Page 12 of Find Me

All of them either snorted or snickered while shaking their heads.

“You clearly haven’t met any of the girls here,” Creed grumbled next to me before he took a bite of his own sandwich.

“Nothing but a bunch of shallow, self-absorbed bitches, but at least they’re hot,” said one of Ethan’s jock buddies.

“You better not be talking about us.”

Everyone’s attention snapped to a girl standing at the end of the table with two other girls flanking her. It only took a quick glance to know which clique these girls belonged to. It was the aura they gave off and the fact that they were pretty, confident, and instantly looking down their noses at me. They of course dressed to look sexy with their midriffs showing, low cut shirts, and shorts so short they should have been sent to the principal’s office for dress code violations.

Even though they weren’t giving me friendly looks, I tried to remind myself not to judge. Kill with kindness. It would be nice to have a friend who was a girl.

“Why? Were your ears ringing, Cassy?” Creed asked, his voice sounding cold.

The brunette, Queen B front and center, who I assumed was Cassy, glared at Creed. “You didn’t think that way when we were together this summer. Why the change of heart?” she asked. Her eyes shifted to me. “Who’s your little friend, Creed? She’s not exactly your type, or yours for that matter, Colt. A little too innocent lookingfor the Stone brothers.”

“Shut up, Cassy,” Colt snapped, sounding beyond annoyed.

“She’s not my friend,” Creed corrected in a bored tone that drew everyone’s attention. He scooped up his bottle of water and without even bothering to look in Cassy’s direction he said, “As for my type, an easy lay over the summer isn’t either,” and then took a drink.

Ethan whistled. “Ouch.”

Cassy’s face molded into a scowl before she stormed away.

Creed’s aquamarine’s eyes met mine. “That’s what it looks like when I don’t like someone.”

“Noted,” I said.

6

I walkedinto my art class and picked an empty table to sit at. There were two chairs per table. I was digging through my bag for my notebook when the other chair at my table was pulled out and someone took a seat. I looked up with a smile, getting ready to greet whoever it was, and saw Creed.

Colt had said he was in my art class.

My smile dimmed a little. “Hi.”

He studied my face with a frown. “Disappointed that I’m not Colt?”

I tucked some hair behind my ear. “No. Surprised. As someone who feels indifferent about me, I didn’t expect that you’d want to sit by me.”

“Colt asked me to look after you.”

“Oh.” I was strangely disappointed by that.

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Besides, how can I decide if I like you or not if I don’t spend time with you?”

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my left leg over the right, revealing a little bit of thigh between the end of my dress and the top of my black thigh highs. The movement drew his attention there. I watched as his eyes slowly made their way back up to mine.

I cleared my throat. “What if I’ve already determined how I feel about you?”

The cocksure smirk that adorned his face made my heart race. “I’d call your bluff.”

I smiled despite myself. I didn’t know if it was because we were alone, but he seemed different. Not any less intense. His demeanor was more relaxed, and he let other parts of his personality surface. He still made me nervous and I still couldn’t determine whether I liked that or not.

* * *

Physical education, or gym as they called it, had planted a seed of dread in my stomach that had been growing with each passing hour.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like to get physical…uh, I meant exercise. That came out wrong. I was still a virgin and I foresaw being one for a long time. I was the type who wanted to love and trust the person before giving up that piece of myself. Seeing how I was in no way seeking to date, it was looking like I was going to be the next forty-year-old virgin. It was okay, though. There was no rush.