Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

?Helen? You?re scaring me. Here, sit, please. Do you need

something?? Lucas asked, making her look him in the eye. She still

seemed to be throwing off sparks.

?I do need something,? she said, struggling to control her diction

and her fuzzy brain as best she could. ?I need to tell you what?s going

on, so that you and I don?t accidentally kill each other over a

dumb misunderstanding, and I need you to promise me that if I

tell you, you?re not going to beat anyone up.?

?I don?t think I like this deal,? he said dubiously.

?Tough.?

He nodded his agreement. She looked around for a moment and

then decided to sit down on the top step of the outside stairs before

she fell down.

?Zach was the one who saw me chasing Creon. He dropped some

pretty threatening hints in class the other day, about me and about

you and how abnormally fast and strong we all are. Now he keeps

trying to talk to me alone and I think he might be trying to

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blackmail me or something. I?ve been dodging him for as long as I

can because . . .?

?The longer you wait, the more likely it is that the whole thing

turns into a big fish story and no one believes him, anyway,? Lucas

finished for her with a knowing nod.

?Right. You are so smart,? Helen marveled.

?And your brain is fried,? Lucas said, smiling at her indulgently.

The smile fell away. ?Because of me. I?m such an idiot,? he

mumbled, looking down at his twisting hands.

?Correction, you?re a jealous idiot, and that has to change right

now,? Helen replied seriously, still feeling light-headed, but fighting

her way through it. ?You have no reason to be jealous. I told