Page 64 of Attractive Forces

I don’t need to be told twice. Climbing a tree using only the light from a nearby streetlamp is pretty dumb because I really, really don’t want to explain to Coach and my father how I broke my leg climbing a tree at night to get to my chemistry tutor’s room.

But Jake’s so close, and I need to touch him. I need to have his arms around me. I need to be reminded of a fundamental truth—I have never felt so at peace as I do with Jake.

I haven’t climbed a tree in years, but Brewer and I spent half our childhood in the oak tree in his front yard, so I have some tree-climbing skills in my arsenal.

I grab a branch and yank myself up. The bark is rough under my hands. I leverage off that branch to get a grip on the next one and pull myself up. It turns out that climbing a tree is like riding a bike. One of those skills from childhood you never lose.

I glance up, and I can see Jake watching me from his window now. I smile automatically at him because I don’t think I can ever see Jake and not smile.

Then my vision is blinded by overwhelming brightness. I have to clutch the branch to keep my balance.

“You! Stop right there!”

19

Jake

Shit.

Logan’s halfway up the tree, edging up a large branch, and I can hardly breathe because I’m worried he’s going to slip. The rugby captain will be maimed in my front yard right before the start of the finals.

This was a stupid, stupid idea. Up there with the hula chair and Segway. But I just couldn’t bear to hear Logan upset, and I wanted to help in some way.

I should have gone to him. I should have worked out a way to sneak him in without Mum hearing. I should have—

“You! Stop right there!”

Suddenly there’s a guy I recognize from the house next door on the grass under the walnut tree, shining a flashlight straight at Logan.

My stomach hollows.

Oh god.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Yeah, this might be even worse than Logan getting hurt.

I’m on my feet, charging out my bedroom door.

Annaliese comes out of her room into the hallway at the same time, her hair all smushed up. “What’s happening?”

I don’t bother to answer, instead taking the stairs two at a time in my haste to get outside.

Unfortunately, my mother is a few steps in front of me, pulling a robe around herself as she steps outside and rounds the corner of the house.

“What’s going on?” she demands to know.

Logan has just reached the bottom of the tree. He stands there in the glare of the flashlight beam, his expression full of horror.

“You need to call the cops. I just caught this guy red-handed trying to break into your house.” Our would-be savior-slash-worst nightmare neighbor informs her, keeping his bright light trained on Logan’s face.

My chest tightens.

Logan’s eyes dart between the guy and Mum. “No…it’s not like that…”

I hear a sharp intake of breath from Annaliese as she stops on the grass next to me. She turns to me, her eyes widening.

I stare back at her in panic. I don’t know if our never-utilized psychic sibling link suddenly connects, but Annaliese steps forward. “Um…no…he wasn’t breaking in…I invited him over.”