A Whole New Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 1)

“Yeah.” A relieved grin escaped me. “I care about him still, and I don’t want to hear someone else that I care about judge him. He’s not below anyone. He just shows his feelings more than others.”

Tray snorted. “That’s the kicker, though, isn’t it? There’s a lot of people who hide their true shit better than others and because of that, they think they’re better. It’s a load of bullshit to me.”

I frowned. “I had no idea you thought like this.”

He shrugged, but lifted up a burger and began to unwrap it. “Yeah, well, to me you were just another hot chick with an attitude. Guess we’re all due for some surprises, aren’t we?”

I eyed him, as I let his words filter in. There was more to him than what he showed everyone else. Then I realized that he knew me better than my new family, than even Mandy. “Don’t tell anyone about Jace.”

He was inspecting his burger, but glanced back up.

“Please. They were both family to me.”

“I’m not saying a word. I get it. You don’t want to hear bad shit about your family.” He flashed me another half-grin and a dimple appeared this time. I sucked in my breath as the power of that one dimple, of that smile from him, and his honesty struck deep inside of me. I swallowed. This guy was dangerous to me. I’d been through the emotional wringer from Brian and twenty minutes later a few words, a few smiles, and he was almost forgotten. Tray was front and center.

I forced myself to turn away as a tingle of fear slid inside of me. Tray could have devastating effects on me if I allowed it. I shook my head. I couldn’t allow it.

I finished my water and handed him the cup. “We should go back.”

He tossed it in the garbage, along with the rest of the food; none of it had been eaten. He eyed me for a moment.

I didn’t look away. Something happened. He knew it. My behavior had changed, and he was trying to figure it out. I couldn’t look away, but I wanted to. My body was starting to burn up. I wanted to go to him. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, and I wanted to feel the pressure of his lips on mine. I wanted to taste him and even thinking that, the desire went up a notch. I tried to hold back from squirming under the weight of his gaze, but it wasn’t without its consequences. I was suddenly starving and dying of thirst.

He won.

I ripped my eyes away from him and focused outside the window. My chest lifted and a ragged breath left me.

He didn’t say anything. It was like before. We left, but the air was charged, unlike when we first arrived. The emotion had been thick in me from Brian. This time it was because of him. I grasped onto my seatbelt and made myself consider what we’d be walking into at the house.

I couldn’t have prepared myself.

Before we opened the door, I heard my sister. “You’re a fucking tramp, you bitch!”

Tray reached around me for the door. He murmured, close enough so it teased my skin, “You up for this?”

My body reacted to his closeness. I leaned into him, resting against his chest as he continued to hold the door. He didn’t move. He didn’t open the door, and I remained there. I drew strength from him in that moment. Then I nodded. I was ready.

Tray pulled open the door and I stepped inside first.

They were in the living room. “Oh please,” Jennica huffed. “What do you expect from me? An apology? You’re never around and when you are it’s all cheerleading this, student council that, not to mention yearbook crap and your perfect little family with your perfect little GPA and your precious scholarship to Brown. No, you’re a great girlfriend. You’re a perfect girlfriend, except you don’t give a shit where your man is or how he feels.”

There was shocked silence after that. Devon was watching Mandy. Jennica was being held back by Amber, whose brother was next to her. Samuel and another guy were lounging on the couches looking amused.

“I can’t believe you just said that.” Mandy leapt towards her. Devon moved to intercept her, but stranger guy beat him to it, leaping from the couch. Grabbing her shoulders, he held her back as Mandy tried to get around him. “Get off me, Dylan!”

“Mandy, stop.”

Jennica took a step back. Devon was in the middle, arms half raised between them, looking uncertain about which girl to go towards.

Amber turned to us and sneered. “Where have you two been?”

Tray smirked at her. “I was hungry.”

“You were hungry?”

“Yeah.” Tray settled against the wall and lifted an eyebrow, daring her to push it further.

She didn’t. Her chin went down and Mandy let out another scream, trying to claw her way through Dylan’s arms.