Eden High: Series 1 (Eden High 1-6)

But I wasn’t about to leave them out. I’m thinking it’s time to shake up Eden High some and I’m sure having them at the head table so to speak, would more than ruffle some feathers.

“You’re sitting with me short stuff.” He pecked my lips and sat me next to him then he told some of his guys to get chairs for my three girls. Jared of all people went over and got the girls.

Their faces were almost comical and Belle, as was to be expected because she has to be a hard ass, was holding out.

Then my brother did something that I’m sure shocked the whole room. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

His idiot friends were encouraging him and he grinned like a fool, while Belle threw invectives at his head, kicking and screaming all the way.

Cassandra was grinning and looking happy again and Tammy even broke a little smile before ducking her head and hiding.

***

Well, I guess that set the precedent nice and proper, as it should be. Belle for all her griping was looking very flushed I noticed, and I also noticed that Jared was sitting rather close to my new friend.

“So Tammy what happened, are we still on for our tutoring session this weekend?” Shane looked directly at her from his seat across from her and I think she was about to expire. Just what the heck was going on with these people anyway?

“Uh yes, yes we are.” She was suddenly very interested in her nasty ass tapioca pudding.

Jace meanwhile was running his thumb back and forth along my shoulder and giving me goose bumps. To say our table was the center of the universe at that point in time wouldn’t be overstating things by much. It seemed all eyes were on our little group; there had been a shift in their little dynasty.

I couldn’t help a little evil grin.

“Uh oh, what’s that look about?” I turned my head and grinned at Jace, suddenly happier than I could ever remember being.

“Nothing, I’m just, happy, excited, exhilarated…”

“All that huh, I hope I have something to do with all this newfound exuberance.” If you only knew, I thought. I gave him a look that I’d been practicing in the mirror since I was twelve.

He wasn’t expecting an answer apparently, because just then he groaned as if in pain and then his lips were on mine.

I was expecting one of his usual teasers, but whoa. The whistles and catcalls started and someone started pelting us with pieces of bread, at least that’s what I think it was.

I’m pretty sure that was Belle but soon others joined in the fun and we were being pelted from all sides.

“You guys are embarrassing.” That was Jared’s poignant assertion. Jace took a few more licks of my lips before turning back to the table. He got up and went to the lunch counter after telling me to stay put.

“Eat baby, you didn’t eat your lunch yesterday.” And how did he know that I wonder? He placed a tray with my usual lunch in front of me. Damn, he doesn’t miss anything it seemed.

Chapter 7

BELLE

I am about to die; I’m sure my face is ten shades of red and if I open my mouth I’m going to put my foot in it. I was getting some weird vibes from the new guy. Weird as in, I think he likes me.

But that so cannot be. I’ve seen the way the girls look at him, they’ve been following him around like lovesick puppies for the last two days.

So why was he sitting so close to me? This better not be one of those stupid high school set-ups where the popular guy loses a bet or something, because the way he just carted me around in front of the whole school gave a very distinct impression of…what?

“Something wrong with your food Red?”

“What?” Red, was that like some kind of endearment or something?

“You’re glaring at your sandwich babe, I thought maybe it had offended you in some way. I have noticed that you can be a bit prickly.” He grinned at me like my life wasn’t complicated enough, what with him sucking up all my oxygen and stealing my senses.

And since when have I become one of the bobble heads? I looked into his eyes and lost my train of thought.

“Is this some kind of game?” He squinted at me like I was speaking Latin or something.

“What, what’re you talking about?”

“I’m just wondering why the new guy who looks like the next big screen heartthrob would be sitting here wasting his time on someone like me.”

He sat back and folded his arms as he studied me. I was beginning to squirm under that intense gaze of his.

I’d noticed it quite a lot in the last two days. It was usually directed at me from across the room or a table, but this time it was up close and personal.

“Someone like you, what’s that?” I shrugged my shoulders and tore at the edges of my sandwich. As if he didn’t know.

“You know.”

“No tell me Belle, why do you consider me sitting here with you like this a waste of time? And thanks for the compliment by the way.”

“Let’s just drop it okay.” Now I felt foolish. And did he have to pay such close attention when he was talking to me? Like he was hanging on my every word?

“You know Red, I think you are your own worst enemy.” And with that little insightful tidbit he started eating.

I looked at him for five seconds, contemplating bashing him over the head with something. Why was he confusing me? And what was up with him and his sister upsetting the order of my universe?

Never would I ever have expected to be sitting at this table. Not even Mandy and her ilk ever set foot in this domain, and I was sure there was going to be a huge fallout. My big worry was Sian and that cheerleading crap.