Page 8 of Damaged Boys Don't Fall For Bubbly Girls

They bicker for a few minutes, and then Finn gives in and changes the station. I catch him glance at me from time to time, but like last night, he quickly looks away when I catch him. Is he hoping I’ll give him an answer about what he said? It doesn’t seem like it. I think he’s just concerned for me.

“Anyone hear from Brock?” Gael asks with curious brown eyes.

Dean shakes his dark blond head. “Still hasn’t responded to my texts.”

“Nada here,” Nate says.

We all fall silent, each of us seeming to be worried or bothered. Not Cooper, though. He looks ticked off.

But before he can say anything, Nate changes the subject and Brock is forgotten. Well, not really for me.

We reach school and Finn parks in the student parking lot.

“You guys got your schedules?” Finn asks as we get out of the car. “Let’s compare. I’ll shoot myself if I don’t have biology with any of you. I suck at science.”

“We know,” Theo teases him.

We all take out our phones and compare our schedules.

“Darn it to heck,” Finn groans. “Like I feared—I don’t have bio with any of you. My dad will kill me if I flunk out.”

“I don’t have bio with any of you guys, either,” I inform them.

“Barbarians,” Dean says.

“It looks like we all have English together with Mrs. Hastings,” Gael says.

“Yes!” I pump my fist in the air. Ally Hastings is the most awesome teacher in the world. I love her classes because our discussions on books are so interesting. And she makes me think about things I hadn’t considered before, which makes me feel smart. Everyone loves her class.

“But man, bio,” Finn whines.

“Count your blessings, dude,” Cooper says.

Finn scowls.

Gael says something, but I can’t hear him because of the sound of an engine in the distance. It grows louder before someone on a motorcycle speeds into the parking lot. All of us watch as he slides into an empty spot like a pro and kills the engine.

Nate rolls his green eyes. “Show off.”

The guy yanks off his helmet, revealing his dark hair and sharp blue eyes. All of us gasp.

“Brock,” Gael mutters.

Tucking his helmet under his arm, he gets off the bike and makes his way toward the school. But he stops short when he catches sight of us.

Time seems to stand still as the seven of us stare at him. He stares back at us.

Finn gives Dean a slight push, since he’s the bodyguard of the group. Dean stumbles toward Brock, smiling awkwardly. “Hey, man,” he greets.

Brock exchanges a look with each one of us before pushing some of his long bangs out of his eyes. “Hey.”

He’s wearing a black shirt and black jeans and he looks quite…mysterious. I didn’t know he rides a motorcycle! But how many times do I need to remind myself that I don’t know him anymore?

“Cool bike,” Gael says.

Brock looks back at it with a small, proud smile. “A gift from my grandparents.”

“Neato!” Theo says.