Branded (Book 1), Page 4

  Chapter 3

  Anna dug out her class schedule and studied it. “It’s so weird coming back to school,” she said. “I feel like a new kid. What classes do we have together again?”

  I pointed to her schedule. “Homeroom, biology and science.”

  “Oh yes, I remember now.” She slid her schedule back into her pocket. “So how has Mr. Meade been to you?”

  “You mean, Mr. Mean?”

  Anna giggled. “He’s not that bad, Jake.”

  “To you, maybe.”

  “Has he sent you to the office yet this year?”

  “Twice. Once for being late and once for interrupting him while he was talking.” I shook my head.

  “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you only have him for homeroom and math,” she comforted.

  “Sure.” I pushed open the door to homeroom and let Anna walk in first.

  Mr. Meade instantly snapped his head up from his desk, as if sensing my approach. “Mr. Rovert!” he bellowed. “What a delight.”

  I forced my best smile and found my way to my desk at the back next to Anna’s.

  “I don’t think so, Mr. Rovert. I’ve reserved this seat up here for you.” He patted the desk at the head of the row, directly in front of his.

  “Is that really necessary?” I asked, feeling my defences rising.

  “Better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think? With Miss Taylor back, I need your full attention.” He winked and slapped the desk again. “Sit, boy!”

  My fingernails dug deep into my palms as the skin on my knuckles whitened. I fought the urge to tell him off. Not today. Not today.

  Anna leaned in and whispered, “Relax and sit down.” Her voice was like a key that immediately unlocked the tension in my body. I slowly walked up to the desk and smirked at Mr. Meade. He didn’t like it. It was not the reaction he was looking for.

  The door opened again and in walked the new girl. All conversation ceased as she stood in the doorway with her high heels and short, yellow sundress. Her long, brown hair flowed over her shoulders as she took in a visual tour of the classroom. Then she strutted across the floor and handed Mr. Meade a folded piece of paper. Every eye in homeroom was on her.

  Mr. Meade read the note, and then said, “Class, this is Rachel Riley. She’s a new student, having just moved here from California. I’m sure you will all make her feel very welcome and take the time to show her around.” Mr. Meade peered at us through his thick, oversized glasses—not so much a suggestion, but an order.

  A murmur of welcomes echoed through the classroom.

  “Rachel,” Mr. Meade said as he walked toward me glaring, “you can take this empty seat next to Jacob Rovert. If he annoys you too much, I’ll switch you with another student.”

  I snickered and shook my head. What an idiot.

  “Hello again, Jacob,” Rachel mocked.

  “My friends just call me Jake,” I told her politely.

  “Does that mean I can call you Jake?” she asked with a presumptuous grin.

  “Sure,” I answered as uninterested as possible. I wondered if Anna could hear our conversation, or if she even cared at this point. Maybe I was imagining all this chemistry.

  “Thank you.” She winked. I blushed and turned my head.

  “Listen up, everyone!” Mr. Meade shouted over the chatter. “Don’t forget our new principal will be making rounds to introduce herself over the next couple of days.” He turned his attention to me and peered over the rim of his glasses. “Try to stay out of her office before that time, Mr. Rovert, and try not to embarrass me.”

  “I’ll do my best, sir.” I nodded with a grin as the class chuckled in response. Truthfully, I was looking forward to embarrassing him now. My mind ran through some ideas for payback.

  Eventually the bell rang dismissing us to first period. Before I could stand up, Lexie had made her way over to introduce herself to Rachel. “Hi, Rachel. I’m Lexie. I can show you around if you like?”

  Rachel looked back at me and hesitated. I sensed she was waiting for me to offer too. I caught sight of Anna leaving the classroom so I gathered my books and headed out after her, leaving Lexie to chaperone Rachel.

  “Do you have any plans yet for this weekend?” I heard Lexie ask Rachel as I rounded the corner after Anna.

  “Wait up!” I called down the hall, dodging the freshman scurrying to get to first period.

  Anna turned, giving me a warm smile. “Where’s the new girl?” she asked, pretending not to care.

  “Lexie’s her chaperone. I’m off the hook.” We walked down the staircase to the lower level.

  “I think she likes you,” Anna said.

  “Who wouldn’t?” I teased, hoping to make light of the situation.

  Anna laughed. “You’re so full of yourself.” She nudged me into the railing.

  “Watch the body! You don’t want to go bruising this up before the big party this weekend.”

  “So you’re going then?”

  “I don’t know. You?”

  “I don’t know yet either.” Anna paused by her classroom door. “This is me,” she said, nodding toward the class.

