by Olivia Lynde
Dana frowns slightly. "Seriously, Summer, people don't really know what to think yet, especially if they haven't actually seen you with Seth. Even if they have... I mean, Seth has a big rep with girls, so most everyone would just..." She shrugs.
"They'd just think you're Seth's current flavor of the week, pretty much," says Marcie helpfully.
"Still, he's been acting way out of character with you."—Dana again.
"Like him telling everyone that he's in a relationship," Marcie points out. "For the first time in flipping forever."
"And like him driving you to school, and holding your hand, and carrying your books," Will adds helpfully.
Wow, word really does travel with supersonic speed around here! But then again, that seems to hold true for all high schools I've seen—and I've seen more than my share.
"He's my boyfriend," I say defensively, "and boyfriends do those kinds of things, don't they? Besides, Seth's always been very protective of me."
The others stare at me, arrested. I bite my lip, chagrined at my revealing outburst.
Dana is the first to say what seems to be on everyone's mind: "First of all, yeah, good boyfriends do that kind of stuff maybe, but Seth's never been anyone's boyfriend before, so obviously no one had a clue how he'd act in this situation. Second—holy crap, Summer, what do you mean, Seth's always been protective of you?! Didn't the two of you just meet? You've just arrived in town like a minute ago, for Christ's sake!"
I don't see any reason to hide this part of my history. "I also used to live in Rockford five years ago," I admit quietly.
Robbie furrows his brow. "So how come nobody's recognized you from going to middle school together or something?"
"It was a long time ago, it was a big school, and I always kept to myself. I didn't have a lot of close friends in school." Or any kind of friends, to be completely accurate.
I never made friends easily. But then again, neither did I put much (or any) effort into it. After what I had gone through, I wasn't willing to open up to people. I still aren't, if truth be told. Plus, I had Seth, who was all I ever needed.
Still, Seth was very popular and I was always with him (even if did used to blend into the shadows), so there should be at least a few kids our age who recognize me. Except, I've changed more than a bit in terms of height and body shape and even hair color. People who knew me five years ago would have to look very carefully to be able to put two and two together regarding who I am. And until last Friday, with my invisibility cloak on (also known as my former "uniform"), I didn't call that kind of scrutiny upon myself.
"So you and Seth know each other from before?" asks Will.
"Yes."
Marcie's face takes on a faraway expression. "Wow, that's so romantic! You and infamous playboy Seth Lewis were childhood sweethearts."
I frown. "Not really. Rather, we were good"—best—"friends who grew up together, and we cared a lot about each other." We've always loved each other. "Then I was sent to a foster family far away from here, and Seth and I lost contact." Jessica broke us up, the bloody bitch, and may she rot in hell for it!
"Until you came back to town," says Will, putting the rest of the puzzle together.
"And you two finally became a couple after all this time!" Dana gushes, with no trace of her trademark irony. "How sweet!"
Marcie nods. "That really is awesome and sweet, and it makes me feel so much better. If you and Seth have a history together, then maybe he isn't playing you now."
"I wouldn't bet on it," Robbie says darkly. He seems to be the most skeptical about my and Seth's relationship.
I hold his gaze. "Seth won't play me."
"Oh, my gosh!" Marcie bursts out. "You know there was that rumor on the gossip grapevine that Seth hasn't been with any girl for, oh... pretty much the last two weeks or so?" She looks me straight in the eye. "What a coincidence, right, that your first day at R.-High just happened to be exactly two weeks ago." She raises a challenging eyebrow.
The others are regarding me with speculative expressions.
I keep my expression neutral despite the joyful bubble of warmth encasing my heart. I had already made this connection after Seth told me that he only wanted me. That he loved me. I truly, deeply want to believe him that he was a player before only because he couldn't have me. And now that I'm his, I truly, deeply hope that I can be enough for him.
Robbie turns to scowl at Marcie. "For freak's sake, you can't really be thinking that a player like Lewis could've been faithful to Summer since he saw her again—two freaking weeks before she even became his girlfriend."
