I reluctantly grabbed my messenger bag and trailed her to the door. Maybe I had been rude, but it wouldn't matter. After hanging out with Claire, Conrad would never be interested in me and a small part of me preferred it that way. By the time we got to physics, I was beginning to feel better. I listened to Mr. Liner's lecture intently, answering questions whenever he posed them. I was once again fixated on my studies, and it was a welcome relief to be able to do so. This is who I really was. I was an intelligent girl with a penchant for exams and writing papers, not a clairvoyant basket case. Although welcome, my reprieve was short-lived since our last class only lasted forty-five minutes. While unfortunate for my mental health, it was lucky for my appetite because I was famished from skipping lunch. Caroline and I changed into our pink waitress uniforms before heading out to the parking lot. A few spaces down I could see Conrad sitting on the hood of his car. He had a red Mustang convertible, and Claire was leaning over it, talking to him.

“At least he knows his value to the world,” I said, throwing my bag on the back seat.

“Apparently, so does Claire.”

“She isn't capable of engaging in an intelligent conversation.”