Toddy’s Burgers was teeming with Weybridge students. Somehow, Cress had managed to work her magic and find us a booth so we could sit and eat, which was lucky, because it was messy work. I probably had sauce on my face, but I couldn’t have cared less because Anna wasn’t kidding. The burgers at Toddy’s were unbelievably good.
I had completely tuned out from the surrounding restaurant the moment I’d taken the first bite of my burger because food like that deserved nothing less than my undivided attention. When I got down to the last few mouthfuls, I almost wanted to cry. How could my burger bliss almost be over?
“Geez, newbie, you’re making me wish I was that burger…”
I glanced up at Luther who was standing at the edge of our booth watching me. My eyes didn’t stay on him for more than an instant. I looked right past him to Noah, who was at his side. My stomach dipped as he fixated on my mouth. I quickly grabbed a napkin to wipe my lips in case there was any burger sauce splashed across them.
I tried to look unfazed as I turned to Luther. “Don’t you know that you should never interrupt a girl when she’s eating a burger?”
“But in my head, I am the burger,” he replied.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Noah’s eyes, but I knew Luther was only joking. There was no way I was letting him get away with it though.
I lifted one eyebrow at him. “If you were the burger, there’s no way I would be enjoying it this much.”
Anna burst out laughing. “Burn, Luther.”
He didn’t look the least bit bothered as he slid into the booth beside her. “If I can’t be Isobel’s burger, perhaps I can be yours. What do you think, London, want to take a bite of me?”
She rolled her eyes at him, but a smile still played on her lips as she turned back to her conversation with Cress. There was definitely something between them. Luther’s expression had seemed just a little bit more sincere, even a little hopeful, when he’d joked with her compared to me. Anna didn’t seem nearly as put off by him as she made out either.
“The burgers here are really good.” Noah sat down next to me, and my mouth went dry at the total lack of distance between us in the tight booth seat. He certainly hadn’t been this close when we’d sat together in the courtyard the other night, and it set my nerves on edge to have his leg brushing against mine. He smelled of fresh shower gel, and his hair was still damp, making him look like some god of the sea who’d just emerged from the turbulent waves and made his way onto the shore.
He was looking at me expectantly, and I realized he was waiting for a response. What the hell had he even said? As his gaze flicked down to the burger in my hand, I remembered. The food. Right. Duh.
“It’s got to be the best I’ve ever had,” I agreed with an envious look at the remainder of my food. I was still upset my last few bites had been rudely interrupted, and the remains of my burger looked so tantalizing as it waited for me to finish it off.
Noah let out a small chuckle. “Don’t let me keep you from it.”
It took me a moment to process the lightness in Noah’s voice and how he was struggling not to smile. The expression seemed so natural, and yet it was completely at odds with the air of indifference he radiated when he roamed the school halls. I definitely saw none of the cold and calculating soccer player who’d decimated his opposition on the field tonight.
It would have been easier to sit beside Weybridge’s arrogant leader—the one I’d first encountered in the woods and saw at school every day surrounded by walls so thick even Superman couldn’t see through them. I knew what to expect from that Noah. This Noah’s motives were a mystery, and I couldn’t tell if the friendly routine was simply an act.
“Seriously, eat,” Noah insisted.
I shot him a scowl but focused on my food all the same. Noah was hardly interested in me, so what did it matter if I inhaled the rest of my burger like I so desperately wanted. I couldn’t quite bring myself to eat with the same gusto as before, and I was slightly more delicate about the whole process. I really didn’t want to end up with sauce on my face again.
I glanced up at Noah when I finished and found him watching me closely. His eyes seemed bright with amusement, and while he wasn’t exactly smiling, the corners of his lips were lifted like they were fighting gravity to curve upward. My cheeks flushed, and I quickly searched for something to say because I didn’t know what to make of Noah when he looked at me that way.
“So, do you guys come here after every game?” I asked.
“Just when we win.”
“Oh.” It was hard not to be disappointed. I could have really got on board with a regular visit to Toddy’s. “So, it’s not every week then…”
Noah shook his head before leaning in slightly closer. “Of course, it is. We always win.”
My tummy fluttered in response, and I seriously hoped it was at the thought of more burgers rather than Noah’s proximity. “Well, I think you’ve just found your new number-one fan. I will be cheering the loudest at every game.”
His alluring half smile seemed tempted to break out on his lips. “So, all it takes for your undying loyalty to the team is a burger?”
