I pull my car into school, already dreading homeroom and the fact that I’ll get bawled out by my teacher and issued an after-school detention. It’s happened plenty of times before. I’m not due for another lecture from Principal Sheehan yet, but if I skip out again, it’ll come.

Sometimes I want to tell them the real reasons why I skip out on school, but that’ll just open a whole big-ass can of worms that I’m not prepared to deal with.

No, I just have to keep my head down and get this next year and a half over with.

My grades are currently good enough to get me a diploma next year. Even though I can’t see how I’ll use it, I’ll have it. And Selena says that counts for something.

Yet another hopeful female.

My mind skips to Chloe.

Closing my eyes, I lean my head back in the seat, feeling like such a frickin’ idiot for even trying to ask her out. I should never have tried to step things up a notch. The letters were enough, and now I’ve totally screwed it up.

Shit!

Shouldering my door open, I slam it shut and get a couple of looks from those parked nearby. I give them all my best death glare and they shy away, scuttling toward the school.

I must look like one mean bastard.

Of course Chloe wouldn’t want to be seen with me.

With a sharp huff, I hitch my bag and trudge into school. The bell will be going soon, so the hallways are kind of full, but they part like the freaking Red Sea when I walk in.

I hide my eye roll and stalk past the nervous student body until I spot Chloe standing in the corner staring at me. She’s the only set of eyes brave enough to do it. Her lips curve into a smile, so I deepen my scowl, trying to put her off.

Rather than the hurt sadness I expect, she gives me a don’t you look at me like that kind of frown, and I’m startled by it.

My head jolts back, my scowl changing from mean to confused when she tips her head the exact same way I did yesterday.

I hesitate, not sure if I should follow her. I’m not up for a second rejection, even if she does word it sweetly and has the best excuses in the world. I don’t want to hear it.

I plant my feet, set on turning toward my locker, until she spins and catches my eye. Her eyebrows wrinkle with a silent plea and it tugs me toward her before I can stop myself.

Thumping down the stairs, I turn the corner and find her in the same alcove as yesterday.

“Hi,” she whispers with a smile.

I lift my chin at her, then glance away. It’s a protection technique, but I feel like a douchebag greeting her that way.

“I’m guessing you didn’t get my note yesterday.”

I clench my jaw, desperate to know what it says, but also not. It’ll just be a sweet excuse.

“I put it in your locker before last period. I was hoping you’d get it before you went home.”

“I left school early,” I mutter.

“Oh.” Her eyes are assessing my expression. I can feel them on me, delving, searching for some way to understand me.

I sniff and swipe a finger under my nose before turning for the stairs. “I’ll go check it now.”

“Wait.” She grabs my arm before I can walk away. Her long fingers curl around my bicep and I gaze down at them, wishing I could brush my thumb over each of her knuckles. “I’ll just tell you.”

I hold my breath, preparing myself for the sweetly worded rejection.

“You didn’t give me a chance to explain yesterday. The reason I said I wasn’t sure is because I didn’t know how I could make it work. My dad’s really strict about guys, and my mom’s a little paranoid after Maddie got beat up. They’ve even said I can’t help at St. Michael’s anymore, which totally sucks.”

I glance at her sad expression but can’t think of anything to say to make her feel better.

“The truth is, I want to go out with you, even if it means sneaking around behind my parents’ backs.” She winces. “I know that sounds bad, but I just don’t think they’ll understand. Which sucks, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry they’ve already made up their minds about you. I wish I could help them understand, but I’m worried if I even mention that I like you, they’ll freak out.”

She likes me?

I can’t breathe.

“I’m sorry. I hope you’re not offended.”

“I’m not,” I croak. “I’m used to it.”

Her smile is filled with empathy as she squeezes my arm.

I cover her hand with mine and her smile grows a little wider.

“Anyway, I was just trying to figure out how I can make this work and so I told my friend. Rahn knows everything now, and she’s going to cover for me.”

“So, you…you want to go out with me?”

“Of course I do.” She giggles like I’m being silly for ever doubting it. “You just took me by surprise yesterday. I didn’t think you’d want to…” She shakes her head, looking embarrassed. “I don’t know. I guess I’m still trying to work you out.”

I snicker, wishing I had something intelligent to say, but I’m kind of reeling here. Chloe likes me. She wants to go out with me.

“So, unless you have a plan already, I’d love it if you could take me to the fair in Brazenwood. Apparently it runs over Spring Break, and since that starts after school tomorrow, I figured maybe we could check it out.”

“The fair,” I murmur.

“Yeah, have you ever been to one?” Chloe runs her finger down her face, capturing a stray hair that’s stuck to her lip gloss.

My lips twitch with a smile. “Yeah, I’ve been to one.”

“It’s a pretty good first date location, don’t you think?”

First date. Holy shit. Those words sound so sweet coming from her. It makes me realize that I’ve never really been on a first date. I hook up at parties and clubs. I go where Enzo tells me to. I don’t do romantic dates.

But taking Chloe to the fair…

“Yeah, it’s perfect.” I grin.

“Wow.” She giggles. “You have a great smile. You should show it off sometime. It’d shock the hell out of people.”

I snicker and raise my eyebrows at her teasing wink.

The bell rings, breaking up our awesome little moment.

“So, do you have a phone I can text you on? We can set up a time.”

I cringe and run a hand through my hair. “I don’t do phones.”

“Really?” Her face buckles with confusion. “Why not?”

“I don’t like people being able to get in touch with me.”

“Okay.” She nods, obviously finding it weird but nice enough not to say it. “So…”

“So, meet me at that park two blocks from school. You know the one with the blue slide?”

“I do. What time? What day?”

“Uh…Monday. Six o’clock.”

“I’ll be there.” Her glossy lips pull into a smile that melts my insides.

She’s so freaking beautiful.

I can’t say anything as she brushes past me and makes her way to class. Leaning my head back against the wall, I gaze up at the ceiling in awe.

I’m going on a date with Chloe Barlow.

The smile on my face feels wide and foreign, but I just can’t stop it.

I’m going on a date with Chloe Barlow!