Starfall: A Starstruck Novel (29 page)

“Yeah. Maybe someday.” He gave a mirthless laugh. “Meanwhile I’ll try, really try, to be happy for you. For both of you.”

The pain I felt from him made me want to cry but I forced a smile instead. “Thanks, Sean. Goodnight.”

Molly usually got a ride to school with one of the other cheerleaders these days, or with Sean and one of his basketball buddies who had a car. But this morning she was waiting at the bus stop, her expression serious.

“Hey, what’s up?”
 

She gave a little shrug. “Things are a little…tense at home after last night. Mum’s pretty upset and Sean…” She trailed off with another shrug.

“I’m sorry. But I’ve been honest with him about Rigel all along, you know that.”

“I know. It’s just…awkward. Because I really am happy for you, even if I feel bad for Sean and my parents keep arguing about it.”

“Thanks, Molly. They’ll get used to the idea, you’ll see. Even if it takes a while.”

A couple of other kids reached our corner then, so we switched to talking about homework. At least until Bri and Deb got on the bus at their stop a few minutes later.
 

“Is it true?” were Bri’s first words, spoken loudly enough for half the bus to hear. “You and Rigel are back together? Katie mentioned it online last night, then Sara called to say Jenna saw you two
kissing
right outside the late buses! Tell us
everything!
”

She and Deb plopped into the seat across the aisle from Molly and me, excitedly waiting for me to spill.

“Um, yeah, it’s true.” Shim’s reply last night had suggested Rigel and I be careful but he hadn’t asked me to keep it secret, like I’d worried he might. “We talked yesterday and, well, he suddenly started remembering stuff. Including me.” I couldn’t suppress my grin, it was still so unbelievably wonderful.

They both squealed. “This’ll show Trina.” Deb was grinning, too. “I was worried she might really convince him— No chance of that now!”

“I don’t think there ever was.” Bri snorted. “They sit by me in French and it’s pretty obvious he’s figured out what she really is. But this is
awesome
news, M! Really awesome!”

Deb nodded enthusiastically, but then she sobered a little, looking past me at Molly. “Is Sean okay with it?”

“Mostly.” Molly lifted a shoulder. “It’s not like he and M were still together. Maybe don’t talk to him about it right away, though?”

“No, of course not.” Deb’s blue eyes were wide with sympathy. “And we’ll be extra nice to him, won’t we, Bri?”

While they plotted how to take Sean’s mind off any lingering hurt he might be feeling, I took the opportunity to reach out for Rigel with my mind.
 

I’m here,
he responded immediately.
Just got off the bus. I’ll wait for you out front.

The O’Garas all know now. About us, I mean. Did you tell your folks?

He didn’t answer, which made me worry he hadn’t. Then we reached the school and I saw the gaggle of girls surrounding him, which totally explained his lack of response. As soon as I was off the bus, some of them converged on me as well, chattering away.

“Rigel says he’s getting his memory back!” “Are you two really back together?” “What about Sean? And Trina?”
 

I let Bri and Deb do most of the answering, I was in such a hurry to get to Rigel.
 

“I missed you, too,” he murmured as we twined hands and greeted each other with a kiss. Which had to be quick and discreet, since Cormac—Mr. Cormac to everybody else—was looking our way. Not that he’d dare reprimand
me
, but anyone else would at least get a throat-clearing.

Just like it always used to, Rigel’s touch infused me with strength, energy and happiness. Especially happiness. I smiled up at him. “This fall is going to be even better than last fall—because this time we won’t be waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“Yeah. But boy, when that one fell, it fell hard.” He grimaced, remembering everything we’d gone through, being forced to hide our feelings.

“Hey, there are only two shoes to a pair, right? Cormac will find out if we still have any enemies out there and take care of them, and then it’ll be smooth sailing.”

Even if it’s not, together we can handle anything,
he sent silently.

We can. I feel that way whenever I’m with you.

We were besieged by more questions as we headed into the school but when the warning bell sounded, the crowd around us finally dissipated. Hand in hand, we walked to our first class.

