Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

spine and began to stroke the back of her neck. She felt the muscles

across his shoulders tense and he suddenly pushed a knee between

her thighs. Helen gasped and tried to decide if she should pull him

down on top of her like she wanted, or push him away like he

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wanted, but she didn?t get the chance to do either. As quickly as he

had changed, he switched back. He pulled away from her with a

sad smile, and then jumped into the air.

?You know, you don?t need to run track to get into a good school.

You?re going to kill it on your SATs,? he said breezily, but with the

faintest bit of a quiver still lingering in his voice.

?That?s what Hergie thinks, too,? Helen said. She still felt a bit

dazed and shaky. She joined him in the sky and continued her

thought when she finally had one. ?I just didn?t want to be that girl,

you know? The girl who does whatever her boyfriend tells her to do

because she wants someone else to make all the tough decisions for

her.?

?I hate that girl,? Lucas said with a wrinkled nose as they flew

back, hand in hand, to his house.

?Everyone hates that girl. That?s why I can?t automatically do

whatever you say, even if you are right. I?ve got my pride,? Helen

said jokingly as they landed in his yard, but he didn?t laugh. She

squeezed his hand. ?What is it??

?Pride is a really dangerous thing for Scions. We?re prone to it,

and it?s usually our downfall. I know you were kidding, but be careful,

okay?? he said gently.

?Oh, yeah. Hubris. Ancient Greece?s big no-no.? Helen nodded

sagely. Lucas gave her a surprised look. ?What? I?ve been doing my

mythology homework. Actually, I guess it?s my history homework,

isn?t it??