Kingdom Keepers IV(66)

“That’s fairly direct,” she said.

“It is. And there’s more.” He told her about Hugo and Philby.

“Ohmigod, they actually fought? Like with fists?”

“Like with.”

“Well, I can see why he’s creeping you out.”

“Yeah.”

“So, you gave me that message,” she said.

Finn had forgotten completely about that. It felt like a week ago. It had been the same morning in U.S. Government class. “Oh, yeah.”

“You really are distracted.”

“Sorry.”

“The note said you wanted to talk to me.”

This explained why she was waiting for him outside school. He felt like an even bigger idiot. This was one of those days to wipe off the calendar.

“I…we…the Keepers, need you and Jess. To cross over, or be ready to cross over.” He went on to explain the morning conference call.

She hesitated. “I told you about Mrs. Nash threatening to send us back to the Fairlies.”

“Why would she do that, anyway? I mean, besides you two messing up? If they wanted you in the Fairlies they would have sent you there when they found you two.”

“The one thing I learned when I was there,” she said, “is that you never can trust anything to do with that place. They told us one thing, but it was so far from the truth it wasn’t funny.”

“But if they wanted to observe you, or whatever—”

“How do we know they aren’t observing us now? How can Jess and I be sure Mrs. Nash isn’t being paid to spy on us and report back?” Amanda said.

“That’s a little paranoid.”

“You wouldn’t think so if you’d been through what we’ve been through.”

“No, I’m sure not.”

“I didn’t mean to sound so…bossy,” she said.

“I didn’t take it that way,” said Finn.

She reached over and found his hand, and for another block she held it, and he liked it.

They stopped in front of the familiar blue house with yellow trim. The twenty-minute walk had felt more like five. Time was all messed up for him. Many of the other houses on the block were Spanish influenced and one story tall. Mrs. Nash’s house looked older, and it was two stories.

Finn slapped the kickstand down and faced Amanda. He knew exactly what he wanted to do—he’d just never done it exactly like he was about to do it.

Jess stepped out the front door, looking panicked.

Finn stepped up to Amanda and grabbed her by the shoulders. It was almost as if he was compelled to do this, as if he’d been told step-by-step what to do.

Much to his surprise, Amanda made no effort to pull away from him. He’d expected maybe a slap in the face.

“My shirt!” Jess hollered, making it sound like a crime.

Something was wrong. Finn knew it. He knew Jess was running to stop them from kissing, but he didn’t want to be stopped. He saw Luowski in the lavatory mirror and it just as quickly slipped out of his thought, like a wet bar of soap in the shower.

Jess’s shouting about her shirt turned Amanda’s head in her direction. A conspiracy to stop him from doing what he had to do.

He reached out, took Amanda’s chin in his fingers, and turned her toward him.

He brought his lips to hers and, as their lips met, it wasn’t just any kiss, but a ringing-in-your-ears, blinded-by-the-light kind of kiss that went on much longer than he’d expected. Amanda’s eyes opened and there was a world in there. A place he’d never been.

He drew back. He saw Amanda standing there looking stunned and all dreamy as well, but he suddenly couldn’t remember what he was doing there. Couldn’t remember how he’d gotten there. He felt startled, dizzy. Then he spotted his bike and wondered if he’d ridden here. Or had he walked the bike?

Why am I here? he thought.

Jess skidded to a stop.

“No!” she roared.

Amanda’s knees went out from under her. She’d fainted. For a moment, Finn remembered the kiss and he felt…proud—the kiss that knocks them off their feet. But there was something about Jess’s panic that pulled him out of it. Something about the way Amanda collapsed so suddenly.

What have I done?

Jess’s face went ashen. She said, “That’s my shirt!” as if that explained anything.

“What’s going on?” He felt as if he had been shoved out onto a stage and didn’t know his lines, didn’t know the role. It was some kind a nightmare he’d walked into. He tried to wake himself up.

“She’s wearing my shirt! Not me.”

“I…don’t…understand.” Finn shook Amanda, praying it was a practical joke, but sensing there was nothing funny about it.