by Amy Miles
Daniel snorted. “He annoys me. I don’t know why you give that dork the time of day. C’mon, let’s eat.”
Dork or not, eating with John and my other best friend, Maya, sounded like much more fun. But Gina still needed to know I couldn’t go with her to Daniel’s party. An A-lister like her wouldn’t have a problem finding someone else, but she’d probably blow the whole thing out of proportion anyway. Maybe she’d even dump me.
Gina had been my first friend at Verdugo Hills Academy and introduced me to the cool people. She always had my back. At first, hanging with school royalty had been exciting, but being popular wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. It took me three months with Gina to realize I preferred Maya and John, people who were easy to be around.
Daniel led me to the lunchroom and, after collecting some food, we settled next to each other at our usual table. Gina had beaten us there, stunning in a pink sleeveless blouse with ruffles for straps. Her short, auburn hair had been blown straight, bringing out the natural red highlights. As always, her makeup was flawless, just like her heart-shaped face.
Which reminded me that I still wasn’t wearing any makeup.
Her friend Natalie, who’d never warmed up to me, huddled with her. Natalie had potential beauty, but her ever-present scowl and matching mood always overpowered those piercing hazel eyes and short cap of black, curly hair.
Gina stopped talking mid-sentence and turned to us with a grin. “Hey, guys.”
“I’ll see you later,” Natalie told her, rising from the bench. She wrinkled her nose at me, then left. I knew Natalie was just jealous that Gina hung out with me more, but knowing Natalie’s reasons didn’t make her any less irritating. Thankfully, once I showed up, she didn’t usually stick around long.
I returned Gina’s smile, but it faltered in anticipation of her reaction to my house arrest. “How’s it going?”
“Babe, I’ll be back.” Daniel’s beefy hand darted out for the sandwich on his tray, then he left without waiting for a reply. Relieved to have him gone, I watched him join a couple of his friends.
“God, who died?” Gina asked.
“What do you mean?” Oh, crap, was my reluctance to confess that obvious?
“Look at you.” She quirked a brow. “You’re so junior high without makeup.”
“Oh, yeah.” I lifted one shoulder. “Ran short on time this morning.”
Maya appeared at our table, looking amazing even holding a plastic food tray. She was a guy’s embodiment of perfection with her long, wavy blond hair and voluptuous body. She occasionally complained how hard it was to find a bra that fit around her narrow ribcage, but could still hold all she had to offer. Like all that cleavage was such a burden. Poor thing.
“Hey, Autumn.” Maya turned to Gina, her tone going flat. “Hi.”
“Nice shirt.” Gina smiled sweetly. “How generous of your brother to go through his clothes for you.”
My mouth dropped open. Gina had never been nice to Maya, but she usually limited their interaction to giving her the cold shoulder. “Gina, what the hell?” I demanded.
“Holy Underwear Model.” Gina’s gaze riveted to her right. “Who’s the hottie sitting with Trevor?”
Following the path of her gaze, I froze. The din of voices, the distant clanging of trays and the smell of grease faded away when I recognized the guy with the dark hair and green eyes I’d gotten lost in.
My stomach dipped.
CHAPTER TWO
Maya glanced behind her. “That’s Zack De Luca.”
“And?” Gina prompted.
“Trevor’s cousin.” Maya laid her tray on the table, but remained standing.
As if he could feel me staring at him, Zack turned his gaze on me. I gave him a welcoming smile, hoping he’d forget I’d bulldozed into him earlier and how my dickhead boyfriend had behaved. No such luck. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head.
I instantly deflated. “What’s his deal?”
“Zack just enrolled. He’s been visiting weekends and summers for years, but now he’s here for good.”
Maya had crushed on Trevor since grade school and knew everything about him and, it seemed, his relatives. I couldn’t understand why she and Trevor hadn’t already hooked up.
“Did he fail a couple grades? He looks old enough to be in college.” I surreptitiously checked out the boys again, while I broke off a piece of my grilled cheese sandwich. Trevor’s hair was a little lighter and his features less angular, but both guys excelled in the cute department. Zack more so.
