out ?Shave and a Haircut? in the most intrusive way possible. She
wanted to tell whomever it was to kiss off, but she couldn?t. These
were her neighbors and she had to be polite. She wasn?t cramping
169/395
up, but she suspected that she might start to. She stuck a fist into
her stomach.
?What?s going on?? Lucas asked intently. ?I?ve seen you do that
before. Are you in pain??
?No, but I think I might be soon. Don?t worry about it, there?s
nothing you can do. Well, I guess you could go away and never
hang out with me again,? Helen answered.
?That?s not going to happen,? he said with raised eyebrows. ?But
what are you talking about? Are you allergic to me or something??
?No.? Helen laughed. ?I think I?m allergic to attention. And we
tend to draw a lot of it when we?re together.?
?But it?s not just me, right? You feel those pains even when I?m
not around??
?Yes. I?ve had this all my life. I don?t know exactly what causes it,
I just know that sometimes when people stare at me I get a terrible
pain in my stomach.?
?Allergic to attention,? Lucas said to himself, absentmindedly
taking Helen?s hand while he thought. He had to let it go to shift as
he parked at school, but as soon as they were out of the car he
claimed her hand again and rolled her fingers around in his.
Helen watched Lucas as they stood at her locker together. He
seemed distracted. His brow was furrowed and his gaze tuned in,
but most disturbingly he seemed to be all blurry.
?What is that you?re doing? It?s giving me a headache,? Helen
said quietly while she turned the combination on her lock.
?Sorry,? he said as he snapped back into focus. ?I?m bending the