"Stop right there!" shrieks Dana suddenly. "I just remembered... O. M. G. I totally can't believe this!!" Red spots of color are riding high on her cheekbones, and her eyes are glittering like Christmas lights.
We've all gone quiet and are staring at her, waiting for the bomb she's obviously preparing to drop on us.
Chapter 25
"What is it?" Will asks her.
Dana turns to me with a feverish expression. "You know how, before talking to you, I thought the story about Seth publicly announcing you were his girlfriend was a total con?"
I nod warily.
"So from the same source I heard another apparent whopper, which I also didn't believe. But if one story is true, then the other has be too, right? OMG, if there's any justice left in the world, it's got to be true." Then, turning to Marcie: "It's Greta who told me all this. She was in Homeroom with Seth."
Marcie cocks her head. "Greta doesn't tell lies usually. I mean, she likes to embellish the truth a little—"
"Yeah, I know," Dana interrupts impatiently. "I just thought that, in this case, she had embellished like a whole lot more than just a little."
"Jeez, Dana, just tell us already," says Will, sounding exasperated.
She smiles brilliantly. "Seems that, during Homeroom, Seth Lewis had a run-in with Jessica Anderson. He was already there when Jessica arrived late along with her posse. According to Greta, Seth spotted her like in the same instant—almost like he was waiting for her or something—and his face got all harsh and scary. And he went to her and dragged her out of the classroom without a word."
"And the Homeroom teacher had nothing to say about that?" Will asks skeptically.
"Not to Seth Lewis, she didn't!" Dana smirks.
"Typical," mutters Robbie.
"Anyways," says Dana, "no one knows exactly what Seth told Jessica because it all happened during class—obviously—and they talked outside, in the empty hallway. Unfortunately. But it must've been something totally serious because when Seth came back, he was alone. Looking all pokerfaced and stuff, unfortunately, so no clue there either."
"So what about Jessica?" whispers Marcie.
"No one's seen anything of her since, but some girls swore they heard her bawling in the bathroom before second period. But do you know what's the real cherry on top of the cake?" Dana asks gleefully.
"What?" I murmur. The others are all listening, keen and wide-eyed.
"When Seth went back to Homeroom, he made Jessica persona non-grata with his group. Honest to God, when Greta told me this, I thought she'd literally dreamed it all up. I mean, Jessica brought to her downfall is a fantasy a whole bunch of people here have had for a seriously long time!"
"You sure it's not you who dreamed all this up, Dana?" asks Will.
"Not this time," she denies happily. "For real, Greta said that Jessica was banished from the popular group and isn't allowed to sit at their table anymore. If that's true—please God, let it be true!—seeing how supremely crappy Jessica's been to pretty much everyone in this school, she definitely won't find anyone else to sit with. Seriously, if her previous buddies reject her and she's not one of the popular group anymore—then that viper is left defanged, declawed, and out in the cold. Oh yeah, baby, she's done for," Dana emphasizes jubilantly.
"I don't think that vipers have claws," observes Robbie.
"Seth can cast Jessica out?" I ask. "Just
like that?"
Dana nods ecstatically. "He totally can."
I'm totally awed.
"Seth Lewis can do whatever he wants at R.-High," Marcie confirms in a stunned murmur. "I told you he's at the very top of the pecking order, and the popular crowd sticks with him. So his word is pretty much law here."
"Looks like he finally decided to put his power to good use," Dana chirps merrily. "God knows, Jessica the Bitch totally had it coming."
"What I wanna know," says Robbie, "is why would Lewis do that in the first place?"
"Right. There's no precedent for it," adds Will. "So what the hell happened that made him throw Jessica to the wolves?" He turns to look straight at me. "Any clue, Summer? She's your foster sister, after all."
I glance away, ignoring his probing.
I'm staggered by everything I've just found out. I'm awed—and unsettled. I'd heard over and over that Seth wields enormous power in this school, but it's one thing to know something in theory, and it's another thing entirely to see that theory applied—brutally and efficiently.
