Like Wildfire

Chapter 8

"In a false quarrel there is no true valour"

                                                              -Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing

Ben

He whistled on his way to school. He didn't know what their official status was and he certainly didn't want to ruin it by asking, but he was feeling better about him and Trissa—about the possibility that there could be a Ben and Trissa again--than he had in months. Maybe if he didn't say anything they could just sort of ease back into dating. He should have known better.

He held his breath as he slid into the seat next to her in English—the only class they had together—but she simply turned and smiled at him. Whew. Okay. So far, so good. He walked beside her to the cafeteria and managed to finagle a place next to her in the food line. She got the last of the chicken nuggets and he accepted a plate of spaghetti and limp green beans with a grimace. It was his least favorite lunch, but at least Trissa sat with him. Who cared what he ate as long as she was sitting at the same table?

He set his plate on the table and held his hand out for her tray. When he returned to the table, the chicken nuggets were sitting at his place and Trissa was eating the spaghetti.

"Thanks, Tris."

She winked at him and continued her conversation with Meg. He didn't participate in any of the conversations at the table, content simply to watch Trissa's face as she talked.

"So when do you think you'll hear if you got accepted?" Meg reached to snag a fry from Peter's plate. Ben noticed Peter scoot the plate closer to her.

"I don't know. It should be pretty soon since I put in for early decision."

Ben frowned and swallowed. "Why would you put in for early decision at Tech? That doesn't make sense—"

"Not Tech, silly!" Meg laughed and ate another of Peter's fries. "Brown. Trissa applied to Brown and she's such a genius she's sure to get in."

Ben was sure she would. The chicken nuggets churned in his stomach. "Brown? Isn't that back East somewhere?"

"Rhode Island." Meg raised her eyebrows. "You didn't know about it, huh?"

Ben ignored her. "Trissa? You're going to Brown? I thought you were going to Tech. I thought—"

She shrugged and pushed her plate away. "I applied, but I may not get in."

"But, why? Why Brown?" Why so far away? That's what he really wanted to know.

"Could we talk about it later?" She looked around the cafeteria meaningfully.

He didn't give a rat's ass who was listening. "Why Brown?"

She sighed and crossed her arms. "Fine. You want to do this here? Okay. I talked to a rep from Brown at the college fair last Spring and I applied. That's all. I doubt I'll even get accepted."

That was the day she'd broken up with him. She'd found out about a university clear across the country and then she'd broken up with him. She wanted to be away from him so much that she'd applied to a university in Rhode Island. He stood up so fast his chair fell backward, attracting the attention of pretty much everyone in the cafeteria. "I get it. Fine. You don't want to be near me, so okay. I'll leave you alone. Sorry to bother you."

"Ben, what are you—"

"You don't have to go all the way to fucking Rhode Island! I get it!" Shit! He had to get out of there before he totally embarrassed himself by crying in front of the entire student body of Messina High. He grabbed his backpack and beat a hasty retreat.