The Infinite Noise (The Bright Sessions, #1)

by Lauren Shippen

“Caleb Michaels?” I interrupt, my breath caught in my throat. “Yeah,” he breathes. “Tyler was being Tyler and Caleb just decked him. And, I mean, Stevens broke it up pretty quickly, but there was blood all over the floor. It was nuts.” “Oh my god,” I murmur, trying to imagine quiet, beautiful Caleb hitting someone. I guess that’s what football teaches you.

Caleb is the cutest guy in our class, even if I would be the last person to admit it (though the first one to think it). But he’s never dated anyone. I’ve never seen him so much as check out a cheerleader. For a while, I thought maybe I’d gotten crazy lucky, maybe Caleb didn’t want to chase girls like the rest of the football team, but now I’m not sure. He doesn’t check out anyone. Since the beginning of the school year, he’s gotten quiet and kept to himself and goddammit if that doesn’t make him even more appealing.

He finishes with a flourish, landing his point (whatever the fuck his point was—it all went over my head, and I got a bit hypnotized by the way the rhythm of his heart matched up with the movement of his lips),

He’s sitting on the floor, leaning against my bed and absently spinning a hat between his hands. The sight makes something squirm in my stomach, but in a good way. I’m a little surprised at how comfortable he seems—how well he fits into my space—but I think … I think I like it.

“Yeah.” I nod. “Yeah, it is. Is that—is that weird? That I like his feelings that much?” Goddammit, another thing I didn’t plan on saying. That wasn’t what I meant at all. I meant to ask if it was weird that he made things easier but another truth came out instead, masquerading as a question. “Do you think it’s weird?” Dr. Bright tilts her head. “I think this whole fucking thing is weird,” I scoff. “Caleb.”

The other corner of his mouth twitches like he’s trying to keep the butterflies in too and he glances down at his plate, his dark eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks. I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone more. Oh. Oh.

He’s looking at me fondly—like he missed me—and I feel like I need to sit down. I am sitting down. Jesus, get it together, Feelings Boy.

Yeah of course I fucking liked it. It’s abba.

“Cake!” Mr. Hayes shouts suddenly, rising from his chair. Adam and I both jump a bit in our seats at the outburst but Mrs. Hayes just laughs again, breaking her focus on me to put her grinning face in her hands. “You have to get that man under control,” Adam deadpans to his mom.

“When Becca M. brought in those fancy-ass cupcakes for her birthday you got a raspberry chocolate one and you were happier than I’d ever felt from—” Adam’s smile deflates slightly and I tense, sucking the rest of my sentence down and rerouting. “I mean, you seemed to really like it. I should have guessed it was your favorite.”

There’s a small smile on his face but sadness in his eyes and I want to kiss him into oblivion.

Shady Guy gives a broad smile and, against my better judgement, I’m a bit charmed by it.

“Ooh, that’s an interesting turn of events.” Damien grins, settling into the bench, looking like the king of the world. He’s actually not as awkward and odd-looking as he first appeared. There’s something attractive about him, something seductive—

“He is a nice young man,” I echo, trying to find my words. “He is very nice. And … a man.”