When Ash Rains Down

Chapter Six

All of the homecoming queen garb—flower vines and tiara—are stuffed in my locker. The kids in the office didn't recognize me, but I don't chance anyone making a big deal over me in the cafeteria. My goal is to get in, grab food, and get out.

Three, two, one. I charge in, head down, pull the hood of my sweatshirt over my head, and make my way around the perimeter of the room toward the lunch line. The cafeteria is huge and white, with no place to hide. White-tiled floor, white brick walls, white ceiling, white hanging lights. In stark contrast, the tables are royal blue circles. Blue chairs circle each of the dozens of tables. It's loud and claustrophobic.

I slide a tray across the silver bar, letting the lunch ladies pour whatever they have onto it. Out of the blue, my shoulder blade pain acts up. A muted pain that's obnoxious and rude.

And I can't tell for sure, but I think my necklace's stone has another fever.

Maybe I'm coming down with something.

When I've nearly made it to the end of the lunch line without so much as a comment in my direction, a low, husky, sexy, make-my-heart-do-push-ups voice says, "Whoa, princess, where's the fire?"

Cole. Oh, not now, Cole. No-no-no-no-no.

My mind goes blank and my heart reacts before my lips do. But when they do, they also betray my cautious mind and spread wide across my face.

"Hey," I reply, all breathy, and annoyingly sounding more like 'Cole I want you.' than 'Dude, what's up?'

Cole smiles and the dimple in his left cheek winks at me. I look away, at the floor, at the fluorescent lights pouring down upon the tables... Not. At. Him.

"What's up?" I prompt, all strong and whispery. Who am I kidding? Weak-sounding.

His eyes dart around conspiratorially, before he ducks his head to whisper, "You in hiding?"

I glance around. Sure enough, the entire student body is looking at us.

I roll my eyes. "Not anymore."

I start to walk, and he follows. I find a table in the corner and am relieved and panicked that he is still with me, standing so I am blocked from view by his... body.

I breathe.

I'm breathing.

I can handle a robber with a knife, but Cole Stevens approaches me in the lunchroom, and I fall apart?

He's wearing a fitted dark gray T-shirt, jeans that are probably a thousand dollars, and a watch that costs as much as our apartment and diner put together. His brown hair is shaggy and wavy and perfect, along with his blue, blue eyes I am trying desperately not to get lost in.

On anyone else, rich ticks me off. But Cole's got this way about him. Maybe it's his swagger, or the way his hair never looks freshly cut. Maybe it's the way he sets his left shoulder slightly back, either because he really is as cocky as he seems, or because he's always ready to charge forward, ready to fight, like me.

I shake my head to clear it. I seriously don't have time for this right now. For him. For the way he muddles my mind.

I pull my hood off my head. Need air.

"Hey, where's your crown?" I ask him, the homecoming king.

He laughs. "In my locker. Yours?"

Even though my heart is beaming at his presence, I control myself and give him half a grin. So very nonchalant. "Same."