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4

Bianaca

Romance books lied.

The greatest smell in the world wasn’t male sweat or their cologne or some shit like that. No, the greatest smell in the world was a buffet with noodles and chicken and chocolate cake.

My mouth watered, salivating like the thirsty bitch I was.

After her ominous message, the girl had hurried away. Beau placed a hand on my shoulder, gently restraining me from going after her, and led me toward the school’s cafeteria. I was grateful he was there with me. Without him, I would’ve been wandering in circles for weeks. The school was huge. Hallways led to more hallways that led to doors that led to even more hallways. It was a labyrinth, one you could get lost in.

I still couldn’t understand how Beau got sent to a school for troubled teens. He was eighteen and had never gotten in trouble a day in his life. The one fight he had been in, with Dick the dick, lasted only five minutes, and Dick had been too scared to press charges. It just didn’t make sense. Beau was the light to my darkness. The voice of reason to my crazy ideas.

I would get the information out of him…after I got food. Filling my plate with sweets, I waited for Beau to grab his own food. He garnered quite a bit of attention with his chiseled good looks and charming smile. I didn’t blame the girls for staring, for smiling at him, for asking him his name. My stomach churned, but I forced myself to remain calm.

Just friends. Just friends.

“Hello!” a chirpy voice greeted. The newcomer was an unfamiliar female with dark brown hair and tanned skin. She flashed me a smile. “I’m Ali! What’s your name?”

“Um…Bianaca.”

“Nice to meet you, Bianaca,” she said. “I’m on the New Student Committee with Maria. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask.”

Without another word, she hurried toward Beau, no doubt to repeat her spiel. Or proposition him. It had happened before—people using me to get to him. Hell, my only female friend in high school had admitted to it. Beau was charismatic, and the female population, as well as half the male one, was not immune.

Movement from my peripheral captured my attention, turning me away from Beau. Or perhaps I had always noticed them, a lighthouse in a roiling sea. A flicker of light in the inky darkness I had grown accustomed to. I hadn’t realized at the time how strongly we were connected, how our souls screamed for each other, recognizing the kindred spirits in each other that others overlooked.

I spotted Kace first, the flirty guy from the receptionist office. He was sitting beside the asshole from earlier today, facing me, and making a house out of his waffles and french fries. Yup. You heard me right.

The weird guy from the fireplace was across from them, leaning back in his chair as if he gave zero shits about anything. They were three of the most gorgeous guys I had ever seen. Such male hotness should be banned. It was not healthy for my ovaries.

Beau stepped up beside me, Ali still talking his ear off. Apparently, there was a certain criteria required to be on the New Student Torture Squad or whatever the fuck they called it. Perky (and I didn’t just mean their breasts) and talkative. Huh. Two traits I didn’t possess.

“I do have a question for you,” I interrupted Ali, pointing toward the godlike trio. “Who are they?”

Her eyes flickered to them, and a dreamy, wistful expression softened her features.

“That’s Kace, Tanner, and Aiden.”

Aiden. That was the name of the asshole who had forced his way into my room.

“Hmmm…” I trailed off, considering the three men with appraising eyes. Kace’s auburn hair and lean frame. Aiden’s piercings glinting in the artificial cafeteria lighting. Tanner’s broad shoulders and leather jacket.

Ali snorted. “Don’t get your hopes up. They don’t date. Ever.”

“Ever, you say?” Because, really, I was always up for a challenge.

And I needed a distraction from Beau. Perfect, smart, funny Beau who made my heart thunder in my chest. Not just thunder…but turn into a whole fucking thunderstorm, complete with rain and lightning and the whole shebang.

Stupid, traitorous heart.

Without waiting for her to respond, I walked to their table, Beau following behind me.

It was Kace who saw me first, smiling at me over the top of his food castle. Tanner swiveled his head marginally, met my gaze, and then turned back toward his uneaten tray of food. It took Aiden a moment longer—he was obsessively stabbing at his sandwich (no surprise he had a penchant for sharp knives)—but when his eyes met mine, they grew cold. Pinpricks of fear raced down my spine, but I moved with a confidence I didn’t actually feel toward their table.

I sat in the empty seat between Kace and Aiden, ignoring the startled looks the entire cafeteria gave me. One would think I had pissed on the fucking queen by their reactions.

Or kings.