Sometimes it only takes a few words to totally change your life, such as “Sarah Martin and Byron Hopper, you’ll be working together.” True to her word, Ms. Lytton established partners for the so-called independent project, and when Byron and I were announced as partners, I turned around to see his reaction. He sat motionless. Some of the other students giggled a little, and the girl sitting to my right gave me a sympathetic look and leaned closer. “Maybe you can get your partner changed,” she whispered, “so you don’t have to work with that freak!”
After the bell rang, I gathered up my books and took off after Byron, who was already heading out the door in front of me. I’m not usually that keen to start working on projects, but I was eager to start this one. And not because I suddenly liked geography.
“Byron!” I called. He kept walking. I called again. Still, he walked. Was he deaf? “Byron!” I called again, louder. Just about everyone turned around. Everyone but Byron. I jogged up beside him and touched his arm. He turned, scowling at me.
“What do you want?” he asked.
“I thought we should set up a time to start working on our project.”
“Really.”
“Well, yeah. It looks hard. We should probably start working on it pretty soon.”
“I don’t do partners.”
He walked away, leaving me standing there like an idiot. Why did I want to work with this guy? Oh yeah, his family’s weird and his sister might have killed someone. Right. I made a face at his retreating back just as Stacey swept by, caught in the stream of students surging down the hall. She looked alarmed.
“Hey, Stacey!” I called. But it was too late. She was gone.
The next time I saw Stacey was after school in the change room with Mindi. We were getting ready for our basketball game.
“Why did I see you talking to Byron Hopper?” she asked.
“She’s probably using him to learn more about Garnet. Am I right, Sarah?” asked Mindi, tossing back a strand of bronze hair.
I nodded sheepishly. “Sort of.”
Stacey looked startled. “First you’re researching the Mafia, then you’re following Garnet around, and now you’re going after her brother? What’s going on?”
“I’m not exactly going after her brother,” I explained. “The teacher assigned us to work on a geography project together. It has nothing to do with Garnet.”
“Right,” said Mindi.
“If I were you, I’d forget all about the Hoppers. I wouldn’t chase them around. They’re dangerous,” said Stacey.
I frowned. “But you don’t even know if any of the stories about them are true.”
Mindi leaned closer, her voice low. “Sarah, at least some of it’s got to be true. Do you know that when there’s been an accident or when something bad happens, some people will swear it was because of the Hoppers? They just can’t prove it.”
“That’s right. Garnet’s not the only one to look out for. Stay away from Byron, too,” Stacey added. “It’s not just for your safety. Do you want people to start thinking you like the guy? You’re new around here; you don’t want people to start thinking you’re associating with the Hoppers.”
To my alarm, Mindi was nodding in agreement. “Social suicide,” she said.
My stomach lurched. I hadn’t thought of it like that. What had I gotten myself into? I’d been so interested in getting to know more about the Hoppers, I hadn’t thought about how hanging around with Byron would look to other people. Why didn’t I keep my mouth shut and let Ms. Lytton pick my partner for me? Darn my impulsiveness!
“Just tell Lytton that you tried but you can’t work with Byron,” said Stacey.
I chewed on my bottom lip. Could I do that? After asking for him as a partner? I could tell her the truth: that he was rude and didn’t want to work with me.
“Okay, I guess I can talk to her,” I agreed.
“That’s the first sensible thing I’ve heard you say all day,” said Stacey, patting my back.