“That or good pecan pie. It’s my favorite.”
“Pecan pie?”
“Yeah, my mom’s, more specifically. It’s the one thing she bakes at the café and people come from miles around to grab a slice.” As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized I’d said too much. I hadn’t told anyone my mom owned a café, and I hoped Noah had missed my comment.
“Sounds nice,” he said. “So, your mom’s a chef?”
“Uh, yeah, sort of,” I stumbled over the words as I thought about how to explain. “She’s a restaurant owner. Do you have a favorite food?” I asked, quickly trying to move past my slipup.
“Pancakes.”
I breathed a sigh of relief as we steered away from the subject of my mom. “Really?” I laughed.
“Yep. I will do just about anything for a stack of fluffy pancakes. They’re my greatest weakness in life.”
“Huh, who would have thought that all it would take to bring Noah Hastings to his knees was some pancakes?”
“Only the fluffy ones.” He smiled.
Noah always appeared so intimidating and distant, but talking to him was far easier than I had ever imagined. I had no idea why he was talking to me when a whole room of people was vying for his attention. They all seemed to be hovering, waiting for the right moment to approach him. I imagined they wanted to celebrate the team’s win with their star player, and I could constantly feel eyes on us as everyone waited for the perfect moment to steal his attention.
Levi had a similar effect on the people in Rapid Bay after a football game, but he preferred to soak up the adoration as much as possible. Noah didn’t seem to give it a second thought, and he hadn’t taken his eyes off me since the moment he sat down. It was almost enough to convince me he might actually be interested in me. But I knew there was no way that was possible. I was just the shiny new student, and everyone, including Noah, would be bored of me soon enough.
“Well done on the win tonight,” I said, realizing I hadn’t congratulated him yet. “You played really well.”
“Thanks.”
“You looked pretty intense out there. I wouldn’t have wanted to be a Langley player coming up against you.”
He looked slightly uncomfortable as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, I can sometimes get a bit lost in the moment. Soccer’s my outlet.”
“Outlet for what?”
He shrugged, and his gaze detached from mine for a rare moment, a slightly distant look entering his eyes. “It just lets me stop thinking for a while.”
I couldn’t imagine what he needed to avoid thinking about, but I wished he’d tell me more. I felt an intense urge to dig deeper, to see if there was anything he wanted to talk about, but quickly stopped myself. I was the last person Noah would want to confide in if he needed to.
“I should go find Kaden,” he said, breaking my train of thought. “I’ll see you at school, Crash.”
He left without another word, and Luther quickly moved to follow him. I was surprised by Noah’s abrupt departure and had to wonder if I’d said something wrong.
I continued watching him as Noah was swarmed by a group of people. They couldn’t wait to slap him on the back or shake his hand to congratulate him. I had been right. Almost everyone in the room was waiting for the perfect moment to swoop down on him. He was like a lone french fry amid a squabble of seagulls who were constantly tugging him one way and then another. I didn’t envy him one bit.
My stomach tensed when Veronica appeared at his side. Apparently, their argument at Luther’s party hadn’t deterred her because she was running a hand down his arm and smiling up at him. Something about her smile was a little too forced, and her eyes glowed with a strange combination of pride and jealousy. It was like she both loved and loathed the attention Noah received. Noah didn’t seem to notice, and he barely even looked her way, but seeing them together still left me feeling a little uneasy.
I wondered if the feeling was jealousy, but I quickly dismissed the thought. I’d only just met the guy, and I certainly didn’t want Noah that way. It was far more likely I was just having a negative reaction to seeing Veronica after she’d been rude to me in English.
A look of relief crossed Noah’s features as Sawyer burst through the front door of the restaurant, his arms held aloft. He had scored four goals in the match, more than any other player, and he was ready to bask in the achievement. The crowd of students was more than happy to oblige him, and most turned to welcome him to the restaurant. The hive of activity around Noah briefly dispersed, and even Veronica stopped pawing at his arm. His tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and he looked like he could finally breathe.
The difference between Sawyer and Noah was almost laughable. Sawyer ate up every bit of adoration that came his way. Not only that, but people seemed far more comfortable and confident about approaching him than they were with Noah. It was clear they were far more at ease around him, and within minutes, Sawyer had the entire place singing one of the Eagles’ chants.
I’d heard the song enough times during the match to quietly sing along, but Cress and Anna belted out the tune. I felt a little sorry for the one table of people—a family with two young children—who had likely just come for a quiet dinner. They were well and truly outnumbered.
