Page 45 - My FlipBook

T R A I L O F C R U M B S

lights, and Greta saw the outline of a pool table off in a dark-
ened corner. A phone and wireless speaker on the coffee table
played music. It was super low-key. Other than the Spice
Girls, no one wore a costume. Greta paused at the foot of the
stairs, but Priya and Rachel marched ahead. She followed.
Rachel stepped up like it was her house. “Everyone,
this is Greta. She’s our Sporty Spice.” She smiled at Greta
and started naming and pointing to people. As she talked

a short, muscly blond guy walked over and put his arm
around her waist. No, right on her butt. “This is Matt, my
boyfriend,” Rachel said. She gave him a coy smile. Yup, still
on her butt.
Besides Priya and Sam, who stood behind a couch, talking
to a girl called Angela, there was Matt—the butt groper—a
guy named Dylan who had sat at their table at lunchtime, and

someone named Angus with chin-length dreads.
As though reading Greta’s mind, Priya said, “More people
are coming later.”
Greta sat on the empty leather couch in front of Priya,
Sam and Angela. Rachel went over to a bar by the pool table
and brought Greta back an orange drink that smelled like nail
polish remover. Then she curled up on Matt’s lap on another
couch and whispered in his ear.
Across from Greta, Dylan sat alone. Greta tried not

to stare at him—one of those people. She had noticed him
at lunchtime too: dark, chin-length hair, almost the same
color as hers, strong jaw, great smile. There was something
friendly about his face. She wanted him to look at her.

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