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She laughed. “Yeah, I guess not. Okay, change of plans. I’m in the Keller building. Room 315. Come hang out with us and bringallyour uniforms. We’re going to fix…this.” She motioned up and down my body. “I won’t let you suffer another day like this, you poor child. We’ll shorten your skirts a bit and take in your shirts, so they fit and show your figure instead of making you look like you were birthed by a cereal box.”
She was sarcastic as hell, and I already loved her. I really did look like I was born to Mr. and Mrs. Kellogg. It was more than a little embarrassing.
“So, tell me a bit about yourself, Temperance,” Luna said as she grabbed a tray.
“Uh, well, I read a lot. Anything from dramatic and soul crushing romances to dark romances to fantasy. I love any music with a good beat—not a fan of country. My favorite is anything heavy with a lot of screaming. I love romcoms, superhero movies, comedies, and action. If any of those are mixed, I’m totally here for it. Oh, and fantasy. Anything with magic, and I’m already addicted to it. Not a horror fan, though.”
Luna laughed. “Oh, man. You just broke poor Justin’s heart. You and me are basically the same person. I like horror, but I can take it or leave it. I have to be in the mood for it, and it needs to be good. Never understood the fascination with bad horror movies. Justin, however, loves them.Allof them.”
“Sorry to kill your opinion of me so soon,” I quipped, and he smiled.
“Hey, you’re entitled to your opinions, same as me. I can’t do much to help you when your opinion iswrong, but I won’t judge you too harshly for being so uncultured. I didn’t judge Luna either.”
Luna rolled her eyes and smiled.
We got our food and sat at an empty table. They were small, rectangular tables that seated four students at each, though a lot of them had more chairs pulled up to seat more kids. Some groups had multiple tables pushed together. It was obvious where the friend groups were.
“This is our table. No one ever comes over here and bothers us,” Justin said. “Which is good because most of the people here I find annoying.”
I’d just started to get comfortable and had even lifted my slice of pepperoni comfort pizza when a chair was quickly and almost violently yanked out next to me. I looked over to see Asher glaring at me from that once empty seat—which he’d placed uncomfortably close.
The look on his face told me everything I needed to know.
It had been like twenty minutes at most, and Damian had already squealed.
I’ll fucking kill him, I thought.
“Uh, hi,” I said nervously, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
“Hey there, buddy. Ya lost?” Luna asked, as though she were speaking to a toddler she found wandering in an amusement park. “Your cult leader is over that way.” She jutted a thumb to the left side of the room without looking.
I, however, looked. When I did, Damian’s narrowed eyes were staring straight at me, a dark crooked grin on his face. Looking back at Asher, I saw him cut a warning glance over at Luna.
She laughed. “You’re bringing that shit to thewrongplace. You damn well know it doesn’t work on me.” She looked over at me. “Is he bothering you?”
“Don’t speak like I’m not right here, Kimani,” he snapped before looking over at me. “We need to talk.Now. No options.”
I cleared my throat, debating whether I should take a large bite of my pizza so it would be considered rude for me to speak. I didn’t want to talk to him. I could hardly look him in his beautiful eyes.
“No,” I said flatly. “I really don’t feel like talking. Aboutanything. Especially things that aren’t your business.”
His eyes widened for a moment, but he pulled back his shock. He looked around the room before grabbing hold of my hand. “You’re coming with me.”
I yelped and dropped my pizza onto my plate as he stood and all but dragged me out of my chair.
“Hey!” Luna and Justin both shouted, their chairs angrily scooting across the floor.
“Ugh, it’s fine,” I called back over my shoulder. “I’ll talk to him and come back.”
As soon as we were in the empty hallway, I yanked my hand free of his and crossed my arms over my chest.
“What the hell was that, you caveman?Draggingme out of the cafeteria? Seriously?”
He whirled on me, his face only a few short inches from mine. “What the hell were you thinking?”
My eyes narrowed. “I’m notentirelysure I know what you’re talking about, but whatever it was, Idoknow it’s none of your business.”
“Oooh, you knowexactlywhat I’m talking about. Don’t fucking play. You and Damian in the fucking bathroom today.”