and packing lists for us along with an itinerary and hotel information. I didn’t care about any of this. I only cared about returning the scroll, everything going back to normal, and the chance for Sam and me to be alone.
Sam nudged me in the ribs. You aren’t paying attention.
It’s boring and Kimber’s aura is attacking me.
Sam’s shoulders shook with his silent laughter and I felt my lips crack into a smile. Logan looked between us, trying to figure out what we were laughing about. When Sam caught him looking, his smile fell away to be replaced with a pensive frown.
What’s going on, Sam?
What am I going to do with Logan when we leave for Italy? How can I just leave him alone?
I didn’t have a response for that. I hadn’t really thought about it, but it was a long time to leave Logan all by himself. Don’t worry. We’ll think of something.
Sam nodded, but I don’t think my lame response made him feel any better.
I did my best to pay attention, I really did, but the closer we got to Italy, the more nervous I became. What if something went wrong? What if we got caught trying to sneak away from the class and were unable to return the scroll? From what little research I did online about the Catacombs, they were pretty big with different sections… What if we got lost?
My thoughts were interrupted when Mrs. Britt introduced the teacher’s assistant that was coming along on the trip to help chaperone. She was a tall woman with strikingly sharp features and dark brown eyes. Her dark hair was long and curled down her back. When she walked in, most the male students sat up a little straighter.
“This is Ms. Merriweather, everyone. She will be assisting us in our studies abroad.” Ms. Merriweather gave us all a wide smile and a small wave. “We are very lucky to have her,” Mrs. Britt continued, “because she speaks perfect Italian and has actually lived in Rome for a time. She will be very helpful in getting us around.”
The new lady stepped forward and spoke up. “Please, call me Tabitha, and I am very excited to have this opportunity. I’m very sure that we will all have such a wonderful time together.”
“What happened to Mrs. Malone?” Cole whispered toward Sam and me.
I shrugged. Mrs. Malone was supposed to be the chaperone with Mrs. Britt. She was the home economics teacher. “I don’t know,” I whispered back.
As if she heard, Ms. Merriweather’s eyes snapped up to where we were sitting. I fell silent and slumped a little in my seat.
“Way to go,” Kimber muttered. “Pin us as the bad ones before we even take off.”
I didn’t bother to reply because Ms. Merriweather was still watching us. I focused on her aura, but it wasn’t anything unusual or even stunning. In fact, it looked a lot like my mom and Henry’s the last few times I saw them: calm and cool, relaxed and happy with a lot of blues and greens. I hoped that meant that she would be easy to get along with. She looked up at us again and I smiled, hoping to impart the message that we wouldn’t be problem students.
From beside me, Kimber groaned then cursed beneath her breath, and without warning, a clipboard slammed across my lap. I jerked and both Sam and Cole whipped around to see what was happening. I focused down on the paper in my lap. It looked like some sort of chart… for hotel roommates.
Uh-oh.
Never mind the fact that we had to share a room, which meant Sam and I weren’t going to be able to sleep in the same bed, but I had a sinking suspicion that I wasn’t going to like my bunk mate. I scanned the list for my name and used my finger to go across to the next column to see who my roommate would be… Kimber.
Great.
I glanced at Kimber and offered her a tentative smile and she practically sneered at me. “Prepare for a memorable trip, roomie.”
My stomach knotted. No way were we going to be able to share a hotel room for two weeks and not kill each other. Just as I was about to raise my hand and request a change, Mrs. Britt announced, “There will be no changes to the roommate roster. I expect everyone to get along and cause no problems… or else.”
Wonderful. I glanced at Sam and he patted my leg while pulling the clipboard from my lap. I looked over his shoulder to see who he was paired with. He let out a snort and handed the clipboard across Logan to Cole.
Who’d you get? I asked.
Your brother.
I snickered. That should be interesting.
Finally, the meeting ended and students began filing out. Sam and Logan made their way to the stairs. Kimber stood and gathered her bag and turned to walk away. “Kimber.” I reached out and grasped her hand.