I make a face. “Who knows anymore. I breathe, and he’s mad. It is what it is.”
Except this is different. I can feel it. I just can’t figure out why.
“He’s such a dick,” she grumbles.
“Yeah … he is.”
I fight the urge to turn back around to look at him and finish my breakfast as quickly as possible so I can get away from his burning stare.
When I reach English class later, I stop short as soon as I walk into the classroom. Liam’s sitting in his old seat, away from mine. I’m surprised by how disappointed I am by that. Slowly, I make my way over to him. He doesn’t ignore me, but his expression isn’t as friendly as the ones he was showing me Friday night.
“Hey, Liam, you okay?”
He arches a brow, his gaze almost bored. “Yeah, why?”
“Well … it’s just, you seemed really mad Friday night and—”
“I wasn’t,” he interrupts.
There’s a finality to his words that lets me know loud and clear the subject is closed. So, we’re just going to pretend nothing happened that night. Cool.
Whatever.
“We should probably schedule another time to meet for the project,” I say in the most detached voice I can muster.
“I could do Wednesday,” he sighs, rubbing a hand through his thick black hair. “Library?”
I try not to think about the last time I was there. Otherwise, my voice might fail me. “If you wanted to go somewhere else—”
“Library’s good,” he cuts me off again, and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. “We should stick to staying on campus. Better we’re not seen in public together.”
His words sting, more so because I’d thought we were making progress toward being friends. I try not to let my hurt show, but I’m not sure I’m all that successful.
Raising my chin, I grit out, “Fine. Wednesday at the library it is. See you there.”
Spinning on my heel, I march to my seat and try my best not to look his way for the rest of class.
I fail.
My bad mood hasn’t improved any by the time I get to gym class. I’m glad today we have a free play period, so I can swim and pretend no one else is there. Mr. Norris has us all line up at the very beginning of class to explain exactly what we can and cannot do during class today. I’m only half-listening, though. My gaze keeps swinging toward Saint, who appears to be pointedly avoiding me, his jawline tight and his eyes narrowed straight ahead.
I gnash my teeth in frustration and anger. First, he ruins my Friday night, and now he’s pretending I don’t exist?
Stupid, privileged bastard.
When Mr. Norris releases us to go do our own activities, I’m so done with Saint’s bullshit, that I storm straight toward him. His stormy blue eyes meet mine briefly, but he turns away without a word and begins heading to the weight room with most of the other guys.
“Hey!” I snap. “I need to talk to you.”
He doesn’t turn around. Doesn’t acknowledge in any way that he’s heard me. I curl my hands into fists and keep up my pursuit.
“Saint, I swear to God—”
“Holy shit, stage five clinger alert.” I stop in my tracks and turn to find Laurel and her posse of airheads giggling at as she sneers at me. As usual, she’s got one hand on her hip. “Take a hint, bitch. He doesn’t want your loose-ass-pussy. Stop stalking him.”
Another round of snorts and giggles.
Stomach churning with fury, I let out a hiss and open my mouth to snap back a retort, but a deep, deliciously male voice beats me to it.
“For fuck’s sake, Laurel, nobody asked your opinion. Go pretend to break a sweat somewhere else.”
I gape at Saint, who’s flashing his ex with a look that could conquer cities, empires, all on its own. Laurel looks just as shocked as I feel, but she doesn’t try to argue with him. Shooting me a death glare, she slinks away, her bitches slithering right behind her.
“Thanks, I think,” I murmur.
Saint doesn’t say a word as he directs his ice-cold features toward me. Unlike Laurel, however, I don’t shirk away from him. I stare him down and let him see just how furious I really am with him. There’s a moment where I think he’ll say something, but he doesn’t. He’s determined to give me the silent treatment, it seems, as he grants me his broad back and stalks off toward the weight room.
For a moment, I consider chasing after him again and confronting him in front of all his stupid friends. I decide against it, however, and turn to make my way to the pool.
Nobody’s there when I walk into the large, stuffy room, and it’s a relief. I’m sure Laurel and her goons have found some poor freshman to suck the life out of by now, so I’m confident I’ll get some peace for the remainder of class. I strip my t-shirt and mesh shorts off and make sure my swimsuit’s still covering all the important parts before I go and dive into the water.
A couple weeks ago, I decided I wanted to try out for the swim team, so I’ve been increasing my practicing whenever I can because I would need every advantage when it came to even being considered at this school. I’m feeling strong as I cut through the water with ease, and don’t feel the least bit winded when I reach the opposite end. Turning, I push off the wall and swim back. I go lap after lap for the rest of the class, pausing on occasion to catch my breath, but never surrendering the quiet of the pool. When my phone alarm goes off, telling me class is almost over, I let out a disappointed sigh. Making my way to the ladder, I pull myself up and out of the water.
Standing on the edge of the pool, something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye. Before I can turn to look, though, something slams into the side of my head. Stars burst in my vision as pain explodes in my skull. I stumble as darkness begins to overwhelm me, and then I’m losing my balance and falling backwards.
I lose consciousness before I hit the water.
There’s a pain in my chest and something pinching my nose painfully. I want to breath, but I can’t. Something’s clogging my lungs. Crushing my body.
I begin to panic, but then there’s something else. Something warm and firm that presses against my mouth until air flows down my esophagus. Whatever is clogging me up is loosened, and suddenly I’m heaving water. I cough and gag as someone rolls me onto my side. Water pours from my mouth like a fountain, but I can breathe normally again.
“Thank fuck,” a strained voice says from above me. “I thought you were dead.”
Slowly, carefully, I turn to look up at my apparent rescuer. Bronze skin. The Angelview Academy gym uniform of white and green t-shirt with black athletic shorts plastered to a muscular body. Blond hair clinging to what I’ve already admitted is the most stunning male face I’ve ever seen.
Saint stares down at me, his expression strained, and my stomach explodes with butterflies.
“Wh-what happened?” I whisper.
“I was gonna ask you that,” he growls. Slipping his hand under my head, he helps me into a sitting position, then pats my back a few times as I’m overwhelmed with another coughing fit. “I walked in and found you sinking to the bottom of the pool, unconscious. I had to pull you out and give you mouth-to-mouth.”