The Original Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 0.50)

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t contain the faint grin that tugged at my lips.

“I just don’t like how they treat people.”

“And we’ve covered this already,” he said wearily.

“We’re supposed to be volunteering at Mrs. Grantlins’,” I reminded him. Waiting.

“Mrs. Grantlins asked for volunteers from a bunch of other classes. She’s moving furniture in her office. I’m not volunteering for that,” he said disgustedly.

“And we’re doing exactly what I just lit into Amber about doing,” I commented, frustrated.

“No. We’re skipping. I’m not asking to get away with it. If I do—which usually happens—then fine. I’m not passing it up.” Tray grinned, running his hands up my arms and back down to my waist. He pulled me closer to him and leaned forward, nuzzling my neck.

I melted. I wrapped my arms around his neck. The conversation was officially over.

Tray kissed his way up my neck, along my chin, and found my lips.

I lifted my legs and turned to straddle him. Tray slid a hand down my back, slipping it inside my jeans, then up my back, moving to softly caress my breast, underneath my bra.

“—this place is usually—whoa.”

Tray heard them first because he lifted his eyes and said simply, “Out.”

I hid my face in his neck. Glad Tray kept his arms around me, otherwise I might’ve fallen off. I didn’t trust my legs to work, not at that moment.

“Dude.” It was Bryce, and I could hear the grin in his voice.

A second later the door clicked shut and Tray nuzzled my neck again.

I moved to find his lips and we started kissing again as if nothing had happened.

When the bell rang, I pulled away and stood—unsteadily. Tray held onto my elbow for a little bit.

“I’m good.”

“This isn’t just for you,” he retorted, breathing heavily.

I chuckled, feeling some relief that he was affected just as much as I was. A moment later we left the equipment closet, and once we were in the hallway, we went our separate ways. Tray’s locker was near the quad in the senior hallway. It was the best place for a locker because there was a ton of benches over there, and it was the hub where students just hung out. My locker, on the other hand, faced the parking lot entrance. It was almost impossible to relax or talk with anyone because so many students were either walking into school or leaving.

I did notice Amber’s heated glare when Tray turned down his hallway. She was leaving the bathroom and saw his hand linger for a moment on my elbow.

At my locker, I found Sasha waiting for me.

“What?” I snapped, ready to go another round with her.

“You think you’re so damned better than us. You’re not. You’re a whore,” she delivered without preamble.

I sighed, and gave her a pointed glare. “I’m really good at finding out people’s secrets. Want me to find out yours?”

“Are you threatening me?”

“I’m warning you. If you want me to come after you, keep it up. It’ll work and when that happens, you’ll find out why guys like Crispin Gentley hate me so much.”

Sasha just perched her hands on her hips and looked at me with derision. But it worked. She shut up and, after a second huff, she turned and marched down the hallway.

“The only reason you’re still breathing.” Came from behind me. I turned and saw Amber glaring, she said hotly, “Is because Tray must really like being in your pants. The second he’s tired of you, you need to remember th`is time. Because this is me, promising that you’ll be begging to change schools when that time comes. Take that as a guarantee.”

“You heard me say my deal to Sasha,” I remarked, heatedly. “But that was a warning. You, I’m already coming after. So you better remember this day, because this is my promise to you—you’re going to learn what a bitch like me can do.”