Page 51 of I Don't Need Your Protection

She gives me an innocent look. “What? A person can never have too many books.”

“And last I heard, you have commitment issues.”

She laughs. “So true. Is it my fault I want to read ten books at the same time? I wish I had ten brains. Can you imagine? I would finish a hundred books a month!”

I smile and shake my head as we head to the school library. “I wish I was passionate about something like you are.”

“You have a big heart,” she tells me, wrapping her arm around me. “You’re passionate about other people, especially those you’re closest to. That’s an awesome quality to have.”

“I never saw myself that way.”

“Of course! How else do you think the others and I befriended you so fast? Not to mention you caught the attention of a certain rich dude whonevertalks to kids like us.” She jabs her elbow into my rib.

My cheeks heat up. “I don’t know if he’s into me because of my ‘big heart.’”

“Want to bet he is?”

“Not really.”

“Because you’re scared you’ll lose.” She sticks out her tongue.

“No. I just don’t want to get my hopes up.”

I’ve had so many disappointments and heartache over the last month, and the last thing I need is to add any more pain. That’s why I won’t think too deeply about why Warner chose to team up with me out of all the other students in the class. It’s not like he thinks I’m a good student because I haven’t been here long enough to know if I actually am smart enough for this school. And it’s not like he had no else to choose, not when so many of his friends share this class, plus all the girls who are in love with him.

“I guess it’s smart to be wary,” Sophie muses as she opens the library door. “Warner might as well live on another planet from us. But don’t betoowary, you know? You should have fun. Gosh, you might really have a boyfriend soon!”

Her words cause me to grin and my heart to race. I don’t get any flutters or butterflies, though. But then again, I’ve never gotten butterflies or flutters from any guy before.

Except for Caleb, my brain reminds me.

Okay, fine. But that was justonetime, when I caught him watching me dance.

“You okay, Addie?” Sophie asks, yanking me from my thoughts. “You look like you traveled to another world.”

I give her a smile. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

“About Warner?” She elbows me in the rib again with a teasing grin.

“No comment,” I say, wondering when I’ll feel something for Warner. I mean, I’m always excited at the prospect of hanging out with him, and I think about him a lot, but I always thought my body would respond in some way to a possible boyfriend. Like tingles or chills.

“So I’m going to look for some books,” Sophie tells me. “You know what’s cool about this library?” She motions toward the back of the room, where there are rows and rows of books that appear very old. “They have first editions, limited editions, and even books that are no longer in print! Some aren’t allowed to be checked out because of their condition, but you have no idea how awesome it feels when I find a long-lost treasure. Fingers crossed that I’ll find me some epic gold, matey,” she says with a pirate accent.

“Want help? I have a few minutes before I’m supposed to meet Warner.”

“Thanks, but part of the experience is finding the books by myself. Sorry, that probably sounds so ridiculous.”

“No, I get it. You want to savor every moment and create wonderful memories with the special books you find.”

She gives me the largest smile I’ve ever seen and yanks me into my arms. “Oh my gosh, how do you get me and the others so well? It’s like we were destined to become best friends.”

I wrap my arms around her, hugging her tight because her friendship and the others’ mean the world to me. I also feel like we were meant to be best friends. I only hope they’ll feel the same when they inevitably learn the truth about who I really am. Would they care that I’m actually an heiress? They’ve gotten to know therealme.

“You seem bothered about something,” she says as she pulls back to study my face.

“No, I’m good.” I force a smile. “Just nervous about meeting Warner.”

“Just be your awesome self and he’ll fall in love with you.”