I look straight ahead and see Vincent leaning against his car, looking sexy in jeans and a black knit shirt that accentuates his muscles. My stomach flutters and I hang up, picking up my pace to meet him.
His lips stretch into an alluring smile that makes my stomach flip. I wrap my arms around him, breathing in his warm, spicy scent. “Steal me away, eh?”
“Yeah.” He kisses me like he hasn’t seen me in weeks. It almost makes me forget we’re in the school parking lot and make out with him. My knees weaken when his fingers barely graze my bare stomach.
The bell rings and suddenly I hear voices from students around us. I haven’t paid attention to anyone walking by us and I can’t believe we made out with so many people watching us.
He groans and breaks the kiss. “Curse that bell.”
We walk hand-in-hand inside until we get to my locker where Cherry waits for me.
“Hey, Cherry,” Vincent says.
“H-hi,” she stammers.
“I’ll see you in later,” he says, touching my elbow slightly before walking away.
I watch him then turn to Cherry, whose eyebrows are raised, expectantly.
“Morning?” I smile innocently.
Her lips stretch into a wide smile. “I love it.”
“I’m crazy about him.”
When I turn back to look at Vincent’s backside, Casper is walking toward us. My throat tightens as our eyes meet.
“Hey, Megan,” he says. “Cherry. It was good talking to you this morning.”
“Yeah, you too,” I try to say, but it doesn’t come out right. Heat spreads all over my face and I don’t want to face Cherry. Casper continues to walk down the hall.
Cherry raises her eyebrows, grabs my wrist and pulls me into the bathroom. “Explain.”
“I—” We hear the door open and immediately hear Amber talking to a friend. Both Cherry and I hurriedly squeeze into a stall before they come inside. She sits on the back of the toilet while I squat on the toilet seat. I don’t want to face Amber again. I especially don’t want her hearing me talk about Casper. That would only add fuel to her fire.
“Omigod. Have you seen Megan Devereux?” It sounds like Trinity Taylor. Cherry and I exchange a look. Did they see us? “Ever since you gave her that black eye, she’s been wearing her hair like some emo kid.” Trinity laughs.
“Serves her right. I mean, she still won’t leave Casper alone,” Amber complains. I hear her rummaging through her purse and spray something. It only takes seconds for the entire bathroom to smell like vanilla. “It’s like she can’t get the hint that we’re together. You know he gave her a ride yesterday?”
“Why would he give her a ride?”
“He says her car broke down, but her car is fine. I saw her driving it. She is so obsessed with Casper. You know she broke into his house to wake him up one day because he didn’t show up at school, right?”
I stiffen and my stomach drops. I can’t believe he told them. I should’ve seen this coming. I knew it. I knew it was all a trick. After everything I told him this morning. My eyes blur but I force the tears away.
“No!” Trinity laughs. “Seriously? What a freak! Ugh. Why does Casper put up with her?”
“He’s playing with her. He tells me every night all the stupid things she says to him.”
Trinity laughs. “She is gullible.”
“She’ll get what’s coming to her. By the way, don’t be late to dance practice today. Coach was fuming yesterday.”
The bell rings and they leave the bathroom. I shakily open the stall door and exhale.
“Since when are Trinity and Amber friends?” Cherry asks.
“I don’t care, but this is getting old.”
“What did you expect would happen when you did that?” I know she’s only helping, but it angers me more. “You know Casper. He’s never going to change. He’s still that stupid ten-year-old jerk.”
“But why would he pay for my car?” And we’re sharing dreams. He can’t be lying about that.
“He’s manipulating you to get into your pants. Why else would he suddenly start paying attention to you? Come on. Let’s go to class.”
It can’t be true. Why would Casper manipulate me when we’re having the same dream? Maybe Cherry is right. Maybe he is only wanting to get me in bed. Is he using the shared dreams to his advantage?
I shouldn’t be bothered by it, but the whole thing makes my heart ache. I don’t know why I’m hurt and I why I care, but I do. How could he hurt me like this?
Chapter Nineteen
All I can think of are ways to show Casper how much he hurt me. I could involve Vincent, but that won’t be wise. I felt the tension between them, and I know one of them would get seriously hurt. It’s ridiculous to think it would be because of me. Why did I feel such tension with them if Casper is playing with me?
Casper enters English, joking with his friends and I want to lunge at him. I don’t make eye contact, though I can feel his eyes on me. He strolls over to the desk next to mine and slides in it.
“Hey.” He smiles.
I don’t acknowledge him. I hold my pen, tightly between my fingers and chew on the inside of my mouth. My hair is like a curtain, hiding him from view.
“What’s wrong?”
I ignore him while the teacher explains our assignment. Analyzing poetry from the Victorian era. It’s going to be a lengthy assignment since we have six poems from a poet. He walks around and passes out ours and I look over it. Elizabeth Barrett Browning. And of course, one of the poems we have to analyze is her Sonnet 43. How do I love thee? Great.
We