“Is it like this every Thursday?” I called across our table as another chant started up.
“Pretty much,” Cress replied. “Though I’m sure Sawyer is riling everyone up a little more than usual tonight because he had such a great game.”
“Yeah, and be prepared,” Anna added. “We’re going to be hearing about his goals for at least the next week. I really hope he doesn’t repeatedly force us to watch the video of them too.”
“Why would he make you watch the video?” I asked. “You were there.”
She shrugged. “To remind us of his fabulousness.”
“That sounds like Sawyer.”
“So, what were you and Noah talking about?” Cress asked.
Her question caught me off guard. “Oh, uh, I don’t know. This and that.”
She tilted her head at me. “He doesn’t usually talk this and that with girls.”
“He doesn’t?”
“No. He doesn’t usually talk with girls at school at all.”
“Yeah, he barely talks to anyone,” Anna agreed. “Maybe he likes you.”
I scoffed. “I doubt that.”
“Why?” Cress said. “He is a guy, after all. And you’re so stunning and sweet.”
“There’s plenty of stunning, sweet girls at this school,” I argued. “You said he’s just not interested in the girls at Weybridge.”
“Yeah, but you’re different from most of the girls at Weybridge,” Anna replied.
I flinched at the word different. I was trying my best to fit in and had barely told them anything about where I was from, but I still stood out like a sore thumb. Was I that obviously out of place? Either way, I couldn’t believe that made me at all interesting to Noah. I looked back to where I’d last seem him, but he’d disappeared in the crowd. Thinking back on our conversation, he’d seemed so relaxed, and we’d talked so easily, but I knew Cress and Anna were reading into it too much. Noah wasn’t interested in me like that.
“I’m sure he was just being polite because I’m his cousin’s roommate,” I eventually decided.
“Maybe,” Cress wondered, but as she shared a look with Anna, I could tell neither of them was convinced.
Thankfully, all talk about Noah and how different I was came to a stop as Wes took a seat at our table.
“So, my brother clearly needs to get out more,” he said, his tone laden with sarcasm as he slid into the booth beside me. “Poor thing is such an introvert. I have no idea what I’m going to do with him.”
“Yeah, I can see how much he hates all this attention,” I agreed.
Wes laughed before he put on a solemn expression and bowed his head. “I just hope we can get him the help he needs.”
He then grinned brightly and turned his attention to Cress. “I loved your dance number tonight, by the way.”
“Really?” Cress was practically glowing in response.
“Yeah, you girls killed it out there.”
“Thanks.” She sat a little straighter. “Hopefully, the new recruits we get from the trials this weekend will fit in nicely with the rest of the squad.” She gasped suddenly and slapped a hand down on the table in front of me. “Isobel, you have to come try out for the squad.”
“Uh…”
“Yes, oh my gosh, it would be so fun to have you dancing with us.”
I couldn’t help but grimace. The thought of me on a dance team was ridiculous. “I hate to break it to you, Cress, but I can’t dance, so that’s a really terrible idea.”
“Aw, I find that hard to believe,” she said. “Won’t you at least try out? I’m sure you’d be great, and dance can be a lot of fun.”
“Sorry, Cress, but I’m far too uncoordinated.” I’d only been at Weybridge a few days, and already I’d managed to hurt myself with my own clumsiness.
Wes let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah, unfortunately, some of us have to go through life with two left feet.”
“You can’t dance either?”
“I make Elaine in Seinfield look good.”
“Wow. So, you’re really bad.”
“Yeah.” He laughed. “It’s a miracle anyone here still talks to me after prom last year.”
“We warned him not to hit the dance floor,” Cress said.
“He refused to listen though.” Anna gave a sad shake of her head before she looked at Wes. “It’s lucky you made varsity crew, Wes, or people would still be talking about how you punched a teacher while doing the robot.”
“Hey, don’t blame my robot skills,” Wes said. “Mr. Wagner was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“I’m sure that’s not how he remembers it,” Anna replied.
Wes definitely sounded like he was just as bad at dancing as me. I was hung up on something else Anna had said though. “What’s crew?” I asked, a blank look on my face. “It sounds like some kind of gang.”
All three of them gave me similar looks of confusion, and their surprise at my question made the blood rush from my face. Was I an idiot for not knowing what crew was?
“Didn’t your last school have a rowing team?” Anna asked.
