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only there was also a new guy I had never seen before.
    I’d always thought of Mark as blond, but not compared to this guy, whose hair was white-blond. He had these amazingly blue eyes that looked like they had to come from contact lenses, because that color couldn’t be real. He wasn’t as tall as Mark, but he seemed tall, the way he drew attention. And he had this huge, dazzling smile that was like a nuclear reactor compared to Mark’s warm, lightbulbish grin.
    I hated that smile, and I hated that it made me compare him to Mark. Who did he think he was, smiling at me like that? And why did he seem so at ease? Apparently, this was his first day at Tintagel, but he acted like he was the king of the whole school. I have never liked arrogant guys.
    I felt hot with anger and actually had to wipe the sweat from my forehead. I had never been this angry at anyone I just met before. I didn’t know why.
    â€œIzzie, there you are,” said Mark. He put out an arm and drew me close enough to plant a kiss on the top of my forehead.
    I could see the new guy watching, and I could tell he was judging Mark by that kiss on the forehead. But there was nothing wrong with Mark’s kissing me like that. There was everything right about it, in fact. It was affectionate, no pressure, a greeting kiss. What more could a girl want from her boyfriend?
    I wiped my forehead again and pulled my hair back behind my ears. I wished I had put it up in a ponytail now.
    â€œIzzie, this is Tristan,” said Mark.
    â€œHi,” I said, putting my arms tight around my sides, to keep me from accidentally raising them and showing how sweaty I was.
    â€œGood to meet you. I have heard so much about you from Mark.” He had a formal way of talking that seemed strange in high school.
    â€œHe just transferred from Parmenie,” Mark went on.
    Parmenie was a fancy private school about fifty miles away, close to the mountains, with horseback riding and lots of acreage for nature studies. Only really rich kids went there. No wonder he talked like a rich brat.
    â€œYour parents run out of money?” I asked rudely.
    â€œNo,” said Tristan. Then, a second later, he added, “They died.”
    That was enough to stop the conversation. I felt like an idiot, and everyone was staring at me.
    â€œI’m sorry,” I said, barely getting the words out. “I didn’t mean—”
    â€œIt was a car accident. Sudden. I’m just starting to get used to it. I knew something had to change in my life, however. So—” He reached out a hand like he was going to brush it against my face, then pulled it back.
    What would make him think that I wanted that? Mark was standing right here next to us.
    â€œSo he decided to come here,” said Mark, patting Tristan on the back. “He’s going to run track.”
    â€œIf I should make the team,” said Tristan.
    â€œOh, you will. I saw you run to the bus this morning. Man, you were fast. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone run like that before. It was like you went invisible.”
    Tristan shrugged and then glanced at me.
    Invisible? What was going on here? “So, who do you live with?” I blurted out. “Now that …?”
    â€œMy uncle,” said Tristan. “He’s my guardian now.”
    â€œDo you like him?” It was a nosy question, but I couldn’t help myself.
    â€œHe’s sufficient,” said Tristan.
    Sufficient? Why did he say stuff like that?
    I tried to imagine living with someone other than my mom, but I couldn’t. Why was I being so rude? Maybe he was staring at me too much, but I should feel sorry for him. Instead, I just felt irritable. I wished I could jump in a pool or something. I wasn’t on the swim team, though, and I didn’t have time for another shower.
    I told myself it was just because I was worried about Branna and the love philtre, and that was making me easily