AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When the bellrings at the end of last period, I’m already out of myseat.
I go to my locker and dial the combination. I’ve just pulled on the door when a manicured hand slams it shutagain.
“What the fuck was this morning about?” Carly demands, eyes spittingfury.
“Simple. I auditioned for the musical. It’s my right as astudent.”
“It’s notsimple.”
“You worried I’m going to get it?” I fold my arms over my chest. “Youare.”
“If that happens, you, little Annie, are in for a world of pain.” But her attention flicks to something behind me, her intensity wavering before she turns and takes off down thehall.
When I step back toward my locker, I run into awall.
Not a wall. A tall, handsome, and stubborn-faced boy looms overme.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people,” I inform Tyler, a hand pressed to the blazer over my thuddingheart.
“And you shouldn’t avoid people.” His voice is low and smooth, but there’s an undercurrent ofdanger.
I turn to stick my books inside my locker. “I’m not avoidingyou.”
“Really? What would you call ignoring mytexts?”
“I’m not ignoring them. I blocked yournumber.”
He shifts between me and the locker, eyes boring down into mine. “Why would you dothat?”
“Because I’m living my life. Which I was doing fine before you showed up in mydriveway.”
I grab his jacket and use all my strength to push him to one side so I can get at mythings.
“Tell me what you were doing in the pool house yesterdaymorning.”
I fight to keep my voice steady as I search for my pencil case. “I was bringing you Rice Krispies squares. I wanted to explain what happened in Carly’s kitchen. That I was angry and drunk and I saw you andthought...”
“What?” The urgency in his voice startles me, and Iswallow.
“I thought something was true, but it clearly wasn’t.” The next breath makes my ribsache.
I stick my pencil case in my bag and look up to see Tyler’s expression darken. He’s too close, his conflicted face too handsome, that sunshine and cedar scent invading my senses. “Whatever you thought was going down in the pool house… you’rewrong.”
Students fly past us, laughing and gossiping and bound for class, but Tyler’s tortured gaze makes my gut twist. How am I feeling bad for him rightnow?
Brandon calls Tyler’s name from down the hall, but Tyler’s gaze lingers onme.
“Do me a favor and stop pretending we’re friends,” I tell him. “We’re obviouslynot.”
His jaw clenches, a muscle ticking angrily. “Because I’ve made newfriends.”
“No. Because you stopped telling me what’s going on for you. Because you were going through hell and didn’t tell me.” My chest knots tighter, the backs of my eyes burning. “And because I’ve had crazy shit of my own and couldn’t talk to you because you weren’t there. Even though I wanted to. Even though Itried.”
Tyler’s gaze searches my face, alarmed. “What kind ofshit?”
I reach for the sheet music in my locker, but he grabs my arms, making the papers slide from my grasp and across the floor. “Annie. Tell me what kind ofshit.”
I ignore him and bend to pick up the sheet music. He gets to the final page before I can, inspects it before holding itout.
