Page 60 of Always: A Legacy Novel

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Take a seat. Page fifty-four in the textbook. Notes in a notebook or laptop only, stay off the internet, and keep your phone out of my sight.”

Cross grunted under his breath as he headed for the only open desk four seats ahead of Catherine. His gaze skipped over her, but just as fast as his dark eyes had found her sitting there, he dropped into the waiting chair and his back was turned.

Still, it hadn’t made much of a difference.

Catherine still felt like a sledgehammer and came along and slammed into her chest, taking away her ability to breathe.

Somehow, she had managed to avoid Cross, his group of friends, not to mention the revolving door of girls that seemed to flock to the bunch. Though, Dina seemed to be a constant for Cross, while he didn’t pay much attention to the other girls that followed behind her.

For three entire weeks, Catherine hadn’t had a single run in with any of them. Sure, she saw them in the halls, on the property outside, or in the parking lot, but that was it. Cross didn’t make much of an attempt to come Catherine’s way, and she gave him and his group a large berth of space when they were in the same general area. She even refused her cousin’s offer of going to the big party at Dina’s house.

She didn’t want to be put into an awkward situation.

She didn’t know how to feel with the relentlessly rotating emotions that charged through her system every time she was put in Cross Donati’s space. From jealously to attraction, to nostalgia, curiosity, sadness, bitterness, and back again. It never stopped, and it wouldn’t stop on just one emotion long enough for her to be able to deal with it.

Catherine hated this.

She hated it even more now that Cross was just a few seats ahead of her and would be for the next several months at least once a damn day.

Great.

Catherine’s daze was only interrupted by the screech of chairs and clang of desks. The rest of the students in the classroom moved their things to the person sitting next to them. A boy with a cute smile, sandy blond hair, and blue eyes pushed his desk next to Catherine’s.

“Say hello to your partners for the next month on this first project,” the teacher said.

Catherine turned to the guy. She only knew he was an eleventh grader, and played on the football team.

“Catherine, right?” he asked.

“Catherine is right.”

“Derik Jones.” He flashed her a smile. “Do you have any idea how we’re going to do this project?”

“I didn’t hear what we were supposed to do.”

Derik laughed loudly, drawing in the attention of several classmates.

Including Cross.

His familiar dark gaze narrowed, and Catherine had to glance away.

Jesus.

She was fucked.

“At least we’ll be screwed together,” Derik said.

More than he could possibly know …

“Do you think they’re dating, or nah?”

Catherine ignored Trisha’s question, instead taking a bite of her apple to fill her mouth. This way, she had a reason not to speak. Trisha didn’t really need her to, it seemed, as their other friends were more than happy to join in on the conversation.

“I mean, they’re around each other a lot, and I don’t have guy friends who put their arm around me, or whisper things in my ear like he does to her. I’ve got a boyfriend that does it, though.”

“She brought his blazer to him last week,” Kasey said.