Fourteen C.M. Smith (100 books to read .txt) 📖

“I’m sorry,” I said nervously, trying to take a step away from him.

“What did I tell you about that shit?” he demanded, pulling me completely against him.

I looked up at him, my arms tightening around my books.

“You had a good . . . life before me.”

“Anna, he was an ass,” Ashley said bluntly. “Sorry, Evan, but it’s true.” She waved a hand in his direction, and he grunted at her. “And while he’s still an ass, at least I can tolerate him a little better.”

“Thanks, Ashley,” he said dryly.

“Deny it; I dare you.” He glared at her, and she smiled smugly when he remained silent. “That’s what I thought.”

“How do you put up with her?” he asked, looking at Kyle.

Kyle merely wiggled his eyebrows, and I laughed.

“Stop apologizing,” he said, seeming to remember where we’d left off before Ashley had interrupted. “I’d do . . . well, I wouldn’t . . . hell.” He moved, and pressed his lips into a thin line. “This is what I want, right here.” He squeezed me. “So stop.”

The bell rang and Evan groaned.

“See you at lunch!” Kyle exclaimed.

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you hear?” Ashley said, sliding her hand into Kyle’s. “We’re sitting with you from now on.”

She shook her hair over her shoulder, waved, and towed Kyle down the hallway.

“Why are they going to be sitting with us from now on?” I asked, pointing over my shoulder at their retreating backs.

“I think this is their way of saying that they’re on our side.”

I sighed heavily. “I don’t understand.”

“You know how Christina and Vince were the only two you could talk to before I showed up?”

“Yeah.”

“Kyle and Ashley are my closest friends, and they’re supporting me.” He grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it. “They’re supporting us.”

“But they . . .” I trailed off and blew out a breath. “It’s going to be one of those days isn’t it?”

“Clarify, please.”

“The ones that make no sense whatsoever.”

“Yes,” he said. He grabbed my books from me and grinned when I stared at him in confusion.

“Come on, milady,” he said in a horrible British accent. “Human physiology awaits.”

I slid my hand into the crook of his arm when he offered it to me.

“You’ve lost your damn mind.”

“Nah. You helped me find it.” He leaned over and kissed me. “Thank you.”

“Cheesy.” I nudged him.

“Complaining?”

I grinned up at him. “No.”

“Okay then.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I’m up and about tomorrow,” he said against my lips, his hands pressed against the window of my car as he leaned in. “Are you allowed to use the phone?”

“He’ll be gone all day anyway.” I tilted my head. “So, you know, if you just happen to drop by . . .”

“I’m not crossing Mister Lawyer Man,” he joked, cupping my cheek. “Sorry.”

I sighed dramatically, and he chuckled, leaning down and kissing me again.

“Have fun, okay?”

“It’s all Kyle’s fault, you know,” he grumbled, resting his forehead against mine. “Maybe Ashley’s too.”

“You had planned to go before . . .”

“Before I started hanging out with you,” he said. “Everything’s different now.”

“Is that bad?”

“Do you really need me to answer that?”

I did everything I could to keep the smile off my face. He caught it, of course, and kissed me again.

“You should get home.” He nudged his nose against mine. “I don’t want you to get into any more trouble because of me.”

“He’s just grouchy,” I said, hesitantly placing my hands on his chest.

I could feel his heartbeat as I moved my hand over it, marveling over the way it was racing much like mine always did with him around. I looked up when he covered my hand, and smiled slowly as he threaded our fingers together.

“Grouchy or not, I still want to take you on that second date. Preferably before we graduate.”

“You and your expectations.”

“I know. Pain right in the ass, huh?”

“You really are.”

He laughed and kissed me again before stepping back from me. I sighed and let him fully link our hands together.

“Have fun tonight, okay?”

And come back to me.

“I’ll try. Won’t be much fun without you.”

“Kiss ass.”

“But, oh so true.” He pulled me against him, placing one more kiss on my lips. “Talk to you tomorrow.”

“Talk to you tomorrow,” I said and squeezed his hand before I made myself let go and watched as he walked to his car. We were the only two left in the parking lot, everyone else damn near flying out the minute the last bell rang in anticipation of the two days of freedom we’d all been granted. It had been a normal day for me; the stares and whispers were only a little worse than usual, but not altogether something I wasn’t used to. Evan had seemed tense and uptight most of the day, but he still held my hand whenever we met up in the hallway, so things couldn’t have been that bad, right?

I sighed and finally climbed into my car, strapping the seat belt across my lap and turning the key. He waved at me when he drove past, and I waved back and then shoved the car into gear and pulled out of the parking space.

I made it home within ten minutes, very unhappy when I saw my father’s truck sitting in our driveway.

Normally it wouldn’t have bothered me that he was home early. Today, all I could think was that he wanted to check up on me, which really only served to annoy me. I slammed the door to my car, threw my book bag over my shoulder, stomped up the steps, and pushed through the front door.

“Anna, we need to talk,” he said as soon as the front door shut behind me.

I resisted the urge to yell at him and dropped my bag to the floor before trudging my way into the living room. Surprisingly, the television was off, and he was sitting in the armchair as opposed to the couch where he usually sat. I hung my head, accepted the fact