Hardboiled: Not Your Average Detective Story (The Lillim Callina Chronicles Book 5) Read Free Page A

somehow, I forgot how to speak.
    “So, Lillim, tell us why you’re starting halfway through senior year at a new high school,” Dr. Matthers said after what felt like an hour of me standing in front of everyone like an idiot.
    “Um… I was homeschooled and my mom died a few weeks ago so my dad wanted me to have a ‘normal’ teenage life and enrolled me in school,” the words tumbled out of my mouth so quickly I couldn’t stop them.
    “I’m sorry to hear that,” Matthers replied and stood there unsure of what else to say.
    “It’s fine,” I said with a shrug. “It’s not like she was the world’s best mom or anything.” I swallowed, looking away from him but everywhere I turned, people were staring at me like I was a horrible person. Some had their mouths half-open, probably wondering why the new girl was such a cruel, unfeeling person.
    “Okay, well if you need to talk to someone, please let me know,” the teacher replied, moving next to me and pointing at a desk toward the back left of the classroom. “I’m afraid that’s the only open desk.”
    I nodded and made my way woodenly toward it. As I flopped down in the tiny chair, I dropped my head onto my desk and cursed under my breath. I’d been in school all of ten minutes and already everyone was probably laughing at me, or worse, thinking I was a heartless monster. But I wasn’t really. I was mostly trying to play it cool. Besides, weren’t teenagers supposed to hate their parents? Wasn’t that like a thing?
    The bell rang what felt like a second later, and I looked up, realizing I had missed basically the entire class. Well, this day was off to an excellent start. I grabbed my backpack and slung it over one shoulder, fishing my schedule out of my pocket. I was still staring at it when Connor grabbed it out of my hand, glanced at it, and grinned.
    “Oh no,” he said, gulping. “This schedule means only one thing. Math!” People were staring at us, and I felt my cheeks turning red as they filed around us muttering to themselves. “Quick, divide three-hundred-sixty-seven by four.”
    “Um…” I said, my mouth opening and closing like a dying fish as I stared at him. He waved his hand dismissively before wrapping his arm around my waist and leading me from the room. I looked down at his arm, and as he pushed us out the door and into the hallway, I shook my head.
    “Look,” I said, “you’re very sweet and all, but I have a boyfriend…”
    “Okay, so we won’t make out then.” He smirked at me, and it made me even more embarrassed. “The math classes are downstairs,” he added, leading me back toward the stairs.
    “Oh… okay,” I replied, feeling like an idiot. Sure, throw me in front of a fire-breathing dragon and I’m be fine, but navigating a high school? That was too much.
    “I’m sorry about your mom,” he said, pulling his arm away from me and stopping in front of an obnoxiously beige door.
    “It’s okay,” I repeated. “I… um… don’t want to talk about it.”
    “No problem,” he replied and pointed at the door. “Calculus is through the door. Prepare to be transported to a dimension none of us fully understand.”
    “Can I have my schedule back?” I asked as he turned to saunter away, hands shoved in his pockets.
    “Nope, I’ll be here after class to take you to your next one,” he replied, disappearing into the crowd. “If at first you don’t see me, just wait longer.”
    “Great,” I muttered to myself as I pulled the door open and hustled inside. “This is going to be one of those days.” I was really going to have to be more upfront about the boyfriend thing.
    The rest of the day passed in a similar fashion, which I’ll admit, was a little creepy. Still, as Connor walked me from class to class, I found myself not finding him quite as annoying as I should have. By the time the final bell rang, I’d grown used to waiting for him outside my classroom.
    Which was bad, right? I mean, I wouldn’t