“Almost the same age as Trevor. He’s a senior like us,” Maya said, glancing back at them. “Though he’s grown about a foot and bulked up since I saw him last.”
“Steroids?” I asked.
Maya laughed. “He’s always looked older than Trevor.”
“He could have that aging disease,” I offered.
Gina still hadn’t taken her eyes off him. “Who cares? He’s smokin’ hot. You can practically see his six-pack through his T-shirt.”
Maya rolled her eyes as if Gina were insane to prefer Zack over Trevor. “I could find out more about him, if you want me to.”
Gina turned to Maya with a sneer. “You’re such a stalker.”
“Whatever, Gina. It’s called being nice,” Maya said through gritted teeth. “Something you don’t have a lot of experience with.”
Gina made a face at Maya, then focused on me. “You’ve been hogging the cutest guy in school for weeks. If Zack fell madly in love with me, the hottest guy would be mine. Compared to him, Daniel looks like he’s got chromosome issues.”
Even if I still liked Daniel, I couldn’t be offended at the absolute truth. Everything about Zack was exactly right. As if feeling my gaze, he turned sharply in my direction again. My dad once wore the same expression when he discovered the decaying remains of a cat under our house.
My cheeks heated and I dropped my gaze to pluck a potato chip from my plate.
Maya moved next to me for a better view of the guys. “Must be awkward starting a new school when the year is almost over.”
Before I could stop myself, my eyes found their way back to Zack.
“Not when you’re that hot. He’ll be just fine.” Gina’s fork banged onto the plastic tray when she tossed it and stood. “Time to introduce myself.”
As I watched Zack, the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention. There was something different about him… almost feral. I wanted to caution Gina, but she’d probably call me paranoid.
Gina sashayed over to Zack, coyly twisting her hair around a finger. Trevor got up, leaving them alone. I eyed them under my lashes as Gina said something. Zack chuckled and she laughed.
At that moment, I hated them both — him for making me feel like week-old garbage and Gina for making him smile when all I got was a scowl. To distract myself, I picked up my sandwich and concentrated on Maya.
“Gina’s in rare form today.” The soda can hissed as Maya popped the top, her gaze straying back to Trevor. He looked away when their eyes met.
“Yeah, sorry about that. I don’t know what’s up with her.” I let my hair fall forward to hide my face as I snuck a peek at Trevor, who was staring at Maya again. “You should talk to Trevor. I really think he likes you.”
Her eyes cut to mine. “How could a guy be interested in anyone else when you’re around?”
“What?” My mouth dropped open.
“C’mon, Autumn,” she said, but there wasn’t any bitterness in her voice. More like she’d accepted her fate. “You have perfect olive skin that never gets a zit and never needs a tan, you’re tall and thin and I’d kill for all that glorious, black hair.”
I eyed the locks cascading over my shoulder. “Dark brown, actually. Boring. And besides, Trevor keeps staring at you, not me. I bet he’d go for it if you asked.”
She rolled her eyes and flicked a thumb at Zack. “He seems nice.”
Obviously, Maya hadn’t noticed him scowling at me. “I wouldn’t know
.” I focused on my tray, tracing little circles with my index finger. Hopefully, she’d drop the subject.
“On the way here, I saw him talking to some of the math geeks in the hallway. It’s like he’s not too full of himself to be seen with the unpopular kids. Can’t say that about Gina or Daniel.” Maya slid her sandwich out of the baggie. “John told me you’re grounded.”
My gaze shot to Gina’s hand resting on Zack’s forearm. She certainly moved quickly. “Yeah, but I haven’t told Gina yet, so don’t say anything, okay?”
“You want me to come over Saturday night and keep you company?”
“You’re not going to Daniel’s party?”
“Are you kidding?” She grimaced and waved a hand. “His last party was a drunken hook-up fest. I’d rather have a girl’s night with you. Do our toes, rent a movie.”
“Sounds awesome.” The ick factor that had slowly built all morning fell away. What would I do without Maya? Oh, God, if my parents followed through with their plans, I’d find out soon enough. As if on cue, my phone vibrated.
