A Field Guide for Heartbreakers (26 page)

still
looking at me? I felt warm.Veronica walked to the window and yanked the bed sheets back into the room. She inspected the giant lipstick smear. “Why did you draw the flag of Japan on here?” Roger cleared his throat. “It’s not the flag of Japan. It’s a distress signal.” Veronica rubbed at the red stain with her thumb. “We’ll need to buy some bleach. It’s the only way to get this shade out of fabric. Trust me.” Roger smiled at me, then looked away. He kept wrinkling and relaxing his forehead. He seemed nervous.“Well, it looks like we’ve missed class,” he said. “Are you guys hungry? Maybe we could grab lunch.”“Maybe,” I said. Why did I say ‘maybe’? Why didn’t I say ‘definitely’? Because that was how I felt.“I found a good Italian place. Are you guys missing pasta?”“Pasta sounds great,” I said. “Maybe you two should go together,” Veronica said. “I’m going to go back to the church to look at that doll with my mom. Plus, I can fill her in on the fact that, following a violent outburst, one of our class members has fled the program and is currently being sought after by authorities.”“I’m sure that will be a fun conversation.” I stood up and grabbed my wallet. Excitement tumbled through me. “Have fun,” Veronica told us.“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Roger said.“Take some pictures.” “Of the pasta?” I asked.“Of your day. Maybe you two should visit the castle afterward.”“Good idea,” Roger said. He was smiling at me again, and I knew it meant something real.“Maybe we will,” I said.Roger opened the door for me. I picked up my camera and put it in my bag. I liked the idea of having some photographic evidence of my day with Roger. Maybe when I got back to Ohio I could make him a funny collage and send it to him. Who knew, maybe after this vacation we could stay in each other’s lives. There were so many good colleges in Chicago. Maybe this didn’t have to end in a week. As we walked down the stairs, Roger’s hand swept past mine. I wanted him to take it, so I moved it closer to him until it brushed against his leg. He reached down and threaded his fingers through mine. My heart pumped so fast that it began to flutter.
Thup. Thup. Thup. Thup.
It made me feel wild and happy, like at any moment my heart might fly right out of my chest, down the hallway, into the streets, all the way to the castle.At last it felt new and ready.