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analytical streak, which he sometimes used on me. Most people found his intelligence intimidating. They should. He had a way of picking apart problems and deciphering deception. His job was to turn around failing companies, and he did it by reading people and dissecting information. I knew I was a mystery to him, though. Mostly because what made me different was too far out of his experience. He couldn't even begin to know what made me tick.
                  “Good,” I answered truthfully. “The teachers are good and everyone is nice.”
                  “Make any friends?” He wasn't shy about digging into my life.
                  “Sure.”
                  He raised an eyebrow at me. “Who?”
                  Realizing he wouldn't be satisfied unless I threw something out there, I told him about Noah and a few others. I mentioned that I'd met the girl next door and she was in my Spanish class.
                  “They seem like a good family,” my dad said, more to himself than to me.
                  “Yeah, they're nice,” I agreed, putting the last book on the shelf.
                  He started breaking down the boxes. “I'm glad it seems to be working out,” he said, referring to the move, I guess.
                  “Yeah, but let's not do it again for awhile,” I said, half-serious.
                  He nodded ruefully. “I'll try.”
                  Back in my bedroom my cell phone said I had a new text message. I checked it. It was Noah. He was going to ask Katie to Homecoming and wanted to know if I wanted to go to with anyone. Ha. Yes and no. I thought about everyone in the group.  Noriko, Crystal and of course, MacKenzie. Crystal had already told us about BJ, the first guy in a long string of mistakes she would make, but I couldn't do anything about that. I could ask Noriko, but I knew that would hurt MacKenzie's feelings. She was already crushing on me, and as much as I fantasized about keeping my distance I didn't want to make her feel bad. It wasn't her fault she was in my destiny. Why not just go as a group? That would solve everything. I texted my idea to Noah and he said that would be a good  idea, although he still planned to take Katie.
                  I lay back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling. Avoiding Mackenzie was turning out to be impossible.
                 
     

 
     
    CHAPTER SIX
    MacKenzie
     
     
    I didn’t need the alarm clock to wake me up the next morning. I even beat Derek downstairs to breakfast even though he usually caught his ride before I left.
    His eyes were still puffy even after his shower and he mumbled as he sat down. He rubbed his eyes and blinked at me. “Whoa. You’re up early.”
    “Not really,” I denied.
    “Yes. You are.” Even half-asleep he couldn’t resist the natural sibling instinct to argue. I was in a good mood so I didn’t care.
    I even let him have the last bowl of Lucky Charms without fighting about it.
    I said good-bye to my mom as she came downstairs.
    “Wow. You’re up---“
    “Early, I know. Bye Mom.”
    Walking down the sidewalk past the houses I felt like skipping. I hadn’t skipped since third grade or something like that. The sun was shining and it was a little warmer this morning than it was yesterday. It was perfect.
    I walked past the blue Victorian and slowed down, allowing myself a glance at the windows. No one was coming out, so Ren must not be ready yet, or maybe his mom drove him to school.
    It didn’t dampen my  mood as I continued past his house, my heels bouncing as I walked.
    I didn’t get too far before I heard the sound of a skateboard. Ren rolled up behind me, balanced on the board with his bookbag slung over one shoulder and a piece of toast in one hand. He wore a white sweat-shirt with a hood, with a logo in faded blue on the sleeve.
    “Hi!” I said, a