The knock fades, but my chest is still hammering. George’s eyes meet mine, and I can tell he knows exactly who it is. That voice at the door, it belongs to someone from my past I wasn’t ready to face honestly. My stomach twists.
“Forget it,” he mutters, tugging his notebook closer, as if holding it can somehow push the tension away. “History can wait.”
I raise an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”
He smirks, a little crooked, a little dangerous. “We’re leaving. Now.”
“Leaving?” My voice is incredulous. “George, you mean…?”
He nods. “Yes. Skipping class. Forget everything else for now. Just… me and you.”
I stare at him, at the reckless confidence in his eyes, and feel a thrill I can’t explain. There’s something in the way he’s looking at me, something daring, and I find myself nod
