Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 101796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Does she say a word? Does she acknowledge me? Why would she? I’m just the asshole who drove her to school. Without a word, she unbuckles her belt, opens the door, and leaves with her backpack slung over her shoulder. The shapeless sweater and baggy jeans she’s wearing attract a little attention from some of the people she passes, who probably all wonder why somebody’s grandma is going to school here. Doesn’t it matter that she looks like a joke? How can she not care?
Not my problem. No matter what Dad says, she’s in charge of herself, not me. If she wants to be strange and ignore any attempt at kindness, she can fuck right off.
If anything, I’m glad she hurried off like the rude little freak she is. I don’t have to walk around with her now as I head across campus toward the cafeteria, where Briggs and the rest of them planned on having breakfast together today. Family breakfast meant I had to bow out. Another reason to be irritated. But I’ve wasted enough time on that today. I’ve wasted enough brain power on the ungrateful girl I’m now related to legally, if in no other way. But that’s more than enough.
I only have around twenty minutes until class starts, but I go to the cafeteria anyway, hoping to clear my head by bullshitting with friends—like a palate cleanser, only for my brain. I don’t have to look hard for them. Kellen’s presence makes the group stand out since, even while he’s sitting down, he’s a solid head taller than anybody else around him. He’s a good guy to have around in a crowd. Like a beacon.
“Hey!” Wren lifts a hand to wave. She’s always the first one to be welcoming, which makes me feel kind of shitty, considering how I used to treat her. That was all because it was what Briggs wanted before things changed between them.
Preston and Easton are sitting with their backs to me and turn in unison to look for whoever Wren noticed. “Oh, it’s just him,” Easton mutters, elbowing his twin before I walk past and slap him upside the back of the head.
“Your manners are shit,” I grunt, making everyone else laugh.
“Starting off with violence this early in the day?” Easton winces and rubs the back of his head, even though I barely grazed him. “Who pissed in your cereal this morning?”
Elliana might not literally have pissed, but she might as well have. I ignore his question, sitting next to Kellen and returning the fist bump he offers. He never says much.
Maya is practically glued to Tucker, sitting with her head on his shoulder. He’s trying to play it off like it doesn’t matter, but I can tell he’s loving it. He’s practically glowing with pride. And to think, he used to hate her as much as Briggs hated Wren. I don’t get it.
Once it’s clear I’m alone, she picks her head up and cranes her neck to look around. “Where is she?”
“Where is who?” Because sometimes it’s easier to play dumb.
“The Queen of England,” Wren mutters, rolling her eyes.
“Oh, didn’t she die?” It’s obvious the girls aren’t impressed with my lame attempt at humor. They both give me a withering look.
“For real, though.” Briggs can’t help but chuckle behind Wren’s head. At least he’s not the kind of boyfriend who orders his friends to apologize for the littlest things. “I thought she and her mom were moving in yesterday.”
“They did.” Is there anywhere on campus I can go without having to be reminded of her?
“Did she come to school with you? I was really hoping to meet her,” Maya says.
“Yeah, well…” Am I going to sound like a complete prick if I come out with the truth? Do I care? These people know me well enough that I don’t have to pretend to be a nicer person than I am. “Don’t waste your time.”
The way the girls gasp at the same time, you’d think they’re the twins at the table. “How come?” If I didn’t know better, I’d think Wren was about to cry. She’s that upset. Is she for real?
“She is…” A complete and total pain in the ass. A fucking freak. “Really shy. Like, I think it causes her actual pain to have to talk to people.”
Right away, the girls brighten up. “Oh, we can get her out of her shell in no time,” Maya insists with a wink.
“I’m just saying, don’t get your hopes up. Really, I’m not trying to be a dick,” I insist when the look the girls exchange tells me that’s exactly what they think I’m doing. “Did you ever hear about something being so tough it feels like you’re pulling teeth? Welcome to my world. I tried to talk to her last night at dinner, this morning at breakfast, in the car on the way here. Not a word.”