“Oh, rowing, of course.” I wanted to thump myself for being so awkward. I imagined most wealthy schools like Weybridge had rowing teams, and I was worried I’d just made myself look even more out of place. “It wasn’t a big deal at my last school.”
“Well, it’s a big deal here,” Anna explained. Thankfully, she didn’t question my lack of rowing knowledge. “And Wes is one of the best rowers at school.”
“I’m not that good.” He shrugged, but I could have sworn there was an embarrassed glint in his eyes.
“He’s being modest,” Anna continued.
“Really, I’m not.” Wes seemed uncomfortable with her praise, and I was surprised by how humble he seemed for a guy from such a privileged background. He was so different from his brother who I imagined would have been more than happy to brag.
“Fine, you win,” Anna said. “You’re just as average at rowing as you are at dancing.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Wes grumbled, making us all laugh.
We stayed at Toddy’s for a couple of hours but had to leave when it drew close to curfew. Plenty of students stayed at the restaurant and took the risk, but Cress was tired anyway and didn’t want to have to talk her way out of trouble.
Wes got a ride back to school with us, and I walked beside him as we returned to the dorms while Anna and Cress wandered just ahead.
“So, Sawyer mentioned you have a girlfriend,” I said as we left the parking lot and followed the path that led around the side of Esher Hall to the dorms. “Does she go here?”
Wes’s expression softened. “No, Sarah goes to school back home.”
“Where are you from?”
“New York City.”
“Cool. I’ve never been there before.”
Wes gave me a funny look, and I realized how strange it must sound for a kid who attended Weybridge Academy to have never been somewhere like New York. I quickly kept talking so he didn’t get a chance to ask me about it. “It must be hard, not getting to see her very much,” I said.
He nodded slowly. “It’s not easy, but we’ve been together for years, and we’ll hopefully be together again when we go to college.”
“How long have you guys dated?”
“It’s been four years. We started dating when we were thirteen.”
My eyes grew wide with surprise. “Wow, really? That’s forever.”
He chuckled. “I guess it does seem like a while.”
“My longest relationship was a year.”
“That’s still a pretty decent chunk of time.”
“Yeah, I guess. It’s a shame it was wasted on the wrong guy.”
He tilted his head as he looked at me. “Perhaps you’ll find the right guy here.”
“I doubt it.”
“Why?”
I glanced away from him and focused on the soft spray of water bubbling from the courtyard fountain we were passing. “I’m not sure I’d be a good fit for any of the guys here.”
“What? That’s crazy.” Wes looked genuinely shocked but quickly calmed his expression. “I mean, why do you say that?” He looked a little embarrassed as he asked the question.
“Let’s just say I don’t think I’m the type of girl Weybridge guys are looking for.”
“Well, if there’s anyone here who thinks that, I’m sure that will be their loss.”
I laughed and shook my head. “You’re just saying that to be nice.”
“No, I’m saying that because, even though I only met you this week, I can tell you’re one of the good ones.”
I tilted my head to look up at Wes. He was giving me such a cute smile I couldn’t help but return it. I could see why his girlfriend put up with a long-distance relationship to be with him. “I think you might be one of the good ones too.”
“Nah, I’m nothing special. It probably just seems that way to you because this school is totally nuts. I often feel like I’m the only normal guy here.”
“You think you’re normal?” My eyes narrowed slightly as I assessed him. I couldn’t help but notice the way he’d described himself as normal. It was the exact word I’d used when Lily had asked me what type of guy I went for. I’d only really said it to wind up Noah and because I was convinced there were no normal boys at this school. But maybe I was wrong about that.
“Well, I’m as normal as you can be in this place,” he clarified. “Why? You think I’m weird?”
I laughed. “No, it’s not that.”
“Really? Because you’re looking at me like you disagree. You think I’m crazy, right?”
“No, not at all,” I hurried to reassure him. “You’re right. You’re perfectly normal, which is probably the best compliment you can pay a person in this place.”
He grinned in response.
By the time we reached the girls’ dorm, Cress and Anna had already disappeared inside. It was almost curfew, but I hesitated by the front door. “I guess this is me,” I said.
“I guess it is.” He started moving backward as he went to leave. “I’ll see you later, Isobel. And just so you know, I think you’re perfectly normal too.”
He smiled again before turning to walk across the courtyard to the boys’ dormitories, thankfully missing the way my cheeks turned pink in response.
