The Infinite Moment of Us Read Free

and say, No. Please. Sometimes the things we hide—aren’t they the parts of us that matter most?
    Tessa called out to her, and Wren blinked. She started
    walking, slowly at first, and then faster. She reached Tessa,
    who hip-bumped her.
    “I saw you wave at Charlie,” Tessa teased. “Were you
    two having a moment, nudge-nudge, wink-wink?”
    “Yeah, right,” Wren said.
    “Sweet!” Tessa said. “Is that a yes?”
    Tessa had suggested on several occasions that Charlie
    had a thing for Wren, and she wondered if maybe he did.
    Her heart beat a little faster.
    But no, she was being stupid. Wren was pretty sure
    Charlie had a girlfriend, and plus . . . whatever. It was
    impossible, and not in the good sort of way.
    “Let’s talk about something more interesting,” Wren
    said. “Don’t you think you should go steal P.G. from that
    freshman—or save that freshman from P.G.?”
    That did the trick. Tessa looked where Wren was indi-
    cating and scowled at P.G. and the freshman girl. Wren
    couldn’t see P.G.’s face, just the back of his pale blue button-down. He leaned closer to the freshman—his cheek almost
    brushing hers—and said something that made her turn
    bright red.
    “Really?” Tessa muttered.
    The freshman squeaked out another giggle, and P.G.
    eased back. He turned and saw Tessa and Wren, and his
    face broke into a grin.
    He strode toward them, owning the courtyard. Owning
    everything. Reeking of entitlement and cologne, which,
    thanks to his Facebook page, Wren knew was called Czar.
    “Tessa Haviland,” he said, stretching out her name. “You.
    Look. Hot.”
    “Why, thank you,” Tessa said. She practically curtsied.
    Wren snorted, and P.G. glanced at her. Whoops. He
    gave her a much quicker once-over than Tessa and nodded.
    “You look good, too. I approve.”
    “Oh,” Wren said. “Then I guess I can die in peace?”
    Tessa hip-bumped her. “ Wren .”
    “And I’ll leave you to it,” Wren said, stepping back to let Tessa loop her arm through P.G.’s. They led the way
    toward the school, bantering easily, and Wren followed.
    When they reached the set of double doors at the
    building’s entrance, Wren paused to fish a Coke out of her
    backpack for Mr. Cameron, a math teacher who’d been
    stuck with foot-traffic control all semester. Mr. Cameron
    was a big guy, and he sweated profusely even when it was
    chilly out, so one day Wren offered him her drink. She’d
    planned on having it during her free period, but she could
    get another.
    “Bless you, you are an angel, you have my permission
    to ditch your classes and go to the movies,” Mr. Cameron
    had said, and a tradition had been born. Every morning,
    instead of skipping school, Wren tossed Mr. Cameron a
    Coke, and every morning, Mr. Cameron caught the can
    neatly and popped it open.
    “Thanks,” he said now. He took a swig. “I assume you’ll
    swing by tomorrow and Friday? Keep your old buddy caf-
    feinated?”
    The underclassmen had to finish up the school week,
    but not the seniors. After today, the seniors wouldn’t
    return until the graduation ceremony on Saturday.
    “Ooh, sorry,” Wren said, hating to disappoint him even
    though she knew he was teasing.
    He clasped his free hand to his chest. “So this is it? This
    is how it ends?”
    She winced. “Sorry!”
    She was halfway through the doors when he called her
    name. She turned back.
    “Hey,” he said. “You’re a great kid, Wren Gray. You’re
    going to do great things with your life. Understood?”
    There were so many people in the world. Some were
    jerks, but most were kind. Wren had to clear her throat
    before she could speak. “Understood.”
    Ahead of her in the crowded hallway, Tessa bounced
    from friend to friend. She truly was like a hummingbird,
    all bright flashes and quick movements. Wren moved to
    join her, then changed her mind and retreated, leaning
    against the glass-paned wall of the front office. She closed
    her eyes. She focused on breathing.
    All