Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“It’s easy for you to say.” She wraps her arms tight around the notebook she’s holding in front of her like a shield. Like that would do anything to help her. “You sort of set the example from day one. All anybody wants to do is impress you.”
It’s not like I didn’t already know that. I’m not going to take responsibility for what a bunch of random people decide to do, though. “Then I’ll set another example,” I decide. We’re already on our way into the room for English class, so I’ll have to wait until later to punish her for clicking her tongue and rolling her eyes like she doesn’t believe me.
If it’s anything like the joy of taking her ass, it will end up being a fun lesson—for both of us, since she fucking loved it. Just like I knew she would.
“Your hair looks great today, Wren.” The chorus of giggles from the other side of the room dies a quick death when I look that way. I don’t even know the name of the girl who said it. How pathetic, taunting Wren for no reason other than to make herself look good. At least I had a reason for what I did. I sure as hell didn’t ask for her help, whoever she is.
“If you’re jealous, why don’t you ask her where she got it done?” I ask as I drop into my seat. “It looks like your hair could use a little work.” It’s amazing, the reaction that gets. Strangled laughter, a few gasps of surprise. Because these people think I’m that fucking predictable. They don’t know the first damn thing about me, about what goes on inside me. When tormenting Wren was my reason for living, it was fun to let them in on the game. The game is now over.
“Seriously?” Wren sits in her usual spot in front of me but turns her body in the chair to look at me wide-eyed and even paler than she was on our way to class. “Since when do you stand up for me?”
It’s a stupid question, but I can see where it’s coming from. “Don’t worry about it,” I reply, since this isn’t exactly where we should get into a deep conversation about it. I don’t think I would know what to say if we did, anyway. What, does she need verbal confirmation that things have changed between us? She can’t tell by now?
The fact is, I’m not sure how I feel. Conflicted, yes, but that’s as far as my understanding goes. What a shame I don’t have a father who could maybe help me through it, give me the kind of talk dads are supposed to give their kids. The idea of him doing that makes me snicker to myself as Professor Morgan enters the room.
Before turning around, Wren whispers, “Does this mean you’re going to do half the work on our project now?”
“Uh, let’s not get carried away,” I whisper back. “I’m still an asshole. You’re still doing all the work, and I still expect us to get an A.”
It’s one thing to ignore the looks I’m getting from the people in class, but shit gets real when class is over and it’s time to go to the cafeteria for lunch. “I’m starving,” I tell her when she drags her feet and slows us down as we’re crossing the quad. “Can we hurry it up? Or do I need to carry you?”
She can’t hide behind her hair anymore. When she ducks her head, most of her face is still visible. Her eyes never stop moving. “Sorry if I’m not as ready to believe everybody’s going to be cool with me as you are.”
“I’m telling you. You’re with me, that’s all you need.” What is it going to take to convince her? “Now let’s go in and eat.”
All right, she has a point. We get a lot more stares in the cafeteria once people notice us together. There must be something different about us now, like body language or something. It’s like everybody knows things have changed.
I never really paid attention when people treated her like shit, mostly because that was how I wanted it to be, anyway. So long as she was miserable. Now, though, I notice the dirty looks and the way they whisper and scoff. It ends fast enough when they look at me and see how pissed I’m getting. This time, I buy her whatever she wants to eat; then the two of us go over to the table where Carter and Tucker are already sitting.
At first, they don’t say a word. It’s enough to look at me like I grew another head as I sit down across from them, and Wren sits next to me. “Okay,” I mutter, looking back and forth between their surprised faces. “Here’s how it is. Somebody’s sending her death threats, and we need to find out who it is and end this shit. She’s under my protection now.”