  For some reason, I was finding it difficult to just walk away. I rechecked my schedule, hoping it had somehow changed and I was actually in her class after all. Nope—French.

  Lexie and Rachel came down the stairs.

  “Jake,” Rachel called. Anna rolled her eyes but put on a sweet smile. I chuckled. So cute. “Are you going to the party this weekend?” Rachel asked.

  “We haven’t decided yet,” I answered, giving a quick, apologetic glance in Anna’s direction.

  Rachel took a step back and said, “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you two were together.” She looked embarrassed, but probably not as embarrassed as I felt.

  “We’re not,” I answered quickly. “That would be weird.”

  “Yeah, weird,” Anna agreed.

  “Hey Anna,” A sudden, irritating voice cut through the tension in our circle. It was Eric. “Have you decided about the weekend?” He was looking only at Anna, and I wondered if he realized that the rest of us were standing there too.

  “Actually, yes,” Anna answered. “I’ll be there.”

  What?

  “Great!” Eric said excitedly. “Bring your bikini because there’s a hot tub.”

  Of course there is.

  Eric ushered Anna into class and left Lexie, Rachel and me standing in the hallway.

  “So can you come?” Rachel finally asked, watching my face intently.

  “Yeah, sure, I’ll be there.”

  When the bell rang announcing the end of a long day, I hopped out of my desk, grabbed my bag and headed straight for the exit doors. I couldn’t wait to see the sunshine, let it hit my face and erase the headache from the last forty-five minutes.

  “Where you going?” Noah called from behind as I pushed the doors open.

  “Outside,” I shouted back.

  Noah caught up and slapped me on the back. “So what’s the deal with the new girl? You talk to her some more?”

  “Not really. She seems nice though.”

  “I didn’t see her at lunch. Where do you think she was?” Noah asked.

  “How the hell should I know?”

  “She’s hot though, right?”

  “Sure.”

  We sat down on the bench and waited for the rest of the group to show up and vent about their days, as per usual.

  Rachel and Lexie came out next. Lexie brought her over to our bench. “And this is where we hang out.”

  Rachel nodded in approval. “Hi guys,” she said.

  The doors opened again and Anna came out, looking beautiful as always. “Here, take my seat,” I said to Rachel as I got up to greet Anna.

  “Hey there.” Anna smiled as I approached. “How was your afternoon?”

  “I had math,” I answered solemnly, knowing the “m” word would say much more than I could.

  “That bad, eh?” She tried to loo
k sympathetic, but I saw the corner of her mouth twitching.

  “So listen, I didn’t get to talk to you much at lunch,” I said, looking around to confirm we were not being overheard. “You told Eric that you would go to Wentworth?”

  Anna looked down at her shoes. “Yeah, I thought it would be fun. Like old times, right?”

  “Sure.”

  “Are you coming?” she asked, squinting into the sun. I wished I could translate the look on her face. Did she want me to come or not?

  “Yes,” I answered, watching her carefully for a positive reaction.

  Her shoulders dropped as she let out a breath of air. “Good,” she exclaimed. Her eyes wandered past me and toward the bench. Her smile faded and a quizzical look took over.

  “What is it?” I asked, following her gaze to Rachel.

  “I don’t know what it is, but I feel like she’s fake. Like she’s hiding something or . . . something.”

  “Really? Like what?” I decided to entertain her thought, although I figured it was just a bit of jealousy. Anna wasn’t used to having competition. She was the prettiest, funniest girl I had ever met, so naturally, no one compared.

  “I don’t know. I mean, what does she want with you, anyway?”

  I forced a fake cough. “Pardon?”

  “I mean, you’re a good catch and all that stuff, but why would she set her sights on you? There are lots of hot guys at Bedford High.” She shook her head as she contemplated her evidence. “And why so soon? I mean, she barely knows you.”

  “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t find her attractive,” I said as innocently as I could. Not entirely true, but I wasn’t head over heels like the rest of the guys were, and I definitely wasn’t drawn to her forthright personality.

  Anna rolled her eyes. “Yeah right, Jake. What’s not to like about her? Even I’m attracted to her.”

  I paused and let my mind run wild for a second. “Really?”

  A quick jab to my side indicated she wasn’t in the mood for any more jokes, so I let it go.

  “Anyway,” she said, “maybe I just need to get to know her.”

  “Maybe,” I agreed.

  Again, that feeling of wanting to hold her started to break down my wall of defence so I pulled my eyes from hers and started walking back to our friends . . . hoping that she would follow.

  Although I would never have admitted it, I was actually looking forward to Eric’s party after all.