Page 85 of Shattered Stars

“He’s Tristan Kennedy and he asked you to the ball.”

“I don’t care who he is, Winnie. Would you really have said yes in my position?”

Winnie thinks about this. Then shakes her head. “I’d have been scared half to death though – I doubt someone like Tristan enjoys hearing the word no – but I would have turned him down.”

“Exactly,” I say.

I’m sure most of the school will consider me even more insane than they already did, but to me this is one of the most logical decisions I’ve made. However, Winnie is right. Tristan is unlikely to pay any notice to the word no. I’m not sure what that means. Some of his words come floating back into my mind and the bond in my belly aches uneasily. I don’t like keeping secrets from my best friend, and while there are some I’m too petrified to admit to myself, let alone her, this one I need to tell her.

“Winnie,” I say, leaning in close to her as we approach the classroom, aware of all the other students listening to us on the path, “me being gorgeous and amazing isn’t really the reason he asked me out.”

“Huh?”

“The reason he wants to take me to the ball.” Winnie stops and turns to look me in the eye. “He feels it too.” I lower my voice so low I hardly hear my own words. “The pull.”

For once, she doesn’t look shocked by my piece of news. No blinking, no paling, no wavering on her feet. In fact, she nods like she was half expecting me to say this. “I figured as much.”

“How?” I say.

“The kissing. The way he’s been acting. Tristan Kennedy has never shown any interest in anyone or anything before. It had to be more than just a crush.”

“Yeah,” I say, because didn’t he say so himself? This is all fate’s doing. I’m not the girlhe’dchoose.

31

Tristan

I’m fucking this up.I never fuck up. I’ve been a straight A-student, top of my year, award-winning athlete, all my life. I’ve never failed at anything. I’ve always succeeded in whatever I set out to achieve and I’ve always got exactly what I wanted.

And what I want right now more than anything is Rhianna fucking Blackwaters.

I sink onto the nearest desk, scrubbing my hand down my face. This shouldn’t be this hard. She’s my mate. Okay, so she’s bonded to my cousin, but that isn’t unheard of. It shouldn’t stop her from falling at my feet. Falling into my arms. Falling into my bed. Right where I want her.

I scrub my hand more firmly over my face, the family ring on my finger catching against my skin. I flip my hand over and look at the family crest carved into the gold surface.

She’s right. It shouldn’t have mattered what they thought. I shouldn’t have cared what anyone thought. Well, I don’t any more. I know what’s coming my way. It’s only a matter of time before my father hears about my interest in the girl and I’msummoned to speak with him. And I don’t give a fuck. I’m more afraid of never having her than I am of facing him.

I snatch the ring from my finger. He can summon me all he likes. He can rail and rave at me too. Fuck, he can beat me black and blue. It isn’t changing the way I feel.

Not that it matters. Because my feelings don’t matter to her and the efforts I’ve made this week have not made any difference. In fact, all they’ve done is provoke Summer into spreading ridiculous rumors about the girl. Fuck, anyone would believe she’s sleeping with half the school.

I scoff, kicking my foot along the floor. As if she’d be sleeping with half the school and not sleeping with me.

No, I need to change tack.

I peer towards the corridor. I can’t stand the losers in this school. I can’t stand the way they talk about her. I want to beat every last one of them into a pulp.

I exhale. It won’t help.

I step out, head held high, a look of boredom and disdain plastered on my face as if I don’t give a shit about what’s just happened, as if I’m oblivious to the way they’re all talking about me.

I’m halfway down the hallway, when I spy Summer waiting for me. I groan, eyes flicking towards her and then flicking away. I could let myself fade away and slip through the throngs of gossiping idiots, but she’s already seen me and there’s no escaping her now.

She wears one of her phony smiles plastered to her perfectly made-up face and is surrounded by her usual groups of girlfriends.

I keep walking, dipping my head to them, hoping I might be able to walk right past. No fucking chance. Summer plants herself right in front of me and now she’s laughing too, the other girls picking up on her cue and laughing with her. For a minute,I think they’re laughing at me and I can’t help frowning. Then Summer lands her palms on my chest and says, “Oh my God, Tristan, that was such a good joke. Utterly hilarious.”

She’s talking loud, too loud, making sure everyone in this hallway hears every word she says.