So, did you tell your folks last night?
I asked again as we reached the door.

Yeah, I did. They said they were happy, but I could tell they’re worried.
 

The O’Garas didn’t even pretend, but that’s tough. Well, Molly really is happy for us and Sean’s doing his best, but—

Yeah.
I could tell that bothered Rigel nearly as much as it bothered me.

Though we had to pay
some
attention in our classes, we took advantage of our enhanced telepathic ability to talk off and on all morning, even from opposite ends of the school.
 

Little by little, I caught Rigel up on everything that had happened over the summer: my appearances all over Nuath to talk up emigration, how Shim was already winning people over as Regent and getting more competent people to stand for elections, my trip to Earth on the
Scintilla
, the very last ship of the launch window.

Then I told him about how I’d had to go around making speeches and official visits once I got back, first in Bailerealta, then Dun Cloch and three other settlements scattered around the U.S.—one in Maine and two in the Rockies. Others were forming in New Zealand, Australia and Scotland, which I was also supposed to visit eventually, if we could figure out how to arrange it without making my aunt and uncle suspicious.

 
I can’t believe they’re not suspicious already. Mrs. O must really have your aunt bamboozled, huh?

Yeah, Aunt Theresa pretty much believes anything she says. That was sometimes a problem last year, but it can be pretty handy.

As long as she doesn’t convince her to forbid you to see me again. That would suck.

She wouldn’t dare. I don’t think. But I should probably order her not to, to be safe.
I was way more comfortable giving orders to grownups these days than I used to be.
 

At lunch, Rigel and I both had the idea—at the same time—to go to the courtyard. I loved that we were so in tune again. We each bought a sandwich, then headed outside, ignoring the heads that turned our way, since that had been happening all day.

It was hot in the enclosed courtyard compared to the cornfield yesterday, but it was worth it for a chance to be truly alone for half an hour.

“Not as invisible, though.” Rigel glanced at the glass doors into the school, where we could see people walking past in the hall. “Hope we can go back there—or someplace else really private—soon.”

“Me too.” As soon as we had our sandwiches unwrapped, I again threaded my fingers through his. “It’s strange, but…do your senses seem even sharper when we’re together?”

He nodded. “I was just going to mention I can hear people’s conversations from inside the school. It’s kind of distracting. I didn’t notice it in class earlier, even when we were sitting just a few feet apart. Did you?”

Taking a bite of my sandwich, I shook my head. “Maybe we have to be touching?”
 

“Let’s test it.”
 

Rigel released my hand and scooted an inch or two away so we weren’t touching at all—and sure enough, the voices beyond the doors were now muted.
 

“I can still hear them if I concentrate,” I told him, “but not like they’re right here.”
 

“Ditto.” He frowned. “We need to figure out how to block this unless we need to use it. Because I sure don’t want to
not
touch you just to avoid sensory overload.”
 

Touching you is sensory overload all by itself,
I couldn’t resist sending.
Let’s eat, then experiment.

Rigel grinned and stuffed half a sandwich into his mouth with a mostly-mental chuckle.
 

Eager to test this interesting new “power,” we scarfed down our lunches, then grabbed hands again. Instantly, the volume of voices around us rose—not just from the other side of the glass doors, but from behind the brick walls of the courtyard, too.
 

“Can you block it out at all?” I asked, squinting as I tried.

He shook his head. “Not yet. Let me try something.”
 

Because we were so in sync, I realized he was attempting to zero in on just one conversation. I did the same, picking a different one—Mr. Morrison giving Bobby Jeeter detention. The more I focused, the more I was able to isolate just those voices. The others were still there, but they weren’t as overwhelming.

After about five minutes, we unclasped our hands. I immediately missed Rigel’s touch but the muting of the voices was a relief.

“This could come in handy.” Rigel regarded me thoughtfully. “Especially if we get better at controlling it.”

I shrugged. Since I doubted there were any serious threats looming that would make it necessary, I was way more interested in finding a way to block it out so Rigel and I could hold hands…and stuff…without being bombarded. “We should head to class. The warning bell will ring any minute.”

