“I’m fine,” I said, refusing to tell him everything that had been on my mind.
At one time, I would have spilled my guts to him, but not anymore. Too much had changed between us, and while I still trusted him, I didn’t feel the need to confide in him like I used to.
Thankfully, the bell rang, and students poured into the hallway. I made my escape and rushed to my locker. Trent, as always, was waiting for me.
“What’s wrong?” he said the moment he saw me.
“I talked back to Mr. Gordon, got sent Principal Donavan’s office, and he gave me detention until I finish writing some stupid paper.” I scowled. “On the way back to class, I swore someone was watching me.”
I didn’t bother to tell him about Jax because I didn’t need Trent to start a fight with him, but also because nothing had happened.
“Watching you?” he asked.
I nodded. “But the hallway was empty.” I turned to open my locker.
“So, you didn’t see anyone?”
“No.” I grabbed my math book and shoved it into my backpack, then closed my locker. When I turned back around, Trent was right there. I nearly bumped into him.
He grabbed my arms and steadied me. “Do you feel like someone is watching you right now?” His gaze was intense and concerned.
I shook my head. “I think I’m just anxious. All this stuff is supposed to be happening, but nothing is actually happening yet. Graduation. The wedding. The honeymoon.” I gave him a sly, knowing grin. “The big change. The Zoya.”
He dragged his hands down my arms and laced our fingers. “I’m not sure I’d be so eager for that last thing.”
“I’m not.” I sighed. “I just wish something would happen. I’m tired of waiting.”
Trent captured my lips in a soft kiss. “We could always practice making a baby,” he whispered, his eyes sparkling.
I laughed and playfully pushed him away. “You’re terrible.”
The bell rang, and I groaned. Trent walked me to class, gave me a kiss, then left. I watched his retreating form, a permanent smile on my face. He was going to be my husband! I still couldn’t believe it. I spun around to go into class when someone at the opposite end of the hall caught my eye.
It was a girl about my age—she looked like any other student—but she had bleach blonde hair and wore red-rimmed glasses that were a size too small for her pert face. She was staring right at me. I hadn’t ever seen her before.
Squinting, I attempted to get a better look, but students were jostling me out of the way so they could get into the classroom. I shoved around them, but by the time I got a clearer view, the girl was gone.
Goose bumps erupted on my arms, and a shiver wiggled down my spine. Who was that? Was she a member of Ivy’s coven, sent here to watch me? Or worse, was she a Zoya?
CHAPTER ELEVEN:
Friend or Foe?
WHEN LUNCH ROLLED AROUND, I RUSHED into the cafeteria, needing a minute or two alone with my human friends before Trent and the rest of the vampires showed up. Thankfully, the table was crowded with humans only. I made my way toward them and sat next to Ellie.
“Hey,” I said with a cheery smile. “So, this is going to sound weird, but you haven’t heard anything about a new student, have you?”
“No…” Ellie drew out the word and tilted her head as if trying to remember. “Has anyone else?”
Nick, Luke, Gina, and Tonya all shook their heads. “Did you?” Gina asked me.
“No, but I thought I saw someone earlier, and I didn’t recognize them, so I wondered if it was a new student.” I shrugged like it was no big deal, even though to me, it was a huge deal.
If that girl wasn’t a student, then she was definitely here to watch me. But who had sent her? And why?
“I need food,” Nick announced and stood.
Luke followed. A moment later, Gina and Tonya wandered toward the food line, too.
“So, I talked to my mom,” Ellie said as she crunched on a carrot stick. “She said she’s happy to make centerpieces for the tables.”
Ellie’s mom was really crafty, and she loved to make any type of decorations, so when Ellie had suggested asking her mom to help with the wedding, I’d happily agreed.
“That’s great. Tell her I said thank you, and if she needs any help at all, let me know,” I said.
Ellie laughed. “Even if she does need help, she won’t ask. She loves doing this kind of thing. And it gives her an excuse to get away from my father.” She scrunched up her face.
A moment later, strong, familiar arms wrapped around me, and I instinctively leaned into his embrace.
Trent dropped a kiss onto my cheek, then sat in the empty seat next to me. “I waited for you at your locker,” he said.
I frowned. “Sorry. I needed to talk wedding stuff with Ellie.”
“I was worried,” he said, and the concern in his voice was unmistakable.
Cupping his cheeks, I slanted my lips over his. “I’m sorry,” I said again, this time with a little more force. I knew I’d freaked him out earlier with all that talk about someone watching me, and when I told him about the bleach blonde, he was going to be even more worried.
“You two are seriously so cute,” Ellie said with a dreamy sigh.
Laughing, I rested against Trent’s side, and he wrapped his arm around me. He stroked his fingers up and down my arm, his lips never straying too far from my forehead, almost as if he couldn’t stand the thought of not kissing me or touching me right then.
Luke, Nick, Gina, and Tonya returned with food, and the conversation at the table picked up, shifting to upcoming finals and mandatory state testing. Two things I was not prepared for.
Moments later, Abby, Isach, and Whitney arrived and squeezed in around the table.