I realize that Dana is watching me very intently. She opens her mouth to say something, but her gaze is drawn to something above my head and her eyes take on a glazed expression.
The next moment, a massive body is curling around me from behind and strong arms wrap around me. Soft lips kiss me lightly on my cheek.
I shiver with delight.
"Missed you," Seth whispers in my ear,
The girls both inhale audibly.
Seth raises his head and addresses my table companions: "I hope you won't mind if I steal Summer away. I want us to sit together." He gives them his social, dazzling smile.
Good God, he's so freaking hot! His face is out-of-this world gorgeous, and his classy jeans and long-sleeved T-shirt mold a body that's utterly, irresistibly scrumptious.
The girls are properly dazzled by Seth's smile. Robbie scowls.
Will answers with a smirk, "Sure, you can take your girlfriend."
The girls nod frantically and Robbie keeps frowning.
I rise from my seat, and Seth instantly grabs my right hand and pulls me away from the table.
"You didn't eat yet?" he asks me.
"No, I... I just hung out a bit with Marcie and the others." I can barely meet his astute gaze. My head is churning with a hundred conflicting thoughts about everything I heard earlier, and I feel as if he'll be able to read all those thoughts in my eyes.
Indeed, he gives me a suspicious look, instantly aware, of course, that I'm keeping something from him.
Luckily, he decides not to pursue it. "Let's get something to eat then."
As we're moving toward the food counters, my eyes fall on the popular students. Their stares have grown more intense now that Seth's with me, and they're whispering rapidly among themselves. Jacob catches my gaze. He's leaning back in his chair with a self-satisfied smile, as if he's just won a bet.
"Your friends are all staring at us," I whisper to Seth.
He throws them a distracted glance. "So they are. Don't worry about them. They'll get used to the sight of us together soon enough. They'll be seeing it a lot."
"Jacob looks very smug."
He sighs. "Jacob is very good at reading people. Today, he was the only one not surprised when I said that you and I were together."
Okay, there's something else I was meaning to ask him. "Is it true that you had warned Josh away from me before last Thursday?"
His expression becomes carefully neutral. But—"Yes," he admits.
"When?"
His gaze turns defiant. "The first day I saw him trailing after like you some damn lost puppy."
"But why? He seemed like a mostly okay guy"—I force out the lie between gritted teeth—"until he went all psycho on me, that is. Why was it necessary for you to warn him away from me so early on?"
"He's not an okay guy, baby," Seth grinds out. "Never has been, as long as I've known him. He does drugs and bangs up his girlfriends. Knowing that, I didn't want him anywhere near you." A pause. "Besides, I was jealous as hell thinking you might find him attractive."
Seth actually admits to being jealous?! I bite my inner cheek to stop my big, inappropriate inner smile from showing on my lips. He's totally earned a reward, though.
So I tell him truthfully, "I never liked Josh."
Seth's expression lightens in relief. He leans down and gives me a silky kiss, and when he raises his head, he's grinning affectionately.
I smile back. "You're being awfully touchy-feely these days."
His grin becomes bigger. "What can I say? I've got a gorgeous girlfriend that I can't keep away from. Why would I even try?"
"Don't try! I don't mind your... attentions."
He bursts into laughter. "I noticed that. But don't worry, I won't take things too far when we're in public."
I look at him curiously. "What do you mean?"
Seth seems to be hesitating. "I don't want to share you with anyone," he admits at last. "I don't want anyone to see the intimacy between us."
His deep blue eyes bore into mine, fierce and heated. I hold his gaze, overwhelmed. I love that he feels this way; I don't want to share him either, or what we have together.
We fill a single tray with hamburgers and slices of pizza, some muffins, and a salad for me. After he pays for the food, Seth picks up the tray and starts leading me toward his usual seat at the popular table. Only it's not just his chair waiting for him there, but also another free one right next to it.
