“That’s my seat,” she says snottily.
“Sorry, babe. Trying to score points with the teach,” I tell her.
She rolls her eyes and finds another desk.
Mr. Figueroa launches into a lecture about The Great Gatsby, which I haven’t even started reading yet. I figure I’ll watch the movie for real this time if I need to. Or someone will share their notes or whatever with me and help me out. I’m a fucking Lancaster. They all do my bidding.
I tune out his droning voice, staring at the back of Wren’s head. Her dark hair swept up in that high ponytail, the curling ends brushing against the back of her navy jacket. Giving in, I reach out, curling a tendril around my finger, tugging on it lightly.
She doesn’t react. Doesn’t even move, and I wonder if she even felt it.
Glancing around, I make sure no one else is paying attention to me. I shouldn’t play with her hair in front of everyone. They might get the wrong idea.
Though, what would be so bad about that? Thinking we’ve got a thing for each other? So what if we do?
Jesus, I sound like an idiot, even in my own head. I can’t fall for this girl. She’s not for me. She’s too good, too sweet, too innocent and trusting. And a bit of a mess, thanks to her parents just splitting up.
I should leave her alone. Be her friend and push all hope of getting her naked firmly out of my thoughts.
“Mr. Lancaster. Are you paying attention?”
Figueroa’s smug voice startles me and I glare at him, ignoring the soft laughter that fills the class. “Yeah.”
“Tell us then, one of the themes from the book.” Figueroa crosses his arms, waiting for me to fuck up.
I tried to watch the movie when I was like ten, I think? I can’t remember—as in, I also don’t remember hardly anything about it. I left the room within five minutes of my arrival, already bored out of my mind. But I do know about a few of the themes it covers. “Greed? Excess?”
Surprise crosses my teacher’s face. “That’s correct. What else? Anyone?”
Someone else raises their hand and he calls on them, walking over to the other side of the class. Wren turns halfway in her seat, sending me an unreadable look. “Why are you sitting by me? You usually sit in the back.”
“Thought I’d sit by my friend.” I reach out and tug on the end of her ponytail again, and this time, she notices. “I like your hair like this.”
Her cheeks go pink. “Thank you.” She turns her back to me once again, and I smile to myself.
She really thinks she’ll be able to keep this purely friendly between us?
I’ll show her friendly.
TWENTY-ONE
WREN
“Wren.” Fig stops directly beside my desk, and I glance up at him. “A word?”
Not waiting for my response, he heads to his desk and I follow after him, not daring to look back at Crew. I’m sure I know what I’d see on his face.
Anger. Frustration. Annoyance.
It’s the Wednesday after my life changed in a variety of ways and I’m just trying to cope, day by day. My father has called me every evening, his tone soothing as he asks endless questions about my day. I give him minimal responses, not sure how to talk to him, or what to say.
He’s worried about me after the divorce news. I suppose I should find that sweet, but there’s something about it that makes me feel like he’s only trying to cover his butt. Mother sent me a text Monday checking up on me, but otherwise, I haven’t heard from her.
Typical.
And then there’s Crew.
I can’t stop thinking about him, even though I tell myself it’ll lead nowhere. I relive the way he kissed me in the back seat of the car every night before I go to bed. Can’t help but wonder where things could go between us if I kept seeing him. He was so sweet at the gallery, and when we went to lunch. It felt like a date with a boy who might actually like me.
My parents ruined everything. The divorce announcement kind of soured me on the idea of a possible relationship with Crew—with anyone. The dinner that night at the Von Weller’s was a complete bust. Larsen kept trying to talk to me, flirt with me, and I was so cold, I froze him out. Which is not my usual style. I kept thinking about Crew and his warning about Larsen. And how my parents are trying to set me up with him for my future.
Unbelievable.
After Crew kissed me so passionately in that empty classroom Monday, he hasn’t tried anything inappropriate since, and I can’t help but feel…
Disappointed.
I know I’m the one who said I wanted to keep it as friends-only between us, and I still feel that way because the last thing I need is a potential relationship messing with my head. I don’t think I have the emotional capacity to handle something so overwhelming right now.