In my Dreams by Courtney Barnes (each kindness read aloud .txt) 📖

some of my new perfume. When I posed in front of the mirror, I had to admit, I looked good. If Lucas wanted to stare at me like he did the other day, he could. If he wanted to ignore me again, no way, this time I would be the one to blow him off.

I parked in the lot at school and climbed out of my car. I was leaning in the backseat getting my backpack when I heard a deep voice behind me. “Feeling better?”

I spun around to see Lucas standing in front of me. “Yep,” I said coldly, slamming my door, and pushing past him, walking as fast as I could.

“You’re mad about the other day aren’t you?” He was walking fast trying to keep up.

“No, why would I be mad?” I kept my gaze straight ahead, afraid that if I saw his handsome face, I’d let go of my anger, and I couldn’t do that, yet. He had to suffer a little more.

“You seem angry.” He was walking beside me now.

I glanced at him, hoping I seemed indifferent. “Nope.”

He wasn’t convinced. “Well about the other day, not showing up for lunch. I lost track of time playing basketball with the guys. I’m sorry.”

There was something not right about his story, he didn’t even mention not speaking to me the rest of the day. “Oh right, we were supposed to meet the other day for lunch, weren’t we?” I stopped walking and stared at him, with a slight smile I added. “No biggie I forgot too.” We were in the school now. “If that’s all you wanted, I’ll see you later.” I walked away without giving him a chance to make up another excuse.

I glanced behind me to see if he had followed. He was still standing in the spot where I had left him, staring in my direction with a stunned look on his face.

It was so hard to walk away, especially since he looked so good today. Without his glasses, you could see the tiny flecks of gold in his hazel eyes. His hair appeared to be a little shorter, coming just below his ears; he was wearing a brown sweater and jeans. And his black motorcycle boots gave him a bad-boy edge you wouldn’t expect from Lucas Tate. It was necessary to keep my distance from him, I was just protecting myself. I didn’t want to feel like I did yesterday when I sat alone in the parking lot looking for his car, feeling rejected and confused.

At lunch, Emma was rambling on about her date with Derrick that evening. I sat beside her, half listening, half eating my sandwich. “Lucas is staring at you,” she leaned over and whispered in my ear.

I glanced at her, avoiding the direction she was looking. “So,” I said, taking another bite of my sandwich.

“Did something happen this morning? He looks sad.”

“He apologized for not meeting me for lunch because he was playing basketball with the guys.” I took a sip of water.

Her eyes narrowed. “That was his excuse? What a douche.”

“Yep, so I acted like I had forgotten that we were supposed to have lunch”

“Good for you.”

I didn’t feel like sitting there anymore in the crowded lunchroom, listening to the loud voices and laughter. “I’m going to my locker, I’ll see you later.” I put the rest of my lunch in my bag and stood up, waving to my friends as I walked away. I glanced at Lucas’ table, but he wasn’t there anymore. Kyle and Andy were tossing a rolled up paper bag back and forth across the lunch table.

I walked through the hallway, weaving around students heading to the cafeteria and was almost to my locker, when I heard a familiar voice. “Hey sweetie you’re looking good lately.”

I looked up, and saw Logan standing in the middle of the hall right in front of me. “Thanks,” I said, trying to get around him. He moved, blocking my path. I was cornered between him and a locker. “What do you want Logan?” I tried to make my voice hard, and was irritated that it shook slightly. The once busy hallway was suddenly empty. There were a few students at the far end, leaning against lockers, but none close enough to hear our conversation.

“You. I just wanted to ask you out for Saturday night.”

“No thanks.” I moved to the side to get around him, but again, he blocked me.

“Come on, I can show you a really good time,” he whispered in my ear. His cologne was strong, almost choking me. He was so close; I could feel the warmth of his body. I had the urge to lift my knee up sharply.

“I said no! Now back off.” My voice held a slight hysterical edge to it.

He scowled, angry now. His hazel eyes leered down at me. “You can’t turn me down. No one turns me down.”

