“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Shit, girl. That’s messed up. I don’t want to freak you out but that guy … he’s a bit of a creep. You need to be careful. Last year, a freshman accused him of trying to force himself on her. Luckily, someone walked in and she ran off, but nothing came of it. It was he said, she said, and his father—”

“Best criminal lawyer in the state,” I finish for her. “Trust me, I know. His dad is just as much of an asshole as he is, only in a cocky, untouchable way. But you don’t need to warn me about Jensen, I’m already watching him closely. After I moved in, he referred to us as siblings and promised to make me feel extra welcome.”

“Fuck, you know what? My parents don’t let me have friends stay late on weeknights, but on the weekends, if you wanna crash at my place, you can.”

Relief floods through my chest and I let out a breath, not realizing just how much fear I’ve been holding over Jensen’s games. “You know, I might just take you up on that.”

“Eyes to the front,” Mrs. Porter says. “Let’s get started.”

Fifty minutes later, the bell has hardly sounded and Tanner is already out the door, whipping past me, his manly scent practically hitting me in the face. I can’t help but breathe him in. He’s intoxicating, and the smell sends a rush of heat through my veins. I find myself silently begging him to look down at me, just one small glance in my direction, but I get nothing.

I can’t explain it. I don’t know why I want his eyes on me, but I do, and that one little desire is going to get me in a world of trouble.

Why do I find him so thrilling? He makes me want to get in his face again, want to throw insults just so I can be close to him, just so I can see the way his eyes flare when he’s around me. There’s no mistaking it, I make him feel some kind of way. I just don’t know what kind of way that is.

The door slams shut behind him, and I hastily pack up my things before slipping the tube of lipstick into my skirt pocket. Ilaria gives me directions to my next class and tells me where I can meet her during our first break, and just like that, I’m moving out of the classroom and bumping shoulders with the other students trying to go about their day.

An hour later, I step through the open doors of the biggest cafeteria I’ve ever seen. “Holy crap,” I murmur to myself, needing to pause just inside the door to take it all in. The cafeteria at Hope Falls was practically nonexistent. There were a few tables and an overworked lunch lady. For the most part, students would just pack their own lunch and sit outside to eat, but this right here, this is the heart of the whole damn school.

Large circular tables fill the room and noise bounces off the walls. A few teachers casually stroll around, keeping the peace while students relax and catch up with friends they haven’t seen since before the summer. A soft smile pulls at the corners of my lips, one I can’t explain. Maybe it’s the sense of community here or just the way that the whole student body can sit in one room without tearing shreds off each other. It’s chaotic, but it’s also calming.

I find Tanner almost immediately, his dark eyes watching me like a hawk as he sits in the furthest corner of the cafeteria with his friends all around him, hyping him up like he’s some kind of god. Cheerleaders loiter around the guys table, and I have to stop myself from scoffing. It’s the same hierarchy at every school. I don’t doubt that there’s one cheerleader in particular who thinks that she has some kind of claim over Tanner and his friends, though I’d bet everything I have that Tanner doesn’t feel the same way.

All I know is that there are two groups of people I need to steer very clear of.

His stare is electrifying and sends a tingle sailing down my spine, making me feel uneasy and nervous. I look away, not wanting my first cafeteria experience to revolve around him, while also not wanting to draw any more attention to myself. It’s bad enough being the new girl, but to have the eyes of the most popular guy in school on me is bound to raise a few eyebrows.

A hand shoots up out of the crowd, and I find Ilaria waving me down. “Bri, over here,” she calls through the masses.

I give her a tight smile and make my way toward her, noticing that she sits with two other girls. One looks as though she just came from a photo shoot with her long golden hair falling in perfect waves down her back and a sharp stare narrowing at the sight of me, as though I’m some kind of threat. The other girl doesn’t seem to even notice me coming—or just doesn’t care. She’s petite, unlike her supermodel, golden friend beside her who has legs for days. There’s something warm about this petite girl, she seems kind and almost fragile with her soft features and light eyes.

Tags: Sheridan Anne Bradford Bastard Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net