Beware of Bad Boy

Chapter 6

"Beauty awakens the soul to act." -Dante Alighieri

CALEB

I spent the next hour of the party observing Gianna in what I now liked to call her natural habitat. I relished the power I possessed over her. I just needed to figure out what precisely to do with it.

I noticed how Jared took every opportunity possible to touch Gianna in some way, or he'd find ways for her to touch him. An arm slung over her shoulder in a friendly manner seemed not to faze her. Maybe he meant it only as a friend, but either way, it bothered me. I was starting to think of Gianna as belonging in some way to me. Not in a relationship sort of way, of course, because I didnt do relationships. I just felt protective of her. It was completely natural, given our relationship as stepsiblings. It was also clear that the girl was mixed up and needed to get her life together. This double life business, where she was one way during the week at school and something else altogether on the weekends couldnt be healthy.

It amazed me that at home she clearly did what her mom and everyone expected of her. It was almost as if she wasnt a real person at home, but some alternative universe version of Gianna. Here, with people she was comfortable being around, I watched her and she seemed to be a more likable person. It was like Gianna and Gigi were two different people. Which one was the real Gianna? I was guessing Gigi. Why was Gianna the way she was at home? Why didn't Gigi exist at home and school? I'd definitely be finding out.

Dante was still hitting it off with Nina, but I'd lost interest in Skylar even though she'd suggested we go out to my car to be alone. The air of desperation in her eagerness was a turn off tonight. Normally, Id be all over that.

I weaved through the crowd of people until I spotted Taye. Needing to get rid of her, I asked him to do me the favor of taking Skylar off my hands. He was more than happy to oblige and within seconds was sitting on the couch next to her.

I located Cece and asked her if I could talk to her privately. She nodded with a serious look on her face and I followed her to what must've been her bedroom, unless it was Jared with the purple walls and bedspread.

"What's up?" she asked, plopping down on the bed. I pushed from my mind the memories of other girls' bedrooms I'd been in. Gianna would have my balls if I put the moves on her cute little friend.

Figuring out the best way to play this out, I started by saying, "I'm worried about Gianna."

She immediately became alert and I didn't even have to say anything else, because damn did the girl like to talk. Her wild hand gestures combined with long curly black hair whipping around made it all the more animated.

"I know exactly what you mean, Caleb. We all worry about her, especially me and Jared. She's like a sister to us. I first met her when we started ballet together when we were little. She was always really quiet and the other girls thought she was stuck up because even then she looked like a mini supermodel. You should've seen her mom, though, she was so overbearing. Wanted everything to be perfect, especially Gianna, and always talking about how beautiful Gianna was. No wonder the girl was shy, with a mother like that. When we got to middle school, her mom started letting her spend the night on some Saturday nights. That's when Jared was really getting into breaking. We used to watch him and his friends and eventually we learned the moves and became part of the crew a few years ago. Now, Gianna is with us almost every Saturday night!" She ended the last sentence with a pleased smile.

I opened my mouth to comment on a couple things she said, but she wasn't done yet. "When Gianna started hanging out with the crew, she really came out of her shell. I feel so bad for her, though, being so gorgeous. You know she hates it, don't you? She knows that most girls only want to be around her because she attracts guys' attention. And, of course, you know why guys want to be around her." She tilted her head to the side and studied me. "No offense, but I'm getting a definite player vibe coming off you."