Sneak Peek: Infinity Lost

“Finn, what’s your dad like in real life? I mean, really like?”
What I want to say is that my father is just a shadow in the night to me, and that she probably knows more about him from TV inter­ views and e­mag articles than I do. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s self­ preservation, but I choose to lie instead.

“Well, one time on my birthday we went horse riding and had a picnic by the lake. We took a boat out and he taught me how to fish.” I’m such a terrible liar, but Bit doesn’t seem to notice at all.

“Wow. It’s so hard to imagine him doing father and daughter stuff like that, y’know, normal dad­type stuff,” Bit says, gazing thoughtfully out the window.

“I know. Hard to believe, right?” I say the words with the same thinly veiled sarcastic tone as before. That seems to go right over her head as well.

Professor Francis is at his wits’ end. People are chattering, texting madly, and snapping pictures out the windows. Miss Cole is just sitting there, smiling like an idiot, so she’s no help at all. Brody Sharp begins chanting, “Move that bus, move that bus!” which, since we’re already parked, makes no sense at all, but it isn’t very long before others join in. It’s ridiculous.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Ryan Forrester, who until now was quietly reading, lean over the aisle toward Margaux. She leans toward him, flicking her silky blonde hair and beaming her perfect white teeth, her huge, pale­blue eyes flashing beneath her fluttering eyelids. Millie strokes her auburn hair behind her ear, raises one eye­ brow, and gives a knowing look to Miss Cole, who smiles back before promptly shifting her gaze hungrily to Ryan’s lips.

I think I’m gonna puke.

Brent Fairchild spots the exchange and sits up in his seat like a meerkat. That is his kinda­girlfriend Ryan’s talking to, after all. Ryan says something to

Margaux that I can’t hear above the chatter, and she nods. Suddenly she stands and shouts, “Everybody shut up!” The bus immediately goes silent.

I hate her so much.

Not only for the fact that she thinks she’s the queen bee of this school, but also, and especially, because everyone else seems to think so, too. Apparently even Ryan Forrester. I tell myself that it shouldn’t bother me, but it really does. I’m halfway through a thought about how stupid he must be when he catches me looking at him. He smiles a crooked smile and holds our connection for that millisecond lon­ ger than necessary, that minuscule amount of time that, in an instant, makes you both realize that it’s more than just a look. My eyes widen, my stomach tightens, and I quickly turn away. Totally busted. I quickly flump back against the seat.

Now that everyone’s quiet, a look of relief washes over Professor Francis. With a trembling hand, he mops his brow with his handker­ chief. “Thank you, Miss Pilfrey. Now that I have your attention, I’d like to lay down a few ground rules for the tour today.”

There’s a low groan.

“As you obviously all know, today’s reward field trip will take place at the main research and development facility of Blackstone Technologies, the largest advanced­technology company in the world.”

“Hells yeah!” Dean McCarthy shouts from the back.

Professor Francis throws a frown in his direction. “From your computers, to your phones, to food production, to military hardware and weather stabilization, Blackstone Technologies, and of course its founder, Dr. Richard Blackstone, is responsible for the innovations that make the lives we live today possible. Please remember that you are extremely lucky to be here. You are the first school students to ever be permitted beyond the hallowed doors of Blackstone Technologies.” 

Sounds great, right?!