Rose
THE NEXT DAY, AS RUMORS about Garrett’s black eyes begin to circulate around school, I mentally prepare myself for a possible retaliation.
It happens before my calculus class after lunch. Aria stomps up to me at my locker—as well as she can in her high heels—and lets me have it, her high-pitched, shrill voice echoing down the concrete halls as she tells me what an awful person I am for letting my stepbrother beat Garrett up.
“It was clear to everyone that you were coming on to him at the diner,” she says, her hands on her hips. “And thanks to you, the baseball coach has kicked him off the team for fighting.”
“He was wearing a beanie and hiding in the woods.” How much more does she need to know? “He’s an idiot.”
Her eyes are cold. “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you and your little group of misfits are disinvited to Spring Fling. Trenton is crazy to even want you there.”
My teeth snap together. I don’t care so much for me, but Oscar and Lexa will be devastated.
She tosses her hair back. “I don’t know why he even likes you.”
My hands curl around my books. God, I’m sick of this place. I’m sick of girls like Aria. Mostly, I just want to run away and find a place where I belong . . . somewhere, anywhere that isn’t here.
Oscar’s face appears next to me and his nose is scrunched up as if he smells bad fish. “Having some trouble?”
“No,” I say, not taking my eyes off her. “I’ve got this. Aria was just leaving.”
Aria rakes her eyes over the black leather duster he’s sporting on top of his school khakis and white button-up shirt. She grimaces. “You are so weird,” she spits disdainfully before flouncing off.
“What a little bitch,” he says, following her with his eyes before turning to me. “You okay?”
I nod. I don’t want to tell him about the party.
“You know I really don’t care about that party, right?” he says as if he’s read my mind.
I arch my brow and he chuckles. “Okay, I care, but if this episode with Garrett makes you feel uncomfortable, then we can just ditch it and do our own thing.”
“And miss out on the champagne fountain and the DJ? Sad.” I smirk.
“Don’t forget the copious amounts of drunk people we can make fun of.”
“They’re all assholes.”
He smirks. “Not us.”
I laugh and hug him. No matter what the rest of this year brings, I’m glad I have him.
After school, I dash to my dorm, where I quickly discard my plaid skirt and white shirt, exchanging them for my jeans and another black polo. I’m in a rush and barely have time to braid my hair before I’m out the door and off to work, which I’m oddly looking forward to. I need the distraction to keep me from thinking about Spider.
I’ve just gotten to my car when Trenton’s deep voice reaches me. “Rose! Wait up!”
Great. I managed to not see him all day because I’m worried about how he’s going to react to the whole Garrett incident, but now here he is. I paste on a smile then turn and watch him jog toward me.
As he gets closer, I soften. With his wavy, sandy blond hair and strong physique, he’s easy to watch.
“I’ve been chasing you all day,” he says as he comes to a halt in front of me.
I can’t help but smile. “Did you run clear across campus to find me?”
He nods. “I went to your dorm, and the girl downstairs at the desk said you’d just left.” He stares down at me, a little frown between his eyes. “Are you avoiding me?”
I shift from one foot to the other. “You know about Garrett, right?”
He gives me a quick nod. “You okay?”
“Thanks to Spider.” I twist my lips. “The gossip is Garrett got kicked off the team. I assumed you might be upset with me about that since you’re his teammate.”
Trenton gives me a serious once-over. “It’s you I’m worried about. I like you, Rose, a lot.”
I fiddle with my backpack.
He comes a bit closer, his scent like sea air and ocean breezes. “Garrett and Aria happened to be at my house the other night when I mentioned coming to Jo’s. They tagged along, and I wish they hadn’t.”
He’s saying the right things, and my heart likes it.
But . . . Spider.
“And . . . I’ve warned him personally to give you a wide berth.”
I think about Oscar and Lexa. “So we’re all still invited to the party?”
