Tear (Seaside 1)

Demetri sure was persistent, but I didn’t want to be a part of his harem. “Let me guess, you’ve never faced rejection before.”

He looked a little less confident as he shuffled his feet, his eyebrows drew together. “No, um, not really.”

“There’s a first for everything, Demetri. Enjoy your salad.” I patted him on the shoulder and continued walking in a straight line even though my legs were wobbly. Why the heck did I just turn down a lunch date with the hottest guy I’ve ever seen?

I turned back around to see if he was following me. Big shock there, he was surrounded by at least twenty girls, each of them touching his arm or shoulder, even his butt. Disgusting. And that was the reason I wasn’t sitting with him. I wasn’t them. I would never be that girl.

I blew my hair from my face and plopped into my chair. Evan gave me a confused look. “Did he just ask you to eat with him?”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?” Evan repeated. “Are you high?”

“No,” I said, as I opened my juice. “I just didn’t want to eat with him.”

“Right. And I don’t want to get laid by Cameron Diaz.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Does everything always have to be about sex?”

“Yes.” Evan gave me a serious look before taking a huge bite of his sandwich.

There was officially no hope for the male species.

The bell rang a few minutes later, meaning I only got to enjoy part of my salad. I rushed to my next class. Just as I was rounding the corner, a guy bolted out of the classroom door slamming me against the locker and sending me sailing to the ground. For the second time that day my eyes came into contact with expensive boots.

I was literally my own teenage soap opera.

“I promise I’m not doing this on purpose,” I said as I pushed myself to my knees and gathered my books, stuffing them into my bag.

Alec leaned down and shook his head. “You sure about that?” His mouth curved upward into a smirk.

I felt my nostrils flare. “Yeah, I promise. Plus, it’s not like I trip in order to get attention. That’s the last thing I want.”

Alec grabbed my bag and handed it to me. “Believe me, you’re the center of attention whether you trip or merely walk down the hall. Have a good day, Nat.” His hooded green eyes seemed to mock me as he looked me up and down then walked in the other direction. So what if watched the way his muscles stretched underneath his T-shirt?

I sighed and shook my head.

“Really Nat?” Evan whispered over my ear.

“Crap!” I jumped. “Don’t scare me like that!”

“Scare you?” Evan put his arm on my shoulder and directed me toward class. “I was standing behind you for like two minutes saying your name before I whispered in your ear. Geez, what’s the big deal about those guys? So they’re like rock stars. Who cares? They still shit.”

I burst out laughing. “Thanks, Evan. Your eloquence and wisdom is always so refreshing.”

His chest puffed up as he pushed me teasingly into class. “It’s what I do.”

The day progressed slowly. I almost believed everything was normal. I walked to my locker and forced it open. It was only Monday and I had enough homework to officially keep me locked in my bedroom all night.

“So, what are you doing tonight?” I knew his voice by heart now. It was deep, sexy, and always had some sort of smug inflection. Maybe it was my imagination, but it seemed like his words always took longer to pronounce than a normal person’s.

“Homework.” I slammed my locker door shut and gave him a smile. “And you?”

“Whitney.”

“Huh?”

Demetri gave me a shameless grin and burst out laughing as I felt my face flush red. “I’m kidding, girl. You really need to get out more.”

Preaching to the choir.

“Okay.” I sidestepped him, not even sure why I was angry that he would joke about hooking up with some girl I didn’t even know. It really wasn’t all that funny to my little virgin ears. If anything, it made me want to smack him.

“What’d I do?” He stepped in front of me and grasped my arms. His eyes scanned me from head to toe as his hands caressed upward toward my shoulders. His smile was mocking. And suddenly I wanted to be anywhere but in the hall with this very attractive boy who was used to getting exactly what he wanted regardless of the consequences.

I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped when I felt a warm hand grip my shoulder.

“Really, Demetri? Begging isn’t your style.” It had to be Alec.

Demetri’s face immediately broke into a grin. “I’m sorry, Nat. He’s right. I don’t beg. I don’t usually have to, but you make me want to.”

I was officially pinned between two of the hottest guys on the planet and all I could think about was not passing out. Demetri was in front of me, all 6’4” and packed muscle. I staggered backward only to find myself up against the same thing. Only Alec smelled like expensive cologne. The type that should burn your nostrils but instead makes you want to close your eyes and moan.

It was probably Abercrombie. I swear they put pheromones in that stuff.

“Run along,” Alec said over the top of my head.

Demetri nodded once and walked away, but not before giving me a seductive wink.

I exhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath. Alec’s hand moved across my shoulder until his arm was around me. I stumbled in shock.