Bittersweet (Book #1 Evening Wings Trilogy)

Chapter 11

11

I pulled the Rust Bucket into my familiar parking space at the farthest end of the student lot and adjusted my purple cap. Then I got out of the Rust Bucket, locked the door and lingered outside in the cold for just a tiny second.

I could feel the bite of the lingering frost on the legs that weren’t protected by my high rainbow yarn socks. My lavender boots felt comfortable and my faded red coatdress felt exceptionally warm. I began my walk to the school building, hands in my pockets, school bag banging my hip every time my legs moved forward.

Someone’s arms caught me around the waist, lips were on mine, excited, and hyperactive, but still apologetic, sparking ten thousand butterflies in the pit of my stomach.

“Hi Elizabeth, how are you? I’m fine thanks for asking.” I laughed when my lips were free.

He kissed me again, just to show it. “Sorry,”

“You’re forgiven,” I laughed again.

Xander stared down at me; his gorgeous irises swirled around in deep, foreboding circles. I ran a hand through his silky hair as my eyes stared cavernously into his. We stepped apart, and he kept one of my hands, looking back at me to see if it was okay. I nodded.

“Liz? What are you doing with Sinclair?” a surprised voice called from behind us.

I turned around to find Heidi and her tiny posse, standing behind us, looking high school girl fabulous in their mini dress coats that bared much more legs than was humanly possible in such frosty weather.

But they aren’t human; a small voice reminded me in the back of my head.

Heidi’s eyes were demanding an answer, and suddenly I felt scared. I didn’t know why I was scared of a girl inches shorter than I was, but I just was. Heidi looked like she was going to kill me if I didn’t say what she wanted to hear.

I gulped instead and looked down at the toes of my boots.

“Is he irritating you?” she assumed, shooting Xander the evil eye.

“No, he—”

“Because if he is,” Heidi began. “Then we’re going to have a major problem.”

“No,” Xander interjected. “I was just… leaving.” He looked at me a final time, and something painful hid under the visage of his diverting eyes. “See you later.” He whispered under his breath, before he shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away.

I felt horrible about what happened, but I couldn’t do anything. At least, not now.

“Gee, freak much?” Heidi rolled her eyes. “Honestly, I do not see what you see in him.” She linked her arm through mine. It felt weird, and wrong in every form. “Suck it up Liz. Stay away from the Sinclairs.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, but I didn’t say anything. She towed my towering body into the school and I felt horrible about having to pretend I was her number one best friend on planet popularity. Heidi was as shallow as the girls on stupid reality TV were. She prided herself on her notoriety… as if it would get her anywhere.

When Xander passed me in the hall as Heidi and her posse lingered around my locker, we made eye contact, but only for an unnoticed fraction of a second. And then he shoved his hands in his pockets and slouched away. I watched his lofty build slink down the hallway as Heidi pointlessly threw insults at his back.

I honestly didn’t get her. No one was allowed to jibe at Taylor or anything that she did, yet she insulted and degraded us every day, and I was starting to get so sick of it.