Nico Vaughan, the junior class "Nice Girl" wants to be free from her abusive and obsessive ex-boyfriend.
Valen Henford, the school's resident "Rich Guy meets Bad Boy" wants to spend his senior year with the girl he's been in love with for years.
W...
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"On my deathbed, I will not think of death, But of life, And how I was fortunate Enough to live mine At the same time That you lived yours" (dd).
|◁ II ▷|
I watch as Nico places the older copy of Beowulf in her backpack, waiting patiently. She pauses, and I pretend to be confused until she pulls out a new book.
"Man, this dude is insane," I mutter, leaning in.
A smile tugs incessantly at the corner of my lips. I act like I'm getting a good look at the title while I'm really relieved on the inside that West could pull this off. I was afraid for a moment Ms. Plynto wouldn't let him in the class, even if I did explain things to her.
"Oh, my gosh!" Nico beams, holding the book closer to me. "It's the next in my series! I told you last night that I finished it, remember?"
"Damn," I laugh, taking the book in my hands like I did earlier. "Any ideas who the book...person is?"
"Ah, no," Nico says almost urgently. Maybe with a hint of desperation. "Valen, I thought for sure it was you, though."
Valen.
Wait, what?
"What?" I say out loud, trying to stay cool.
She bumps my shoulder as she takes the book back and zips up her bag. "Well, it couldn't've been. You were with me the whole time. It has to be someone in this class, though."
She not-so-subtly looks around the room as people are packing up and leaving for their final classes of the day. "While we were in the library, someone in here put it in my bag!"
My eyes move over to Ms. Plynto, and I see her flat-out staring at us with a large grin. My eyes widen, and I pull my backpack over my shoulder.
"Well, you've got to figure this out," I tease her. "He could be the love of your life, and you still don't even know who he is."
She glares at me with a suppressed smile. "Dude... this is no laughing matter. This could be my soulmate."
I watch her eye-roll me with humor, and right as we leave the room, I turn back and mouth "thank you" to our hopeless romantic of an English teacher.
|◁ II ▷|
The car grows silent as we near Jalen's house, and I feel my excitement grow as the guys, all dressed in black or dark colors, start passing toilet paper rolls. One guy hands me a confetti popper.
