Starstruck

Chapter 3b: Or not (part 2)

CHAPTER 3

Or not (part 2)

I thought I just might die from embarrassment. I mean, could they have been any more obvious?

"Look, I'm sorry my friends are so--"

"Perceptive?"

"Huh?" Smooth. So smooth.

Rigel smiled, which incapacitated me further. "I really do want to talk to you. Thank them for me."

For him? "So, um, what did you want to talk about?" I fervently wished I weren't so completely devoid of flirting skills.

"About you, among other things. You said you've lived in Jewel most of your life. Where did you live before?"

That was so not what I was expecting. Why in the world would Rigel Stuart be interested in the details of my life? The worst part was, I couldn't even supply all of them.

"I . . . don't know, actually. My aunt said that my parents moved around a lot."

"You live with your aunt?"

I nodded. "And my uncle. They were both born here in Jewel, just like their parents. I . . . I guess my dad was, too."

Frowning a little, he took a bite of his pizza. "So . . . what happened to your parents?"

"It's kind of complicated, actually," I hedged.

His amazing hazel eyes locked on mine like I was the only other person in the whole cafeteria. I tried to remember to breathe. "I don't mind hearing if you don't mind telling."

"Um, okay. I was adopted when I was a baby-not quite two, anyway-someplace other than Jewel. Out west, I think. But then my adoptive parents died when I was four and I came here to Jewel to live with my aunt and uncle after that. My dad-my adoptive dad-was my Uncle Louie's younger brother. My Aunt Theresa never exactly approved of them-I guess because of all their moving around and stuff-so they hardly ever talked about them." I said it all in a rush.

He looked a little confused. I couldn't blame him. "So . . . wait. You mean your aunt didn't approve of your adoptive parents? What about your real parents?"

I shrugged. "I don't know the first thing about them and neither do my aunt and uncle. I used to pester them about it when I was younger, but they claimed even my adoptive parents never knew who they were."

"So you're, like, a double orphan?" Now his eyes held sympathy, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"I guess so, yeah. But it all happened so long ago. I don't remember very much about my adoptive parents and nothing at all about my birth parents. It's not like I . . . I miss them or anything." I knew I sounded defensive, but I didn't want his pity. Exactly what I did want, I didn't know-or didn't want to admit to myself.

"No wonder you remembered so many details from Jane Eyre. I guess it hit a little too close to home, huh?"

I stared at him, amazed that he'd picked up on that from my two or three answers in class. "Yeah, that's probably why I like it so much."

"Really? I'd have thought it would be hard for you to read."

"Oh, no, not at all! Because Jane wins in the end. She's the best in her school, she turns out better than any of her mean cousins and she-" I broke off before I could say, marries the love of her life. I could feel my face getting hot.