Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 80431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 402(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 268(@300wpm)
I was a giant fucking asshole.
Let’s face it, if I was going to screw a teacher, I would, and none of this would make any difference.
Pussy was pussy, but Mr. Connors made it so much fun to rile him up.
On a scale of one to ten, this was right up there on the enjoyment scale. Just like I planned, by the time he opened his mouth again, the bell rang, bringing homeroom and bullshit relationship jargon to a stop.
“Oops,” I said. “I’m so sorry for wasting your time.”
It took every ounce of restraint not to burst out laughing at his clear irritation. His face was a nice strawberry red, and he looked ready to explode. So cute.
This was really easy. I chuckled to myself as I grabbed my things and headed out the door.
“You’re a dick,” Gideon said.
“Please, I saved us from having to listen to him drone on.” I rolled my eyes.
“You really do put a lot of power in your voice. You were talking out of your ass, you know that, right?” Mateo asked.
“I thought it was funny,” Sian said.
“Me too,” Heather said in agreement.
I didn’t know why she started to tag along, but it wasn’t like we could push her away.
“See, the ladies love me.” I nudged my way between Heather and Sian, kissing their heads in turn. “I’m a rockstar.”
“Don’t push it,” Dante said. “You know he’s going to be ready for you next time.”
“Please, anyone else finding this all a little extreme?”
“I’m guessing this isn’t just about what happened last year, but also the rumor,” Gideon said. “We don’t have time to linger. Let’s move.”
The rumor being the relationship between a female student and a male teacher. It had gone through the school like wildfire, especially as said teacher and student disappeared at the same time. They had either left together in a mad whirlwind romance, or they’d been killed. I was an optimist. I was hoping they were off somewhere having lots of sex and loads of babies. Either that, or it ended quickly for them, and were holding hands when the killing blow happened.
See, forever the optimist.
“You’re a strange person,” Sian said.
I heard the laughter in her voice.
Strange, I could accept. With my happy, optimistic personality, I had to hope one day I’d have the best life with my own personal happily-ever-after.
I knew the guys were only doing what had been required of them, but I wasn’t like them. The Society wasn’t going to rule my life, at least, not the whole of it.
****
Sian
None of us talked about what Gideon said.
William stayed with me that night and the guys seemed to be in agreement of ignoring the elephant in the room. It was a pretty big elephant though.
Sex.
Kissing.
Fucking.
They were all going to expect that from me, and my first and only kiss came from Heather.
Speaking of my best friend, since the guys’ revelation about her feelings about me, I’d been … noticing little things. The last thing I wanted to do was agree they might be right. Why would I want to agree to that, but how could I not?
She touched me all the time. The hugs. The attention. This went beyond normal friendship. The more I became aware of it, the more distant I felt I needed to become. I loved Heather, but I just didn’t see her that way.
I was worried the kiss might have given her the wrong impression and that was my fault. I fucked up there.
When Heather went to a different class, I was embarrassed by how relieved I was.
“You okay?” Gideon asked, taking a seat beside me in biology.
“No. I mean, yes. No. Ugh, don’t ask me.”
This was the first time we’d spoken since last night. I pushed some hair off my face. I’d been so tired this morning I hadn’t bothered to put it up. I was happy with my mess of hair. I would take the time tonight to wash it.
Flicking some hair off my shoulder, I released a sigh and stared straight ahead.
Dante, Mateo, and William had sat up front, and it was like they’d done it on purpose. Did they want me to make friends with Gideon? The man was an asshole.
“Mr. Connors’s class, huh, wild,” Gideon said.
I turned to Gideon, frowning. “I guess.”
He pressed his lips together and looked across the classroom. It was when I noticed Chloe in the corner of the room, and she seemed to be sporting a black eye.
“Did you beat up Chloe?” I asked.
“No,” Gideon said, frowning.
“Who did that to her?” I whispered so no one else would hear me.
Gideon coughed. “I don’t know.”
I glared at him, and with the teacher still not here, I leaned forward and tapped Dante on the arm, asking him the same question.
Mateo and William each leaned back, resting an arm on the table. “Did you guys do this?” I asked.