Page 17 of Lightning Angel
And Alexa told her everything, like she told Cassie, who when she returned from her date, found her younger sister belting out Taylor Swift’sEnchanted. It was something Alexa hadn’t done in months.
“It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since your breakup, and you already have someone hooked on you.”
Alexa laughed. “He’s not hooked on me, Daph.”
“Heis—you just laughed.” Softness replaced themischievous twinkle in Daphne’s eyes. “I haven’t heard this sound in ages. He didn’t tell you his last name?”
Alexa deadpanned when she realized when he didn’t. Though, it wasn’t like hewould’vetold her if she did ask; he liked to be mysterious. It was a wonder Alexa learned his first name. “I didn’t ask.”
“Way to go, Lex.” Daphne rolled her eyes sarcastically. “Did you ask him where he lives?”
Alexa bit her bottom lip and gave her friend a sheepish smile.
Daphne groaned. “You’re officially the worst flirt.”
“I wasn’t flirting,” Alexa defended. “He started it.” And ended it, too, without a promise to continue.
“Still—”
“I haven’t disclosed the best part yet.” She reached into her bag for his note and handed it to Daphne.
“What’s this?” Daphne asked and read it in an undertone, before spluttering a laugh. “What?”
Alexa tried to hide her smile and failed. “Cassie thinks he’s a stalker and almost considered calling the police yesterday.” She laughed at the memory. Cassie had gone paranoid after Alexa told her he had been at church, too.
“Why?”
“Because he knows my name, why else?” Then she realized Daphne hadn’t taken the bait. “Daph, I refused to tell him my name, remember?”
Daphne’s mouth formed a perfect ‘O’ and her eyes widened in realization. “So, you have a secret—or, not reallysecret—admirer!”
“Maybe. But my sister thinks otherwise.” Alexa laughed again. They stopped in front of her locker.
“Well, my best friend is laughing again and again, so pardon me for calling the person who made her laugh for the first time in three months asecret admirer.” Daphne leaned sideways against the locker next to Alexa’s.
“But I don’t get it. How come he knows my name?”
“Lex, it doesn’t take one to be a genius to learn your name when you are the sweetheart singer of your church. He probably asked around—and you are a YouTuber.” Daphne handed back the note.
“So what if I’m a YouTuber? It’s not like my channel is famous or something.”
“Oh, Alexa! There you are!”
Alexa turned toward the familiar female chirp and saw Melissa and the girls in their mean girl circle marching toward her and Daphne with beaming faces. The crowd of students parted like the Red Sea before them, making way.
Alexa forced a smile and added a fake note of enthusiasm to her voice as Melissa reached them. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Wait until you hear what we just came up with!” Melissa clasped her hands together under her chin, and her icy-blue eyes gleamed. “I have the perfect idea for you, Lexi!”
Melissa was the leader of their so-called club, which Alexa had been part of for the last seven years. But before her dad’s departure, he had her vow that she would no longer be a part of the mean girls, and Alexa had avoided spending time with them as much as possible. They hadn’t pressured her to join them either, because they knew she needed time and space.
But today, the beam on Melissa and the girls’ face spelled disaster.
Alexa’s eyebrows rose. “Okay…?”
“To cheer you up, of course! To get you back on our weekly routines. You’ve been missing out on them for months now, and of course I know why that was. So, as your friends, it is our duty to help you move past your grief and get a new start. I’m sure that’s what your dad wants for you.”
Alexa opened her mouth to interrupt but clamped it shut at the mention of her dad. Howdareshe mention her dad! Was it to make her agree to whatever ridiculous scheme Melissa had come up with?