A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime(23)

Certainly not Crew Lancaster.

And since when do I want that particular boy to notice me? He’s horrible.

Yet attractive.

Rude.

Somehow charming.

He doesn’t like me. He basically said that to me, more than once. I don’t like him either. Yet…

I’m drawn to him.

Frustrated, I kick the leg of the table so hard, the entire thing rattles, making the girls’ laughter come to a complete stop.

“Did you just kick the table?” Lara asks me after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

“Sorry.” I shrug, not sorry at all. The word just automatically leaves me every time someone calls me out on something. “I didn’t mean to.”

“You know, Wren, you’re actually really lucky, working with Crew on that project,” Brooke says, and I wonder if she’s suddenly being extra nice to me because of my mini temper tantrum.

“How’s that?”

“Well, it’s psychology, right? Does he have to reveal his innermost secrets or fantasies to you? That could be juicy.” Brooke’s eyes are sparkling with excitement at the idea of learning Crew’s secrets.

I don’t want to know them. He’s mean and horrible, and he calls me judgmental? He’s just as bad as I am.

Maybe even worse.

“I doubt he’ll reveal anything to me,” I admit.

They both stare at the diamond ring on my finger, sharing another one of those looks that communicate so much without ever saying a word.

“True,” Lara says, shifting in her seat.

Normal Wren would pretend she didn’t hear that, or see the shared look, like they know something I don’t. She’d try to change the subject or leap from the table and go find someone else to talk to, but I’m not feeling very ‘normal’ right now.

“What do you mean by that?” I ask.

“Well, that ring you’re wearing, for one,” Brooke says, clearly the braver one of the two. She just comes straight out with it, no hesitation.

“What’s wrong with my ring?” I grip my hands together, turning the ring so the diamond doesn’t show.

“It’s kind of a stigma, you know? Crew probably won’t talk to you since he believes you’re nothing but a scared little virgin promised to her daddy.”

Brooke smirks.

So does Lara.

“I’m sure all of the boys think that,” Brooke adds.

I leap to my feet, purposely nudging the table with my thighs, so I shove it in their direction, making them both yell out their displeasure.

“Oops. Sorry,” I tell them before I turn and leave the dining hall, ignoring all the curious looks aimed in my direction as I flee.

God, I’m so stupid. So…I don’t even know how to describe myself. Pitiful?

Pathetic?

I want to smack myself in the face. Only I would think I’m being strong by shoving a table in their direction after they said something so rude, only for me to go and apologize to them before I run away.

No wonder Crew thinks so little of me. I’m a sheltered little girl pretending to be an almost adult. About to turn eighteen and I haven’t done anything.

Nothing.

It never bothered me before, so why does it bother me now?

For the second time this week, I can feel tears flowing down my face as I walk the empty corridors of school, speeding up my pace as I go past the faculty room.

No way do I want Fig to come out and catch me again. He’d probably offer me more comfort and try to feel me up.

A shiver steals over me at the thought. The first horrible thought I’ve had about Figueroa since I started at Lancaster.

Maybe I shouldn’t be his TA.

I head for the side doors that lead to the quad and push through them, the icy cold air is like a slap to the face. I suck in a sharp breath, tucking my jacket around me, wishing I’d brought my coat, but I left it in my locker, not planning on needing it until school was finished.

Rounding the corner of the building, I come to a stop when I spot three male heads bent together. A puff of smoke rising from the center of the circle they make. I know every single one of them, and I come to a complete stop, frozen.

Not just from the chilly air, but from the straight panic zipping through me at seeing these particular three boys.

Ezra, Malcolm, and Crew.

It’s Malcolm who spots me first, holding a strange looking cigarette to his lips before he wraps them around it and takes a long, hard pull. His gaze finds mine, surprise clearly on his face as he removes the cigarette from his lips and drops his hand to his side. “Oh fuck, look who’s joining us.”

He elbows Crew, Ezra glancing over his shoulder, his eyes going wide when he spots me. “Great,” Ezra moans, “you going to tell on us, Beaumont?”

Tell on them for what? My nose wrinkles when the scent hits me. Like skunk. Oh…

They’re smoking weed.

Crew watches me with those all-seeing blue eyes, never saying a word, and my heart starts to beat faster.

“I’m sorry.” I really need to stop apologizing all the time. “Didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just leaving…” I start to walk backward slowly, one step at a time, keeping my eyes on them. At the last second, I turn.

And run.





TEN