"I have to bite back a gasp as River's hand comes up, brushing my long hair back behind my ears. He doesn't stop there, letting his hand travel to my cheek and stroking lightly. His thumb brushes over my lips, parting them, and I barely stop a moan...
"Enjoy your last night without your school uniform," Jessica says grimly as we walk down to the dining hall.
"I mean, it could be worse," I reply. Our school uniforms really aren't that bad. They're black skirts for the girls or pants for the guys, paired with a white button-down shirt and a black blazer. It actually looks okay with my dark brown hair and hazel eyes. "Imagine if our uniforms were yellow."
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"Ew, laughs Jessica. "That would be disgusting. At least we get casual Fridays." On Fridays, uniforms aren't required, and students can dress in everyday clothes. She pushes open the door to the cafeteria, and we stand in line for food. As we wait, I look into the sea of students eating their food. I see a few familiar faces, which makes me feel slightly better. Hopefully, some of the girls I met over the last few days will be in my classes. I'm about to turn back to Jessica when I spot a familiar face.
The boy I bumped into outside the library sits at a table near the back of the cafeteria.
He's with another good looking guy, and Marina. For a moment, I wonder if Marina will invite us to sit with them, but she's too engrossed in their conversion to notice us, and Jessica seems to have no intention of approaching them.
I stare a minute longer until Jessica nudges me, and I realize that it's our turn to get food. Hastily, I grab an ugly brown tray and fill it with food. As we walk toward a table, I decide to just bite the bullet and ask Jessica what the deal is with this guy. I bump her with my shoulder and then jerk my head toward where he sits.
"Um, do you know who that is?" I ask as quietly as possible. Jessica cranes her head over my shoulder to see who I've indicated, and when her eyes land on Mr. Hotness, she gives me a knowing grin.
"That's River St. Claire," she replies. "He's a senior like us. I'm so busy trying to stare at him discreetly that I don't notice Jessica watching me until she adds: "I know he's stupid hot, but I feel like I should warn you now; you should probably stay away from him.
"Why?" We sat down a few tables away from River and his friends. My stomach is turning again. I don't know if asking Jessica about River was a good idea, but I want to know more about him. My only other friend so far is Carly, a girl from the lake, but there's no way I'm asking her. She's very sweet, but I have a feeling that if I ask her, she'll tell all of her friends and teenage girls aren't known for keeping their mouths shut. The last thing I want is for that to get back to River. What a way to start my first week at a new school. I mentally shudder.
"It's complicated," Jessica says. Of course it is.
"River transferred here to Eastwood in his freshman year of high school. He started dating a girl named Imeria Ward almost immediately. Honestly, they were like Romeo and Juliet. They couldn't keep their hands off each other. They were that annoyingly perfect popular couple, but instead of being jerks, they were nice to everyone."
