Puck (Broken Hill Boys 1)

Courtney shakes her head, but she’s unable to mask the smile on her face. “You’re a dork, Puck.”

“And you’re a tease, babe.”

Courtney laughs, not once denying my claim as she turns in my arms and plasters her back against my chest, holding my arms tight to her body. She dances against me, grinding herself against me as I do the same, and despite how desperately I want to take her upstairs and show her exactly what I want to do with her, I also don’t want to step away from this moment.

Chapter 8

Courtney

I walk through the door of the cafeteria on Monday afternoon with Brylee while my stomach growls for something to eat. I was in a mad rush this morning after Matty decided to take the longest shower of his life before taking a good half an hour sitting on the toilet. I swear, that kid has some serious issues with his bowels.

I ran out of the house without my breakfast this morning and made it to homeroom just as Miss Blakeley was excusing us to get to the first class of the day. I stood at the front of the room for all of two seconds before the students in the room swarmed through the door, shoving me through with them.

I saw Puck for about three seconds before being shuffled off to my first class, and by ‘saw,’ what I mean is that I laid my eyes on him from far across the room which kind of sucks as I was hoping to talk to him this morning. I have absolutely no idea what’s going on between us and to be completely honest, it’s freaking me out.

I’m not that girl who does things on a whim, despite what Puck might be thinking. I like a little control in my life with maybe just a touch of unpredictable surprise, and Puck, well he’s certainly a surprise, a big one at that. I don’t know what to expect from him or what he wants, but as the days go on, it becomes startlingly clear that I want him more than I could have ever known.

What was I thinking to be hating on him so much over the past twelve years? I mean, sure, he puts on this big act that he’s larger than life, but when it comes down to it, he’s actually kind of sweet and not to mention, he has a caring side.

He’s become protective of me over the past two weeks. Every time we’re at a party, he’ll be the one to fly in and save me whenever another guy gets too close, but I don’t need saving. I can more than handle myself. He likes to be the guy who refills my drink, he likes to be the one to ask how my day is going, and without a doubt, every morning during homeroom, he gives me this smile that has the butterflies swarming around my stomach.

I’ve never been so confused. Puck isn’t known to be the kind of guy to not screw around with girls. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if nearly all the girls in school have already been with him. He’s made it kind of obvious that he likes me, and if that’s true, then why the hell hasn’t he made a move?

Am I looking at this all wrong? Does he maybe only like me as a friend or does he just enjoy the flirting every morning? I’m starting to see myself as a fool. I must be reading all the signs wrong because surely if he wanted something more from me, he would have made the move. He doesn’t strike me as the type to hold back when he’s interested, so I’m confused as to why he would now.

Brylee and I find Brooke and Tora busily picking out something to eat in the cafeteria and I scrunch up my face. We have a great school and an even better cafeteria, but I’ve never been one for food that I didn’t see getting cooked. It’s an irritating little quirk and makes going out for dinner with the family kind of difficult, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.

There are all sorts of crazy people out in the world and I hear way too many stories on the news to bother risking my life for someone else’s negligence or mistakes. Besides, I kind of enjoy cooking so it’s not that bad.

Tora turns around as I grab an apple and take hold of the stem then twist it until it tears free. “What do you say about sitting out in the sun today?” she suggests, looking past my shoulder at the table of boys currently fucking around. Though Nate doesn’t seem to be there so I’m not sure what her problem is, but Puck is and I can’t really be bothered spending my whole lunch break thinking about this again, especially right now as I feel the heavy, intense stare of his bright blue eyes piercing into my back. It’s become the norm lately and I’m starting to realize that I don’t exactly hate it, not like I used to over the years.