I smiled, overjoyed to see him, but did my best to hide my enthusiasm. Did I really want the guy who dumped me to know how much I needed and wanted him or that I thought about him almost every minute of every day?
No.
“How was your weekend?” I asked him, keeping my voice light.
“Why don’t I walk her in?” Hayden asked Chait.
“Sure,” Chait answered. “I’ll meet you here after school, Tessa.”
I nodded and glanced at Hayden. He looked like he itched to say something.
“I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie Friday night,” he said once we’d created distance from Chait.
My mouth dropped open, legs halting mid-step. Why on earth would he want to go out with me? He’d been there and already dumped me. There had to be a catch. Maybe he wanted another chance to sleep with me. Or maybe he found the whole princess thing intriguing.
My eyes narrowed. “You must be still traumatized by the Boris battle and forgotten we were stuck together for a brief moment in time, not because you wanted to be with me. It’s over now and you can move on.”
I resumed walking toward the building and he followed.
“I’m asking because I want to spend time with you.”
“You’re only talking to me, because you figure it’s easier if we’re getting along. We’re both freaks in this school, so maybe you feel a connection. Or you think you can beat your friends to sleeping with me. But they’re only interested because they thought you were. You weren’t and aren’t.”
“What if it’s real though? What if I’m asking you out because I want to?” Hayden asked.
He’d finally lost it. And once I walked away, he’d remember all the reasons he didn’t want to associate with a girl like me. I turned to go. “Get a grip.”
Hayden yanked my upper arm, dragging me back to face him. He swooped and my entire body sizzled when his lips touched mine. He plummeted, looted, stole while securing me firmly against him.
Sadly, the thought of resisting him never crossed my mind. I dug my fingers into his shoulders and clung to him. His grip tightened, his hand at my back almost lifting me up and molding me to him.
I don’t know how long we kissed. I’d lost track of time, lost track of everything.
He let go and I relinquished my hold. As his body slowly got further away, I became aware of what happened. I’d kissed him again.
And I liked it more than ever.
Damn. Without a word, I spun and raced to my class.
Chapter Thirty-nine
Hayden
Every time I looked at Tessa, I remembered how I’d given her up. How I lost her. We still had all the same classes together, which made her hard to avoid. For four weeks, I tried to forget her and failed — probably because I didn’t really want to.
She was a good sport, always ready with a smile. But that was Tessa — kind to everyone even if they didn’t deserve it. Deep down, it terrified me to think she thought I was a creep for forcing a kiss on her earlier. I shouldn’t have even asked her to the movies. It was stupid. It’s not like she would’ve thought I was sincere, not after my stellar performance that showed her what a parasite I was. Maybe once school was over, months from now when we saw each other less often, I’d eventually get over her.
Maybe not.
School had become brutal without her to talk to and laugh with. Even if I couldn’t have Tessa the way I wanted her, it was still easier being around her than not. At least I got to see her now and then, when I trained Queen Jane and a select few others part time. The queen had offered me a full-time position, which would throw Tessa and me together more often in the long term. I seriously considered saying yes.
Since I suggested to Brad and Skyler that they stop picking on little people and grow up, they seemed to have matured somewhat. Today, however, was not one of those days and they jabbered endlessly about girls. I doubted there were many who could plunge to their depths of crassness.
Me, on other hand… I couldn’t indulge in that sort of thing, especially about Tessa. I hadn’t been with anyone else nor did I want to be. I just wanted Tessa back. To the guys, I could act like she wasn’t worth talking to, but I knew the truth. She deserved better than any of us.
During lunch, I sat where I could watch her, thinking about the kiss I’d laid on her that morning.
“I heard some of the guys talking about Tessa,” Skyler began. “Apparently they’ve got a pool going to see who hooks up with her next. I’m going to put twenty on Joey. I think he’s got the best chance since he’s got that clean-cut thing going on.”
“They’re taking bets, huh?” I asked. “Well, do me a favor and spread the word — first guy that goes near Tessa is going to get his ass beat. Tessa is off limits to every guy in this school. Got it?” I patted Skyler on the back. “I saved you twenty bucks.”
Chapter Forty
Tessa
“Tessa, wait up!” Nadia yelled.
I stopped before the limo and grinned, anticipating another round of ‘You have two gorgeous guys to choose from. Why are you wasting them both?’ “What’s up? Come to ogle my hot driver?”
“No. I mean, yeah. I’ll be forever in debt to your rich long-lost relative for giving him a job, so I can gawk at him every day. But, no.” She shook her head. “That’s not why I’m here. I have to tell you something.”
Corinne caught up, out of breath. “This is good.”
“There’s a pool going around on who’s going to be the first to sleep with you.” Nadia beamed.
They would all lose. Who knows when I’d feel like dating again — it would be a long, long time. I knew that much.
“Get this.” Nadia rubbed her hands together. “Hayden spread the word that you were off-limits and the first guy to try would get pounded.”
Corinne’s eager eyes widened. “Nadia and I think he’s madly in love with you. Do you ever look at him during lunch? He’s turned into this tragic brooder, always watching you.”
If only that were true. No way I would buy into that and let my hopes fester. My dreams would get shot down proportional to the amount of hope I’d built up.
Hayden seemed to magically appear and suddenly Corinne and Nadia had other things to do.
“What’s up?” I asked, restraining myself from fidgeting.
He ran his fingers through his hair and looked at his feet. “Uhm… never mind.”
I watched him bolt to his car, completely baffled as to what he’d wanted.
Chapter Forty-one
Hayden
“Why haven’t you asked her out yet?” I asked Chait. He and I were supposed to be training, but my mind kept drifting. Knowing Tessa was only a few rooms away made it even more difficult to concentrate.
“Are you referring to Tessa?” His leg struck out, aimed at my knee.
I dodged his kick. “Who else?”
“God. You’re blind.” Chait paused to wipe sweat from his temple. “Maybe Tessa is the only girl existing in your little universe but, in reality, she has a very beautiful older sister.”
“Right. I keep forgetting that.” Zoe was pretty, but not for me.
“Why haven’t you asked Tessa out?” Chait fired back, throwing a left punch that connected with my side.
I grunted at the impact. “I did. She thinks I’m playing games.”