Page 23 of I Don't Need Your Protection

She sits up, smiling. “It’s okay. I know not everyone loves to read like I do. I just…I don’t know what it is. Being transported to a world where anything is possible. Believe me, if I was able to, I’d live in that world. Can you imagine talking to dragons?”

“Uh, not really, no.”

She sighs happily and starts to talk about the assignmentthat was due today for this class, but I lose focus when I notice the person who just entered the room.

Warner Hearst.

His eyes sweep the room until they find me. A smile breaks out on his face, making him look so much hotter than he normally does.

Within seconds, he’s by my side. “Hey, Addie.”

My heart leaps out of my chest. “Hi, Warner.”

He turns to Sophie. “Hey, Soph.”

Sophie’s eyes are so wide you can fit two bowling balls inside. “Hey!” Then she mouths to me, “He knows who I am!”

Warner dips his head slightly, his hair falling in this messy way that makes him look super sexy. “How’s it going?”

I’m about to respond when I spot Caleb move from the corner of my eye. He’s at the other end of the classroom and it’s obvious he’s being extra vigilant. But for heaven’s sake, Warner isn’t a threat. Will the guy ever lighten up?

“It’s going,” I say lamely.

“We were talking about…things,” Sophie adds, then cringes.

Warner smiles. “Nice. It’s always cool to talk about things.”

I nod while Sophie looks like she wants to slam her head into the wall.

Warner smiles at me again. “Me and some others are hanging out in the rec room after school. I hope to see you there.”

“I…um…” Sophie and I are supposed to study after she’s done with tutoring.

Sophie nods vehemently. “Of course she’ll be there.”

His grin widens. “Nice. I’ll see you then.” He saunters to the back of the room. Sophie and I keep our eyes locked on him for a bit.

“What just happened?” she exclaims. “We were just talking about Warner Hearst not paying attention to people like us, and then he walked over here? Just like that?”

“Aren’t we studying after school?” I ask her.

She gives me an incredulous look. “Warner just asked you to hang out and you want to study?”

My eyebrows furrow. “But don’t you like studying?”

“Of course, but that’s me. You should hang out with him. Dude, Warner Hearst might possibly be interested in you!”

I can’t help but smile. “No guy has ever been interested in me.”

She frowns. “That can’t be true. You’re gorgeous and smart and so nice.”

“Thanks. So are you.”

“Meh, but thanks for the compliment.”

I think back to the guys at my old school. Most of them grew up with me since kindergarten. It was weird to see them as more than just friends. I shrug. “I never had a boyfriend because I guess it just never happened. But why would Warner suddenly be interested in a scholarship kid?”

“Maybe because you’re new? Or maybe it’s because you fell on your butt right in front of a cute guy and had the best meet cute in the world. And yes, books are very much a reflection of real life, so don’t deny it.”