“By which you mean books?” I asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Exactly.” Now that some of the color was returning to his face, he looked more like the David I was used to. “When the debate club thing happened, I checked out a book from the library about . . .” He trailed off and cleared his throat a little. “Um, you know, people who see the future and stuff. Here.”

He reached into his backpack and pulled out a thin black book, handing it to me. They Saw the Future! was emblazoned on the cover in bright purple foil.

I studied it for a second, pressing my lips together. “It’s like you want me to make fun of you.”

Scowling, David went to take the book back, but I held it out of reach. “No, you’re right. There might be something in here. It’s better than nothing.”

David didn’t look much happier, but he nodded. “Right. I’ve marked some of the pages I thought were the most interesting. Plus we can go to the library this afternoon and—”

“No,” I said automatically. I’d already been caught spending one afternoon with David Stark. If we got caught two days in a row, even if it was in an unsexy place like the library . . .

David scowled, and I hurried on. “I only mean not today. I have . . . family stuff.”

I wasn’t sure David was going to accept that for an answer, but in the end, he gave a terse nod. “Okay. Maybe this weekend then.”

Today was Tuesday. Surely by Saturday, things with me and Ryan would be sorted out. “Saturday is fine,” I said, bending down to scoop up my backpack. “And that was a good idea. The book thing.”

“Maybe the next time you pay me a compliment, you can try not to sound like you’re about to hurl.” He smirked, a tiny dimple appearing in one cheek.

I rolled my eyes.

“Okay,” he said, going to open the door. “I’ll pick you up at around nine on Saturday.”

I shook my head. “I’ll pick you up. One ride in that deathtrap you call a car was plenty, thanks.”

“You know, it actually wasn’t a deathtrap until someone decided to drive it down a residential street at roughly a bazillion miles an hour.”

“To save your life,” I threw over my shoulder as I left the closet.

Luckily, David had enough sense to let me leave first. Also luckily, I only got one girl looking at me as I shut the door behind me. I gave her my brightest smile. “Wanted to make sure everything was spick-and-span in there!”

Chapter 12