Page 59 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

“It absolutely is,” I say.

We head toward the front doors.

The second we step inside, the announcement crackles through the speakers.

“Good morning, Blue Valley students. Welcome back. All students will report directly to the auditorium for our opening assembly.”

A collective groan rolls through the hallway.

I glance at Links, and he gives me a look.

“What?”

“You're gonna get us in trouble this year.”

I sling an arm around his shoulders. “Paybacks a bitch.”

Links laughs despite himself.

The hallway is packed. Not a normal first day packed. People from two-different-schools-shoved-into-one-building packed.

Lockers slam, teachers are already yelling, and you can spot the freshman; they look terrified.

And somehow, amongst all the commotion, I spot her, the brunette Ross girl.

I grin before I can stop myself. “Found her.”

Links doesn't even bother looking up from his schedule. “Congratulations.”

“Don't be jealous.”

“I'm not.”

“You should be.”

That gets a snort out of him.

Jade is walking backward while talking to her cousin. She's animated, uses her hands, and smiles with her whole face, including those fucking eyes.

She's also completely unaware she's about to walk into somebody. I start to say something, but she turns at the last second.

Crisis avoided. Disappointing actually.

“You were hoping she'd crash.”

“I was hoping for a memorable introduction.”

“You need help.”

“Perhaps.” I shrug.

As we get closer, I notice a group of cheerleaders staring at Jade and her friends. Actually staring. The kind of staring girls do when they're preparing to be bitchy.

Jade notices too, and instead of shrinking away, she fires something in their direction. I can't hear what she says, but whatever it is makes her cousin laugh.

I like that, the fire in her. Most people spend too much time worrying about what everybody thinks. Jade looks like she'd rather start a fight.

We reach our lockers, and Alex Ross is already there. The second he sees us, he gets that expression. The one that says he's preparing to be pissed off.