I glared at him. “I just did.”

He backed up like I slapped him. I took my chance and tried to slip away again, but he grabbed my arm. “Come on now, I’m trying to be nice here. I just wanted to take you out, now you’re being rude.”

“I said I’m not interested,” I growled, yanking my arm out of his grip.

“No one turns me down,” he repeated, his voice low and harsh. He lifted his hand as if to hit me. I braced myself.

Footsteps pounded the linoleum floor behind me. Someone shoved Logan into the locker before he could strike. “Were you seriously going to hit her?” Lucas’ face was twisted with anger.

“Get off of me Luke, and mind your own business,” Logan snarled at his brother.

Lucas slammed him harder against the locker, his fingers dug into Logan’s shoulders. “Is this the way you get girls to go out with you? I always wondered how you did it, since you’re such a dick.” Logan pushed Lucas off him. “This is a new low for you, bullying girls into dating you. I’m sure Mom and Dad would be so proud.”

“I don’t have to bully girls, they come after me. When is the last time you had a date Luke?” Logan said to Lucas then turned to me. “I don’t know what I was thinking. You want her Luke? Take her, she’s all yours. She’s below my standards anyway.”

Unfazed by Logan’s hurtful words, I looked over at Lucas, who was shaking with anger. “Logan, if you ever go near Sarah again. I’ll take you down, and you know I can.” He chuckled darkly. “You never could beat me in a fight.” With that, he grabbed my arm, and dragged me through the line of kids that had gathered. In a High School, you could always count on an audience when a fight was brewing, although no one was around, just minutes before, when I needed help.

He kept walking silently pulling me along. I noticed we were headed to the parking lot. “Where are you taking me?” I asked, a little frightened.

He didn’t slow down or look at me. “We’re ditching the rest of the day,” he said still angry. I started to protest until he turned his head. The look on his face silenced me.

We were standing beside his car. “I can’t,” I said quietly.

His expression softened, and he whispered, “Please.”

“Fine.” I climbed into the passenger seat after he opened it.

He shut the door behind me, got in the driver’s side, and started the car.
Ch.10 The waterfall

We had been driving in silence for a while when he finally turned to me, his face looked miserable. “Are you okay?”

I nodded.

“I’m so sorry, my brother’s a jerk, but I didn’t think he was capable of this.”

“It’s okay; you got there just in time. Thank you by the way, I probably would have hit him back, so you saved him a black eye.” I was trying to lighten the mood, but my words were true, even though I was prepared for him to hit me, there was no way I would have let him get away with it.

He laughed. “I don’t doubt that at all, I’ve never heard a girl talk to him like that. I was impressed.”

I looked out the window, and saw that we were headed out of town. “Where are we going?”

“Just a place I like to go to think” he said, glancing at me. “I’ve never taken anyone there before.”

I gulped; suddenly nervous, I dug inside my purse to take took out my phone, unable to face him.

“Who are you calling?” His tone held an edge of panic.

“Emma, to tell her not to worry about me, and I’ll pick my car up later.”

He looked relieved. “Yeah I’ll take you back whenever you want.”

I texted Emma, since she was in class, telling her that I was taking the rest of the day off, and to tell my mom I would explain later. After about ten minutes, my phone buzzed. I opened the text and read silently. “Where are you? Are you with Lucas? Heard what happened.”

I laughed. “News travels fast.”

“What did she say?”

“She already heard what happened.”

“I’m not surprised, there were a few people at their lockers, but no one was helping you. I was at the end of the hall, I couldn’t hear what you were saying, but you didn’t look happy.”

“So, should I tell her that you kidnapped me?”

“Yeah,” he said, laughing. “Make sure she tells your mother the vice principal. Logan’s pretty stupid to pull that in front of witnesses. What if your mother finds out?”

I cringed at the thought, I didn’t want him to get into trouble; it would only make it worse.

“I’ll tell her not to get involved.”

“Why?” he demanded. “He should get