“Of course.” He looks flummoxed that I would even suggest it. I don’t bring up Aria’s comments; she’s his family, and I don’t want to get in the middle of that.
A few hours later, I am just setting down food on a four-top when Spider walks in the door. I nearly trip over a customer’s leg as I watch him take the same booth he was in last night.
He’s here! my heart rejoices.
Don’t get excited! my head retorts.
As soon as I get the table their drink refills, I straighten my apron and head his way. He has a small bruise under his eye but it’s not nearly as bad as Garrett’s.
He watches me, his gaze not moving from my face, and I find that the way he looks at me, so intently, is one of the reasons I find him incredibly intoxicating. It’s as if he’s studying me and taking notes.
I smile at him and he smiles back. “You’re okay from last night, right? Anything happen at school today?”
I wave him off. “Things are fine. Aria was weird, but don’t worry about me. How’s the famous YouTube video?”
His eyes brighten. “Sebastian’s been calling me every few hours with updates—like I can’t see for myself that it’s going crazy. The Ellen Show called, or tried to, I think. It’s going to be . . . big.”
“Of course it is. You’re incredibly talented.”
There’s a long pause as we stare at each other, and I clear my throat. “So, can I get you anything?”
He lets his eyes drift over me, lingering on my lips. “Uh, yeah. Actually, I came to talk about this.” He pulls out the copy of Jane Eyre I gave him. “I stayed up until three this morning reading this bad boy. I didn’t finish, but I’m blaming you for the bloody bags under my eyes.”
“And the bruise?”
He chuckles.
My excitement is so high that I have to keep myself from yelling out, I got Spider to read Jane Eyre! Booyah!
“What did you think?” Before I even know what’s happening, I’m sitting across from him.
He considers me. “I think . . . Jane is strong. I’m half-way in love with her already.”
Oh.
My stomach flutters and I swallow. “And Rochester? What do you think about him?”
“He’s an arsehole who’s wrapped up in his past mistakes, and that crazy wife of his is insane.” He bites his lip. “I’m at the part where he wants Jane to be his mistress. It’s . . . tense.”
My body gets hot, imagining him as Rochester and myself as Jane. I picture us somewhere in England, curled up in front of a fire that burns in the bedroom of our large estate. I’m wearing a white gown, and he’s laying me down and taking my virginity—
I come back as Spider asks, “Does she want him as much as he wants her?”
My heart skips a beat. “Yes,” I say breathlessly.
“Tell me how it ends,” he says. “Does he ever get over Jane? Does she go to India with that bloody awful tosser St. John? Does Rochester’s wife kill them all? Fuck—will these people ever be happy?”
All of a sudden, it feels like we aren’t talking about the book at all.
Impulsively, I reach out and touch his hand. It seems to be the norm for me when it comes to him. I have no self-control. “Love wins if you let it.”
My eyes are telling him more.
At first, he looks confused; then he seems torn as he leans back in his seat, the action pulling his hand away from mine. He clears his throat and looks around the room. I can see he’s retreating.
I don’t want him to.
“I should probably head out,” he says, sliding the book back inside his leather jacket. “I told Father I’d come by and talk to him about LA. He knows a lot of people there.”
It sounds genuine, but it feels like an excuse.
In the background, I hear the jingle of the bell and the sound of the cook’s voice as he shouts that an order is up.
I sigh and I’m about to stand up when an arm is tossed around my shoulder and Trenton slides into the booth next to me. He gives me a quick squeeze.
“Hey gorgeous.”
I blink and look at him, bringing myself back to reality. “Hey!”
He throws Spider a glance and a quick greeting, but it doesn’t matter because Spider is already standing and scowling down at us. His face is pale as he pivots around and marches out the door, leaving me feeling winded and very what the hell just happened.
“Was it something I said?” Trenton asks, his eyes studying my face.
I shake my head. “No, don’t worry about it. He’s just . . . in a hurry, I guess.”
In a hurry to stay away from me . . .