Page 83 of Haunting the Deep

Jaxon frowns. “What?”

“You’re acting like we’re not friends.” I turn so that I’m facing him. “If you’re mad at me, just say so. Yell at me. Or…I don’t know what, but something other than telling our parents our personal business over breakfast and then pretending like nothing weird is happening.”

“But nothing is happening.”

I stare at him in disbelief. Did he get swapped out for his evil twin? Where is Jaxon the talker, the one who always wants to get to the bottom of a problem?

The truck slows.

I look out the window. We’re not in the school parking lot; we’re by a curb in a residential neighborhood.

My pulse quickens as I recognize the brick house. “You brought me to pick upNiki?”

He opens his truck door and jumps out.

I jump out, too. He walks right past me and heads for her door. I grab his arm.

“Sam, stop.”

“No, you stop. Have you become completely insensitive?”

A door closes, and we both turn to see Niki walking toward us.

She frowns so deeply I wonder if her face will ever recover. “Sam?”

Jaxon pulls away from me.

Niki walks straight to him and wraps her arms around his chest.

“You know what?” I say. “I think I’ll walk.”

Niki smirks. “Jealous much?”

I tense. “I so don’t have the patience for you right now.Don’tpush me.”

Whatever Niki sees in my expression must be convincing, because she breaks eye contact and pulls on Jaxon. “Let’s go.”

Jaxon opens the door for her. For a split second he turns to look at me. Then he goes around his truck and gets in. They pull away without even saying goodbye. The Jaxon I know would never leave me here. Ever.

“Shit.” I kick the ground.

I pull out my phone and type in my group text to the Descendants.

Me:Any chance you could pick me up at Niki’s?

Alice:Niki’s??? We just got to school. Sit tight for a minute. I’m coming.

Ipush the heavy lunchroom door open. Alice, Mary, and Susannah sit at their usual table near the window, and I head straight for them.

“I heard Sam had a total meltdown this morning about Jaxon dating Niki,” Blair says loud enough for me to hear as I pass. I know I shouldn’t, but I look at her.

The girls sitting with Blair laugh. I catch Matt watching us from the next table.

Blair soaks up the encouragement. “Apparently, she showed up at Niki’s house today all weepy and—”

“You know what’s a good story, Blair?” Matt interrupts. “The one from last weekend when you got drunk, broke your high heel, and face-plan’ed right in a pile of—”

“Shut up, Matt!” Blair snaps, turning instantly red.