Page 51 of Hateful
“Yeah. You’ve gotten really fast. I’d say you’re faster than Jasper is.”
I’m not sure how to process this information, so I stay silent, not even acknowledging that Heath just admitted that I’m faster than him.
But I still can’t outrun Beck, apparently.
I slow my pace as we get to the break tree. Heath comes to a stop with me and promptly sits down on an exposed, gnarled root protruding from the ground.
“Snow’s really melted, huh?” he says conversationally.
“And the days are getting longer.” I lean against the trunk. It’s springtime already. I could even wear shorts if I wanted to. Not that I do.
I still can’t believe how quickly this semester has been flying by. Without Olive trying to get me killed and The Brotherhood’s antics reduced to just Beck, this year is going to be over before I know it.
Heath perks up beside me. “Yeah, they are! We have a lot more daylight to work with now. Wanna run for even longer, then?”
I grin. “I don’t see why not.”
So we do. We take off around our usual trail, then take an unfamiliar turn and go even further into the woods. The trees are closer together here. Late afternoon sunlight slices down through the treetops, pockmarking the ground with little spots of light between leaf-shaped shadows. There’s a dip in the trail here, and we both leap over it, laughing wildly. Heath grabs my hand and points to another.
This one we launch over together.
By the time we find where the trail loops back on itself to take us toward the school, we’re panting and sweaty, laughing at each other, pointing out all the dirt on each other’s shoes.
“Makes you miss the snow, doesn’t it?” Heath asks fondly as he smacks the side of his foot against a tree trunk.
“I don’t mind getting a little dirty,” I reply absently, kicking my own foot against a tree trunk.
“Oh?” Heath’s eyes sparkle at me.
I blush and turn my eyes away.
There’s a long moment of silence where a question seems to hang in the air, something left unsaid—but then Heath shouts “Race ya back!” and goes running down the trail at full tilt.
“No fair!” I race after him, laughing, my feet pelting the ground. He’s got a good head start, but I manage to catch up fairly quickly while he’s trying to round a corner. He’s right—I’ve gotten good at throwing myself around curves without losing any momentum. I overtake him, push past, and run straight off without him, leaving him in my dust.
He laughs and I hear him speed up behind me, but I stay ahead of him the whole way back to the first bend.
“I win!” I yell triumphantly, pushing my fists into the air.
He stops, panting, and smiles at me, his eyes lingering on my face and neck, slipping down my chest and stomach. I suddenly feel very exposed. I lower my arms and fold them around myself.
“This is where we split, huh?” I ask.
“I guess,” he replies, sounding a little reluctant. “We’ll know when our first practice is tomorrow. I’ll write you a note.”
“Okay.” I feel mildly self-conscious under his gaze. What is he looking for? Why doesn’t he just want to go ahead and split up like we usually do? Does he want to make a move?
Heath takes a step toward me, then hesitates, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Well. See you around, then.” He turns and heads off in the direction he always goes after our runs.
“See you.” I turn and go my own way. My heart pounds, and I’m pretty sure it’s got nothing to do with how much I’ve been running.
Chapter Eighteen
Heath passesby my table in science and surreptitiously drops a folded slip of paper onto it. I reach out and take it just after he passes.
This has become the normal for us, but it might not be as secret as I’d hoped. It’s not easy setting up clandestine meetings when everyone has their eyes on you thanks to one of youbeingThe Brotherhood and the other one’s theirbitch.
“More secret notes?” Rafael asks in a low voice, leaning over toward me.