His friends watch our approach with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. Earlier, when they first glimpsed me from up close, those who had also seen me on Saturday seemed shocked by my new, improved appearance. Now, as I'm nearing their group, I catch more than a few approving and even admiring glances from the boys, and the girls seem quite startled still. Elle, one might even say, looks furious at my transformation from an ugly duckling into a... pretty duckling. There's really no mistaking the baleful glare she's sending my way.
I whisper to Seth, "Won't your friends mind you bringing me out of the blue to sit at their table?"
"No, I talked to most of them this morning. They know how it is with us, and they know you'll be sitting with me from now on." Then, in an almost silent but still downright scary growl: "If they make you the least uncomfortable, they'll regret it deeply."
I take advantage of the fact that he's lowered his head to tell me this, and I give him a big smooch on the cheek. He stops in his tracks and grins at me, surprised.
"What was that for?"
I beam at him. "There must be something wrong with me, but I really like it when you get all snarly and protective. So just now, I couldn't help myself, I had to kiss you."
He shakes his head, amused.
Then I wipe the smile off my face and tell him seriously, "But Seth, I don't want you to fight my battles for me. I won't let you."
He opens his mouth to say something, but I stop him by raising my hand. "No, listen to me, Seth. If I need your help, then I'll be very grateful that you give it to me. But when it comes to issues that I can darn well handle on my own, you won't interfere. Just like when we were children, remember?" He was always protective of me, but he never smothered me.
He just looks at me, his beautiful eyes clouding with pain and insecurity. "It's just... you've been gone so long, baby, and you've had it so hard. Now that I've got you back, all I want is to wrap you up in cotton wool and make sure you're never hurt again."
"It doesn't work like that, Seth. You can't protect me from living life."
He inhales deeply. "I know. But I need you be patient with me until I settle down some. Do that for me please?"
I pour over his beloved features, struggling with the weight of his and my sorrow. "I'll be as patient as you need me to be, I promise. But Seth, please don't cut off any of your friends' heads if they happen to make me uncomfortable. Let me handle it, okay?"
He frowns. "I'll handle the guys, you can handle the g
irls. Sounds fair, yes?"
I roll my eyes. "I suppose."
I become aware that we're attracting a lot of extra attention tinted with confusion as we're just standing there near the food counters, leaning into each other and whispering, while Seth is holding a tray full of food.
I nudge Seth and we start walking again toward our table. Moments later, we reach the popular crowd at last.
"Hi, everyone," Seth greets evenly, and his friends answer in kind.
He sets our tray on the table and holds out the new chair for me. After I sit down with a murmured "Thanks", Seth takes the seat next to me.
Then he addresses the group. "Those of you who don't already know her, this is Summer, my girl. Summer, you already met Elle, Susan, and Tracy on Saturday.
"Then there's Amelia and Chelsea." I recognize Jessica's friends from the cinema.
"Mandy and Peter, who are together." The two of them make a nice couple, she all dark mocha skin and big brown eyes, and he all tall and handsome, though in a more subdued manner than the other guys at the table.
"Jacob, Alex, Nick, and Carter you already know." This last part he says with a frown aimed at Carter, who instantly lights up with a devilish glint in his eye.
"Summer, Summer, Summer" he drawls, aiming a shameless leer at my chest, "you really bring the hot season with you 'cause lemme tell you: you look fuckin' hot!"
I fidget, ill at ease.
"Carter," Seth says warningly. His voice is quiet but at the same time filled with true menace somehow. The two of them lock stares for a long moment. Finally, Carter looks away.
We start eating, Seth and I single-handedly because he hasn't let go of my hand. Or I of his.
Tracy, the pretty brunette who's sitting right next to me on my left side, gives me a cautiously friendly smile. "So how do you like Rockford, Summer? You've only moved here recently, I think?"
The guys have started talking sports, but they're still glancing at me every once in a while, and I think they're eavesdropping on Tracy's attempt to start a conversation with me. The girls, on the other hand, don't even pretend to hide their interest. Clearly, they're all rabidly curious about the girl who got the notorious Seth Lewis to commit.