Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
My heartbeat speeds up again, and I’m struggling to deal with all the exciting emotions he evokes in me.
I’ve never been interested in a guy before, and I have a feeling that by the end of the day, I’ll be crushing hard on Ryan.
Not knowing what to say, I glance at the two willow trees, their branches bare. They usually give plenty of shade in the summer.
“I just want to be friends,” he suddenly says, and it has my eyebrows drawing together.
My heart clenches in my chest.
Did I give away that I’m attracted to him?
“I didn’t say I wanted to be anything more,” I mutter.
Ryan’s eyes lock with mine. “That’s not what I meant. I’m just trying to make you feel more comfortable. You look like you’re about to run for the hills.”
Well, he has that part right. My whole body is tense. I’m so used to being alone that I feel entirely out of my depth.
I nod at him, then admit, “I just don’t understand why you don’t hang out with the cool crowd. You’re going to kill your reputation if you keep sitting with me. You’re hanging out with the wrong person.”
The frown on his face darkens. “I don’t see anything wrong with you, and I don’t care what others think about me.”
I stare at him with wide eyes as I mumble, “Okay.”
Ryan smiles a crooked smile that turns my legs to jelly, and it unravels my nerves at the speed of light.
Dear God. Don’t look at me like that. I’m going to overheat.
“I’m not good at the whole friends thing,” I admit. “I’m a loner, so don’t be surprised when I’m super awkward.”
He gives me a piercing look as if he’s trying to see inside me, and it unnerves me even more. I start to fidget with my hands, pulling at the hem of my hoodie.
Letting out an awkward chuckle, I admit, “This is all new to me. I don’t even know what to talk about.”
Ryan clears his throat. “We’ll just get to know each other.” He’s silent for a moment, then he adds, “You could show me around.”
Another hot grin from Ryan has my stomach stuck on the spin cycle.
“Don’t get too excited,” I mutter. “There’s not much to see, and I’m actually quite boring.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” he chuckles.
Damn, he’s too hot for me to handle.
“So…” I say, “Why did your family move to Steamboat Springs, of all places?”
“It’s work-related,” he answers vaguely.
“It must suck, though.” I glance through the window into the cafeteria and see that everyone’s staring at us. “You must miss your old school and friends.”
Ryan just shrugs then turns his head to see what I’m looking at. “Don’t mind them.”
“It’s hard when everyone’s staring at us,” I mutter.
“They don’t matter.”
My eyes fly to his face, a take in the serious expression tightening his features.
“You really don’t care?” I ask.
“Not at all.”
“Wow.” I let out a burst of laughter. “I wish I had your confidence.”
The bell signals the end of our break. Getting up, I let Ryan walk one step ahead of me toward our Spanish class.
One after the other, I hear the unwelcome comments from the other students.
“What’s the new guy doing with the freak?”
“What does she have that I don’t.”
“Is he blind?”
“Dude must like his girls vanilla as fuck.”
I glance at Ryan, wondering if he hears them.
He should, they aren’t being very discreet about their opinions.
But he doesn’t seem worried by them in the slightest.
If someone had told me yesterday that an attractive guy was going to walk up and demand to be my friend, I would’ve asked them whose socks they’ve been smoking.
Yet, here I am, walking a step behind him while everyone is talking wildly about us.
Ryan / Raighne
I have to constantly tell myself not to lose my temper with the other students.
Hearing the things they’re saying about Alchera makes anger bubble in my chest.
I’ve only been at this school for one and a half days, and I’m starting to understand why Alchera doesn’t have any friends.
None of them are worthy of her.
Jane. She’s called Jane here.
It’s hard thinking of her as Jane because she’s always been Alchera to me.
Just don’t slip up around her.
When we reach the doorway of the classroom, I move to the side and gesture for Alchera to enter first. Not thinking, I place my hand on her lower back as we walk inside.
Getting to touch her again, a comforting warmth spreads up my arm and engulfs my entire body. I can feel our bond pulsing in my chest and reaching out to her, desperate to connect.
I hate when I have to pull my hand away from her so she can take a seat, and as I sit down beside her, my eyes flick over the rest of the class.
Students keep shooting us curious and confused looks, and I almost let out an agitated growl.