Chapter 20: Light and Shadow

The light at the end of the hall beckons me. I hold my breath as I creep closer to the dimly illuminated door. I can just make out the sound of voices, whispering inside the room. Reese and Eleanor... Are they awake?

My heart thumps loudly in my chest. Maddox isn't the only one I'm dying to show my program. I can't wait to see the look on Reese's face. Our group leader expressed no small amount of skepticism when Maddox called a  meeting last week. The four of us gathered in one of those library study rooms, and I did my best to avoid all eye contact while Maddox ran the others through our plan. "I like the concept," Reese had agreed after reading the proposal. "But how are you possibly going to build that functionality in a month?"

"Easy," Maddox had answered. "We've got Ell—I mean, Lowercase. She's our secret weapon." He'd nudged me with his elbow. "We can do it in a month, right partner?"

I can't remember how I answered him. I probably blushed bright red and stared at the tabletop, trying desperately to ignore the death-rays that Eleanor was shooting at me the whole time.

Awkward!

I don't know why Eleanor hates me so much. It's weird... like some animalistic dominance ritual, marking her territory. You can practically see the smoke coming out of her ears every time Maddox speaks to me. I wonder if she acts this way toward every girl he talks to.

There's no denying that the boy's a flirt. InstaLove keeps sending me push notifications, inviting me to interact with his avatar.

I can't tell if he's prompting me himself, or if those are automated messages from the system. So far, I've resisted the temptation to hit 'GO'. If Maddox needs to communicate with me about our project, he has my number. We can text. The group dynamics are already awkward enough without adding any app-fueled drama to the mix.

Let's be honest. The group dynamics are downright toxic. It's clear that Eleanor didn't want me to join. Reese and Maddox overruled her. I can only hope she'll come around once she sees the code I wrote last night. It turns out I am their secret weapon, just like Maddox said. I didn't even need a month. I got a basic version of the hazard alert system up and running in one week. Reese is going to view me with a whole new level of respect when she sees it—and Eleanor won't be able to deny that I'm an asset to the team.

Maybe she'll be willing to speak to me then. Heck, maybe I'll even get my real name back. Let me be "Ellie" for a while, and she can go by "Uppercase." See how she likes it!

A small smile curves my lips. That's definitely Reese and Eleanor's dorm room with the light on. I tiptoe closer. The door is open a few inches. They must be awake. I go to peek inside, but the sound of voices makes me pull up short.

Is that...

It sounds like...

Some instinct warns me not to make my presence known. I dart sideways away from the door as I catch sight of the two figures on the other side.

Not Eleanor and Reese like I expected.

Eleanor and Maddox.

I press my back to the wall beside the door, outside their line of sight, praying that they were too busy talking to hear my approach. I don't think they can see my shadow from this angle, but I keep still just in case. I look up at the hallway security camera aimed at the door. It's positioned directly across from where I'm standing. If I squint, I can make out a tiny image reflected in the dark glass lens.

It's hard to tell what I'm looking at. Light and shadow, dancing behind a partially closed door. That might be Eleanor's shoulder there. Maddox has his hand on it. I can't tell if he's drawing her toward him or holding her at arm's length. She steps into the light, but she has her face lowered.

He drops his hand. "Fine. I'll see you later."

"Where do you think you're going?" I hear her whisper.

"I'm not in the mood, Eleanor."

"Are you going to her room?"

"No," he answers. "But so what if I did? She's my partner."

Wait a sec. Are they talking about me?

I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I can't help myself. The curiosity is killing me. I still can't figure out what the status is between the two of them. I tried getting the low-down from Sam and Miranda at dinner last night, but they didn't really answer. Their eyes darted away, seemingly fascinated by the chalkboard displaying the evening's entrée selections as we headed through the buffet line and loaded up our trays. It was only Reese, behind them, who muttered a grudging response.

"Don't ask too many questions. It's complicated."

Whatever that meant.

I know I should tiptoe straight back to my room before they catch me lurking in the hall. But I can't. I'm paralyzed. Rooted to the spot. Their hushed words mix together with the sound of my pulse, buzzing in my ears. 

"I'm warning you, Moxie. Don't you dare embarrass me."

"Chill! You don't own me."

"Don't I? We had a deal."

"To hell with the deal. You can't expect me to—"

She cuts him off with a sudden, jerky movement. "You haven't told anyone, have you?"

Told anyone what?

"No," he whispers. "I haven't told anyone."

"And you think people won't guess, when they catch you hooking up with some sophomore?"

"I'm not hooking up with her!"

Oh my God.

Me?

Hooking up with me????

It has to be me they're talking about. I'm the only sophomore in the program. I cover my mouth with my palm to stifle the high squeaking noise threatening to come out of my throat.

Obviously, Eleanor doesn't realize who she's dealing with. Maybe I should clue her in with a slightly more detailed user profile.

Name: Ellie Sandberg
Age: 16
Ever kissed a boy? No
Ever held hands with a boy? No
Ever slow-danced with a boy? No....
Well, except for that one supremely awkward time with my cousin Seth at my bat mitzvah...

"Spare me," Eleanor hisses. "I have eyes, Maddox."

"There's nothing to see. There's nothing going on!"

"Why did you have to partner with her of all people?"

"Because she'll do all the work and let me coast."

His words hit me like a gut punch. My head flies up, looking again toward the camera-lens reflection. She's poking him in the chest, I think. But he ignores her finger and encircles her waist, drawing her toward him. His voice turns flirtatious but somehow sarcastic at the same time. "So I have more time to spend with you, my dearly beloved girlfriend, whom I most definitely did not break up with the day the program started."

What? What does that mean?

"Don't embarrass me, Moxie," she answers him. "I will end you. One phone call from me, and you cease to exist."

Her hands are on his shoulders. Pushing him away... or wrapping her arms around his neck?He touches her face. For a moment, I'm sure he's going to kiss her. Then he shakes his head and extricates himself from her arms.

Oh, crap. Is he leaving?

I see him turning toward the door.

I have to move.

Now!

Panicked, I dart away, running on my tiptoes in the direction of my room.

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