Lyra’s father returned her car serviced and detailed that evening, so she had no reason to call Jonah, though she tried vainly to come up with some excuse. Instead, she programmed his number into her cell phone for future use.
The next day was Friday and it dawned cold and clear. Glittering frost crunched under foot when Lyra took Harry for his walk.
Lyra didn’t see Jonah in the halls that morning, but he was at his desk when she arrived in Algebra and he returned her smile as she took her seat. Ms. Hammons lead them through a review of recent material in preparation for a test the following week. When the bell rang for lunch, Lyra kept her seat allowing the other students to get a head start, as was Jonah’s custom, and they walked to lunch together.
“How is your day so far?” she asked him cheerfully.
He smiled down at her. “Just fine. Yours?”
The sound of his voice, combined with his rare smile, caused Lyra’s stomach to flip-flop. “Great. So, what are you going to do this weekend?” she inquired keeping her tone casual.
“Why?” he asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
Lyra shrugged “Just curious. It’s a common question friends ask each other, you know.”
He laughed. “Yes, I do know. I don’t have much planned, maybe do some hiking. That is one thing I love about this place—hundreds of miles of trails—very different from city life. There you can never get away from people.”
They’d reached the cafeteria and he held the door for her. Before she could continue the conversation, his eyes flickered over to her table and back to her. “Your other friends are waiting you. I’ll talk to you later.”
Lyra looked over her shoulder and sure enough, Trevor, Katie, and Aimee were watching them with curious faces. She turned back to Jonah, but he had walked away.
They all got in the lunch line, quizzing Lyra incessantly.
“What’s up with you two?” Aimee demanded.
“Have you finally managed to thaw out Ice Man?” Trevor wanted to know, sounding annoyed.
“Are you going out with him?” Katie joined the interrogation.
Lyra sighed, but smiled. “There’s nothing up with us and no we aren’t going out. We’re just friends.”
“You like him,” Aimee announced.
Lyra rolled her eyes derisively.
“Well, he is the most gorgeous creature to ever walk these halls,” Katie sighed.
“Hey,” Trevor objected loudly.
“Besides you of course, dear brother,” Katie allowed.
Back at the table, talk turned to plans for the weekend. Aimee leaned across the table. “Lyra, would you want to come over Sunday and study algebra? I was doing okay up until this week, but those radicals are kicking my butt.”
“Sure,” agreed Lyra. “What time?”
“Oh, any time after lunch. If we study Sunday afternoon, maybe some of it will still be in my head on Monday,” she joked.
As the conversation swirled around her, Lyra glanced longingly at Jonah’s table where he sat reading a paperback. She sighed, wishing she could join him.