Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
With every pointed question she pulled herself in a little tighter, the smiling mask falling away. She didn’t know how to explain the sense of their closeness, and how it twisted her up inside. She’d no right to be jealous. She reached for the pen, but kept shaking her head.
Derek rested a hand gently on her shoulder and leveled her with a concerned look this time, not understanding what was happening.
Breathing sharply, she clutched the pen more tightly and wrote Derek’s name, and Isaac’s, close together. Putting a circle around them, she put her name as far away on the page as she could. With their names she put ‘pack’, and added ‘not pack’ to hers. Then she shoved it at him and bolted for the stairs.