Pausing to throw our trash in the can by the doors, we went back inside—only to be confronted by Cormac.
 

“Miss Truitt, Mr. Stuart, will you come with me, please?”
 

Over his shoulder, I saw Trina smirking. She’d obviously tattled on us—not that eating lunch in the courtyard was strictly against any school rules. If I’d focused on
that
conversation, I’d know exactly what she’d told him.

*
   
*
   
*

Without a word, we followed Cormac to his office. He closed the door then turned to us, his frown now a worried one.
 

“Excellency, it is not my place to criticize or instruct you, but it is my place to keep you safe. Am I correct in assuming you two have resumed your prior relationship?”

I nodded. “As of yesterday afternoon. Rigel has his memory back, Cormac!” His eyebrows went up. “Because of our bond,” I clarified.

“You think this will make her less safe, sir?” Rigel asked before Cormac could respond.

 
“If your memory has in fact returned, you surely recall what happened in Nuath when evidence of that relationship became public. There is still likely to be widespread opposition among our people. While most will be content to express their displeasure verbally, some may not. With so many Nuathans now on Earth, it is conceivable that some, perhaps many, will feel betrayed by this news, once it spreads beyond the school—as it surely will, if no effort is made to prevent that.”
 

It was the longest speech I could ever remember hearing from Cormac.
 

“They might not like it, but why should that make them dangerous?” I asked.

“In my experience, people can react…unpleasantly when their cherished ideals are overthrown or their heroes tarnished. Faxon used that unfortunate aspect of human nature to his advantage on multiple occasions to undermine support for the Sovereign and the Royal
fine
. If you insist on spending time together, it would be safest not to do so publicly.”

I sensed worry from Rigel now, but I refused to share it
.
“No. We tried hiding our relationship to keep me safe when Faxon’s people were actively trying to hunt me down and kill me. But our bond turned out to be the very thing that kept them from succeeding. We’re not staying apart again because of some hypothetical threat that will probably never even materialize. Besides, with Rigel’s memory back, I now have two Bodyguards, so I should be twice as safe.”

“Very well, Excellency.” Cormac bowed. “It was my duty to warn you, just as it will now be my duty to keep an even more vigilant watch.”

“I’ll be vigilant too, sir.” Rigel sounded determined now rather than worried. “I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe.”
 

“I appreciate the assistance,” Cormac said gravely. “However, your safety could be at issue as well.”

Rigel lifted his chin. “Do you let fear for your own safety keep you from protecting her?”

“Point taken.” Cormac bowed slightly in Rigel’s directly—which surprised me nearly as much as it did Rigel. “Ah, there’s the bell. You two had best get to your next class.”

*
   
*
   
*

For the rest of the day, Rigel and I tested our extra-enhanced senses whenever we got the chance. By sixth period, when I was in Economics and Rigel was in Weight Training, we’d figured out that even when we weren’t together, our hearing was still more acute than it had been as recently as this morning. I wasn’t bombarded by sounds now, but if I focused I could hear conversations in the next room.
 

Same here,
Rigel told me when I shared my discovery.
Maybe you should let Mr. Cormac know. He might not worry so much.

It’ll only help if somebody actually talks about anything they’re plotting,
I pointed out.
It’s not like we can read minds—except for each other’s.

But that gave me an idea.
 

Staring with mock attention at the teacher’s budget calculations on the board, I concentrated on picking up emotions. First from the teacher—she was tired and bored—then from a student or two on the far side of the room. And the more I honed in, the more I was able to sense.

Gary very much had the hots for Amber, sitting in front of him. I wondered if his girlfriend, Heather, knew about that? Meanwhile, Amber was pissed about something, though I had no idea what.

I pushed farther, into the next room, where I could hear Bri’s dad, Mr. Morrison, droning about computer keyboarding. When I brought my newly-strengthened emotion-sensing ability to bear, I could tell he was hiding eagerness and a bit of anxiety—probably about tonight’s football game, since he was the defensive coach.