The Hunter Beside Me

1: Expected

Bash

"Dude, did you hear me?" Nolan elbowed me in the ribs and scoffed.

"Why are you giving me that look? I'm listening." I rubbed my side and avoided looking down the crowded hall at Emily again; it wasn't easy. She was leaning against her locker, talking to one of her friends, beaming. Man, she had a perfect smile—it lit up her entire face and set off tingles in my chest.

Nolan chuckled. "No, you weren't, you were too busy eyeballing Emily. Why don't you ask her out? You obviously like each other."

"I did. Her parents won't let her date yet."

"Damn, that sucks. Lauren has lots of hot friends, and you're not totally hideous. I'm sure she'd hook you up."

"She tried to set me up with Kelly, but I wasn't feeling it."

"Kelly? Cheerleader Kelly! What the hell is wrong with you? She's cute, I'd have jumped on that." Nolan rolled his eyes. "Okay, she's no Lauren, but Lauren's taken. Back off."

I snickered. "You know Lauren's just a friend. If I was interested in her, I wouldn't have told her to give you a chance freshman year." I flicked his ear, and he swatted my hand away.

"Dude, please." He lifted his chin and posed, flexing his arms. "Like she could have resisted all this. Seriously though, Kelly's with Brandon now, but Lauren has plenty of other friends. Why don't you let her find another girl for you?"

I studied the dirt on the edge of my boot. It had been a while since I'd taken a girl out, but there was no one I wanted to spend time with except Emily. Before I could say that, someone tugged on my sleeve and I looked up to find Emily smiling at me. My stomach flipped as I grinned.

"Hey, Bash! Ready for algebra?" I nodded, and she said, "Well, come on, before we're late."

I fell into step beside her and glanced back at Nolan. "Nah, dude. I'm good."

He laughed and shook his head.

In class, Emily followed me to the back of the room, where I took the desk against the wall and she dropped into the seat in front of me.

Turning around, she leaned on my desk. "How was your morning?"

She always asked the same question, and we'd talk for a few minutes until the teacher showed up. Everyone else was having their own conversations or hurrying to finish their homework. It was the only time it was just the two of us, and it was the best part of my day.

When the teacher walked in, Emily spun around and leaned over to get her book from her bag. She was wearing those low-rise jeans again. I freaking loved algebra.

Lilla huffed and crossed her arms, tearing me from my memories as I turned onto my street. I glanced in the rearview mirror just as Owen silently hopped from the bed of the truck, darting through the trees toward the back of my house like we planned. We hoped everyone inside would focus on Lilla and me and not watch for anyone else in the darkened yard.

"Are you going to pull right up to your house with them waiting for us?" Lilla screeched, eyes wide.

I took a deep breath and held it. We knew she'd complain; that's why we didn't tell her. Lilla's concern was killing the mimics. Great, we wanted them gone too. But for now, there were two goals—protect my friends, and kill the monsters holding them—in that order. Saving people was a bit lower on her list of priorities.

Exhaling slowly, I said, "That's the plan. They're expecting us. It's not like we can sneak up on them."

"That doesn't mean we have to walk in the front door! I didn't agree to this nonsense strategy," she yelled as I parked in the driveway.