“Wow, your parents just don’t let up.”
“I know,” I said, answering my mom’s text with what I wanted for dinner. She couldn’t have asked me this morning? I theorized making me reply throughout the day was just another way of keeping tabs on me. I pressed the send button and focused on Maya again. “Uhm…”
She eyed me with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
I took a deep breath and pushed away the threatening anxiety. “We’re moving again.”
Her face fell. “When?”
“Not sure. Before graduation, most likely.” I pressed my lips together at the thought of leaving our pretty little home in the foothills north of Los Angeles. But it wasn’t just that I liked the house and the city. I’d live in a hut if it meant I could grow roots. I hadn’t known Maya long, but I’d become closer to her and John than any friends before. “I can’t bear the thought of moving again and leaving you guys.”
“Then stay with me. My mom and dad would love that. They’re so not over my brother going away to college.”
Live with Maya? For a second, I fantasized about taking a class or two at the local college. But even if her parents said yes, I couldn’t mooch off them forever. Eventually, I’d have to get a job to pay for food and somewhere to live. I had a lot to do before striking out on my own, starting with earning money for a new car before the old one choked out its last sputter. The way it died in the parking lot this morning, that last sputter could be sooner than I expected.
Butterflies did a march in my stomach, but I forced a smile. “That’s something to think about. Thanks.”
Gina sauntered back to our table and reclaimed her seat. “He has a girlfriend.” She didn’t seem too broken up about it though.
“Bummer for you.” I bit into my sandwich, trying not to imagine Zack with a girlfriend, his deep green eyes gazing into hers, his full lips... My attraction to him was ridiculous considering how he scowled at me.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Gina snuck another peek at him.
I hurriedly swallowed to talk. “You can’t go after someone else’s boyfriend.”
“I won’t need to.” She gave a half laugh. “People break up all the time. And I doubt she’s prettier than me.”
“There’s always someone prettier, Gina.” Maya rolled her eyes. “Besides, some people care more about substance than appearance.”
“Only the average girls say things like that.” Gina’s cold stare would have come in handy during last summer’s heat wave.
“What’s the matter with you?” I asked. Her bitchiness had reached new heights.
Maya picked up her tray. “I’ll catch you later, Autumn.”
I gave Maya an apologetic look, then turned and glared. “Gina!”
“What?” She gave me her innocent face.
“You make no effort with her.”
Her face scrunched up as if I’d suggested she spend the night locked in a room full of roaches. “Why would I want to do that?”
“Because she’s my friend? Same reason I try to be nice to Natalie.” I lifted my brows expectantly.
“Oh, my God!” She giggled. “You should see the dress she bought for Daniel’s party. Wicked. But mine is sexier. You and I will be the hottest girls there, easy.”
Knowing it was a losing battle, I sighed. “Uh, speaking of Daniel’s party, remember our last couple shopping sprees?”
“Sure.” Gina scanned the room, probably hunting for Zack, but I steeled myself to stay tuned to Gina. If Zack caught me staring again, I’d look stalker-ish. Or, even worse, desperate.
I hesitated, my teeth holding my bottom lip hostage. “That money I spent with you? I borrowed it from my parents, planning to work it off during the week.”
“Yeah, so?” She brushed her auburn hair off her shoulder, then stiffened, her eyes fixing on me and narrowing. “Don’t even tell me you’re grounded.”
“I’m sorry, Gina. I—”
“We’ve been planning this for two months.” Her nostrils flared, lips tightening. “I can’t believe you did this to me.”
I sighed. “You act like you have no one else to go with. What about Natalie?” Yes, I’d broken my word, but her attitude was over the top. “And at least you get to go to the party. I’ll be stuck at home with my parents. I’m not any happier about this than you.”
“Whatever.” She crumpled her napkin, tossed it on the table, then stomped off.
Now I was free to spend the rest of lunch with Maya. But beyond Gina’s retreating back, John and Maya stood with Zack, who seemed engrossed in something she’d said. Just great. Seemed like I was the only one at school he didn’t like.
