“You know that’s not it!” Vik snapped. “He’s stalking Andi. This proves it. Why else would he choose this place, on this day?”

“Maybe because it’s the only decent restaurant in town, and he’s been here long enough to get sick of our crappy cafeteria food?”

From behind me, I heard the scrape of a chair being pulled across the wooden floor and knew that Riley had taken a seat nearby. I didn’t have to look to know that he had positioned himself for optimal Andi creeping.

“What can I get you to drink, hon?” I heard the waitress ask him. After a long pause, she added nervously, “Um… some water, maybe?”

“That will suffice,” said Riley. It was the first time I’d actually heard his voice. He had just the hint of an accent that I couldn’t begin to place, and the pitch was deeper than I would have imagined. Somehow… more resonant, like it belonged to a much larger body.

“Hey, Riley!” Bree called. “Come join us!”

Vik and I both looked at her like she’d lost her mind, but it was too late to say anything; Riley was already standing before our table.

“Good afternoon.” He directed this oddly formal greeting to me and only me.

“So you snuck off campus, too, huh?” said Bree. “Well, we won’t tell if you won’t.”

Riley’s eyes flicked to Bree for only a second before returning to my face. “A reasonable agreement.”

After an awkward pause, Bree asked, “So are you going to Jerrid’s pool party on Saturday?”

“Pool party?” Riley repeated slowly, as though he’d never heard the term before.

Underneath the table, I gave Bree a warning kick, but she blathered on, “Yeah! It’s the social event of the season—one last shindig before it gets too cold for swimming.”

Riley turned back to me. “Will you be attending this… pool party?”

“We all will be!” Bree said cheerfully. “Practically the whole school is going.”

“Very well,” said Riley. “I will see you Saturday.” Then, without another word, he turned around and walked out of the restaurant.

Vik, who had been silently fuming the whole time Riley was at our table, burst out angrily, “What the hell, Bree?”

“What?” said Bree. “Is it a crime to make an effort to be friendly to people you inexplicably don’t like?”

I was just as angry as Vik, but not at Bree. Who did Riley Bay think he was, following me to Henrietta’s just to stare at me creepily? And now he was going to ruin Jerrid’s party for me, too?

I rose from the table and started walking toward the door.

“Andi? Where are you going?” Vik called after me, concerned.

“Wait here,” I called back.

I caught up with Riley in the parking lot.

“What the heck is your problem?” I demanded angrily.

Slowly, he turned to face me.