Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)(40)

“Ow,” I said plainly while trying hard not to blink my eyeballs out. I really stunk at this. She kicked me again. “I mean, yes. Lots of blood and cramps. Wow. Really bad cramps. Like cramps from Hades. Yeah, I really hate cramps. Cramps, cramps, cramps.”

This time, Lila stomped on my foot. “As Echo’s best friend, I told her that she should talk to you. My mom put me on the pill when my periods became heavy.”

Ashley’s face fell for a moment while she glanced back and forth between me and Lila. Which one would win out? The wife who knew my father would crush his BlackBerry in his hand if he found out his only daughter was on birth control, or the woman desperate to make herself feel better for ruining my life?

“Yes. Yes, Lila. You were right to tell Echo to talk to me.” A small smile touched her lips, but her eyes still darted in worry. “How long has this been going on?”

Never. “Over a year.”

“Why didn’t you come to me sooner, sweetheart?”

I shrugged.

Ashley took a long drink from her latte. “How are things going between you and Luke?”

Crap. “Ashley, can we focus on my period issues?”

Ashley’s eyes brightened. Guilt had won. “I have an appointment with my OB Monday. Why don’t you tag along and we’ll have her take a look at you and give you a prescription. I have an ultrasound scheduled. Your dad can’t make it and I was so bummed when we didn’t find out the sex last time. How exciting will it be for you to see your younger brother or sister?”

For a moment, I thought Ashley was going to break out into song. This time, instead of a kick, Lila reached under the table and took my hand. I squeezed her hand as I answered, “Yeah. That’ll be great.”

NOAH

“Stop sulking already. If you would have screwed her when you first met her, like I told you to, you wouldn’t be twisted like a damn pretzel.” Beth slammed her tray on the lunch table.

I pushed my pizza away and leaned back in the chair. So far, Echo had done little more than make fleeting eye contact with me today. Just like she’d said, she’d gone back to her life and, in theory, I’d gone back to mine. Problem? I didn’t like mine, not without her.

Isaiah placed his tray on the other side of me. “Let him be, Beth. Sometimes you can’t help who you fall for.” Words of wisdom from the guy who ignored his feelings for Beth.

Beth scowled as she stabbed a fork into her chicken patty. She kept her hair in her face to hide the bruises the makeup couldn’t cover. “What’s eating you, Isaiah? You’ve been brooding almost as bad as Noah. Please don’t tell me you’ve fallen for some unreachable, stupid girl, too.”

Isaiah changed the subject. “So, Beth, I heard Mrs. Collins called you into her office.”

“What for?” I asked. Mrs. Collins messing with one of us was enough.

“I’m assuming one of my teachers turned me in when they noticed the bruises. I told her I fell down the steps at my dad’s house.” She winked at Isaiah and the two laughed at their shared joke. Neither of them had any clue who their fathers were.

My heart quickened when I caught a flash of red entering the lunchroom. At the corner door farthest from me, Echo paused and performed a quick scan. She held her books tight to her chest, sleeves clutched in her hands. Our eyes met. Her green eyes melted and she gave me that beautiful siren smile. My lips quirked and I motioned for her to come over to the table. What the hell was I doing?

Beth had evidently become a mind reader. “What the hell are you doing?”

While watching Echo’s eyes widen, I quickly turned to Isaiah. “Would you like to work on a 1965 Corvette?”

“Do I want a million bucks? Hell, yeah.”

“Got plans after school?” I asked. Echo glanced over to her lunch table and then back to me. Come on, my little siren. Come to me.

“We haven’t skipped in a while,” said Isaiah.

“I’m game,” said Beth. “And I don’t need the excuse of a car to skip.”

“No skipping.” I kept my eyes locked on Echo’s. She shifted from one foot to another. She needed a reason to come. I picked up my calculus book and showed her the cover. She exhaled enough that a couple of curls moved with her breath. Finally, my nymph approached.

“Hey.” She spoke so softly I had to strain to hear her. Her eyes flickered from me to Beth to Isaiah, then back to me.

“Want to sit?” I asked, knowing the answer. By standing next to my table, she was breaking a hundred of her stuck-up little friends’ social rules.

“No, my friends are expecting me.” She emphasized the word before purposely glancing over to the table of girls who stared at our interaction. Score one, Echo. I’d messed Saturday night up so badly she didn’t even consider us friends. Beth smiled and tauntingly waved at Echo’s table of gal pals. Echo cringed externally while I inwardly flinched.

“What do you need, Noah?” She stared at Beth while she asked and then let her eyes narrow on me.

“This is Isaiah.”

She raised both eyebrows. “Okay.”

“He’s going to look at Aires’ car after school. We can study at your house while he assesses what needs to be done.”

Her face brightened. “For real?”