As if knowing I was watching, he turned. I silently cursed for getting caught staring, yet couldn’t take my eyes off him. After a long moment, he returned his attention to my friends.
Was it extra noisy in the cafeteria today or just my imagination? Whatever. I took my tray to the trash bin, knowing the warning bell would ring soon.
Daniel waved at me from across the cafeteria and mouthed, “See you later.”
I hoped not. Except I still needed to break up with him.
Gina approached Daniel and his posse. Zack still chatted with John and Maya — which made both groups off limits. Damn.
If I had superhuman powers, I’d turn invisible right then. And no one would’ve noticed.
I headed to English Lit. Alone.
My phone vibrated and I sighed, reaching into my pocket. It was my mom again, reminding me I was grounded and offering to let Maya stay over. Knowing she’d keep texting me if I didn’t answer her right away, I stopped to type in my thanks, then I continued down the corridor. Thankfully, my mom knew I wasn’t allowed to text during class, which gave me a reprieve.
Seeing the restroom, I darted inside to finally put on some makeup, since I had a little time to spare. A few minutes later, feeling cute for the first time all day, I rushed into the crowded classroom and claimed my usual spot.
Oh, goody, Zack was in that class and he’d taken a seat two rows over to my left. He was facing the front of the class as though I didn’t exist. I inwardly groaned, then flipped my hair over to form a wall between us. Peering between the dark strands, I eyed him on the sly. I only got his profile, but that and his muscular shoulders were plenty satisfying.
Once class began, I tried to forget Zack was a few seats away, but I couldn’t. His presence added an awkward tension I could live without. And we had a pop quiz to brighten my day — which I hadn’t prepared for.
On the upside, my day probably couldn’t get any worse.
† † †
When the final bell rang at the end of last class, I gathered my books and bailed.
Seeing Gina in the corridor ahead of me, I hoped she’d ignore me. Luckily, she kept a brisk pace and didn’t look back. Closer to the exit, she slowed until she stood in front of Zack. He smiled at her and listened attentively. After scribbli
ng on a piece of paper, she handed it to him, then walked backward grinning. He mouthed, “I’ll call you.”
Flirting when he had a girlfriend. Yuck.
I continued on toward the parking lot, passing them. A moment later, I sensed Zack behind me, but didn’t turn around to confirm it, since he might think I was keeping tabs on him. Just before the curb on the way to my car, Ashley waved me over.
Gina didn’t approve of being friendly to juniors, but I liked Ashley. She was one of those people who didn’t make you wonder where you stood.
“Hey, Autumn.” She gave me a shy smile. “I’m having some people over on Saturday night and thought you might like to come.”
I couldn’t go to any party, much less blow off Gina for someone else. Wait… throwing a party on the same night as Daniel? I couldn’t imagine her competing with the most popular guy at school on purpose. She wanted a good turnout, right? I frowned. “Uhm, this Saturday is Daniel’s party.”
“Oh,” she said in a small voice. “I thought it was next weekend.” Ashley’s gaze dropped to her feet, her bottom lip jutting into a pout before wandering off. Poor Ashley.
I turned in a circle to scan the crowd, searching for Daniel, who usually met me at my car. I couldn’t wait to say my piece and finally be free of him. Instead, I saw Zack sitting on a wall about three feet away. Except for his narrowed eyes, his face was a mask as he stared at me.
Over the sound of skateboard wheels banging against the sidewalk, honks signaling rides to potential passengers and car doors slamming, I heard Zack scoff.
“What a piece of work,” he whispered to himself, his eyes still glued to me.
I shouldn’t have been able to hear him over the noise, right? But his words had been so clear. Wait… had he heard me too? I paused a moment to replay my conversation with Ashley and cringed. I’d sounded kind of snobby. Yeah, as if that was going to make Zack think any better of me.
Whatever. He wasn’t going to give me a chance anyway and why should I care what he thought? I just hoped Ashley hadn’t taken it the wrong way, too. I scanned the parking lot, just in time to see her drive away with her mom. I’d have to fix it with her later.