Our Own Rules
Kota and I returned to the music room after we talked a bit more about what his talk with Lily.
“Does Nathan know?” I asked before we left. “I mean, he knew you left, but did you tell him what you learned?”
“No,” he said. “Actually, I want him to go see it for himself. I think it’ll help if it’s not coming from us, if he sees it.”
Maybe he was right. Somehow, Kota had changed overnight. I hadn’t realized how dour he had seemed when we returned from camp. He’d been down, yes, after they had a discussion to catch him up on the plan for the relationship, for all of them. But now, when I looked at him, the difference was clearer. The stress he’d been shouldering hadn’t all been about the circumstances of my leaving my old home, of the others and this new issue.
It had been about me. His feelings for me. He had to straighten them out before he got back to his old self.
If it meant Nathan needed to go to Lily, I should encourage it, too.
When we got back, the room was empty. The bell for lunch hadn’t rung yet. But when we got in, he checked his phone. “Still no Mr. Hendricks. I think they’re going to file an all-points bulletin for a person of interest. ”
“Hey,” I said. “What about that man with the schoolboard? The one I followed from the library once?”
“The superintendent is at work,” he said. “I checked in. He’s on the phone fielding calls for this. He must think his position is secure, at least for now. We’re now following him closer to see if he gets in touch with Hendricks.” He drew me in, kissing my cheek shortly. “I’m going to go get us some food. Vending food okay with you?”
“Anything.”
“I’ll be quick.” He put his phone back into his pocket. I went back to the piano. There were a couple of messenger bags sitting around, but otherwise, there wasn’t much else in the room. I picked up my own backpack I’d brought in, the gray one with pink. There were a couple of notebooks inside.
I checked them, finding the notebook I’d been using to write to guys in. There was just one note from me, and then Dr. Green wrote in it. I’d put it aside for a bit while recovering in the Lee household. Gabriel must have found it.
It was so important to me back then to be able to write everything out. I flipped through it quickly, re-reading the note Dr. Green had left. He, too, mentioned needing to work a few details out.
I turned the page and then brought it to the table. On one of the pages, I started writing in the Korean lettering to keep it secret. I didn’t want Danielle or Marie to be able to read it. I wanted to work on it this afternoon, since we’d be here anyway.
On the page, I wrote out: New Family Rules. I wasn’t sure what else to call it. The Academy had rules, but it seemed like the individual groups had their own rules as well. Relationships were built on agreements.
Rule one was respecting line of sight. I wrote it out, and it sounded odd, but in smaller text below, I put that it meant when possible, I promised to respect the others by not getting too physical in front of the others. What I didn’t write out was what I thought might be okay, things like reaching for a hand, a hug, maybe other small things.
I examined what I’d written. Somehow writing out the concept had me examining the boundaries. What was okay? What wasn’t? This got complicated, depending on the guy. Luke might say everything was okay, and Kota...were hugs too much for him?
And Nathan. Kota and Nathan asking Lily about me, making sure I was okay with this.
My heart surged at thinking about it. Happy.
They wanted this.
They wouldn’t bother to go this far without wanting it. They were trying.
My eyes teared a bit, relief flooding over me. The few I’d been most worried about, the ones the others were worried about not going along with it...
They were trying.
For me.
I swallowed my emotions back, trying to calm myself. It didn’t surprise me at all Nathan and Kota wanted to make absolutely sure.
I would have done the same. I was doing it every time I was around them. Checking in. Testing the waters. Waiting to talk about it with them.
Suddenly, the speakers overhead announced, “Would Nathan Griffin and Sang Sorenson please come to the main office?” There were a barrage of other voices in the background of the announcement.
I jumped at the sound of my name, dropping the pen. My heart raced.