Running from His Claim (Beauty and the Beast #2)

Chapter 41

The rest of the week flew by in a blur. Victor was by my side almost completely through it and I was glad my life had gotten back to normal.

I barely caught a glimpse of Warren in school but that only made me happier. Whatever was going on between him and Caitlin, I didn't want to be a part of it. She still hadn't been seen in school and it seemed like no one at all had noticed my near demise, something that relieved me. Warren's secret was safe as ever.

Derek caught up to me after my first exam on Friday. For some reason he'd been the one waiting outside my class instead of Victor. "Hey. I never heard back from you about the hiking trip."

"What can I say? Midterms." They took the fall for everything these days, including ignoring his myriad texts.

"So um, the Spring Dance is coming up."

"Yeah..." I glanced at him as we walked towards the lunchroom. "You and Anya will be there, right?"

"Uh, separately." He turned to me. "So um, do you have a date?"

"Date?" I frowned blankly until it clicked. "Oh, no. I'm not going."

He frowned now. "Isn't the prom queen supposed to go?"

Oh, right. I still held that title. "I'll think about it. Besides - ow!" Someone yanked on my arm, pulling me aside.

"Sorry," Cole grinned sheepishly.

"I was talking to someone," I protested.

"Well he's gone now," he dismissed, totally relaxed as he lounged against a locker. "Besides, I have to ask this before I lose my nerve. Will you be my date for the Spring Dance?"

I placed my hand on my forehead and counted to five. I made it to two. "Sorry, can't."

"Why not?"

"Because...I don't want to go. Sorry, Cole. Can't do it."

He gave in with poor grace, moaning dramatically, then pleaded, "At least promise me you'll turn Chris down too."

"She already has," Chris announced behind me. I turned to find him with Logan and Jeff. "She used Tisha as an excuse."

"Why're you turning us all down?" Cole asked curiously.

"I don't want to go and you guys just want a date the easy way."

"Okay, first off: as prom queen you can't miss it," Chris explained. "This is one of those events that were designed specifically so everyone adores you, okay?"

"And second:" Jeff said, "asking you out is the hardest thing we've ever faced. We're the Black Cats, girls love us. Observe."

He strutted up to a girl in junior year. I laughed in amazement as she blushed incessantly. It only took a few minutes for her to input her number in his phone. He returned with a smug grin. "Locked and loaded!" he bragged and hit a low five with Logan.

"Lunch?" Logan asked me with a raised brow.

I nodded and we headed towards the lunchroom. Randy fell into step with me.

"Belle -"

"No."

"You'd never be this rude to Tyler," he complained.

He was on the receiving end of my sweetest smile. "Hello, Randy. How are you?"

"Uh, a little scared? About the Dance coming up -"

"No," I repeated, drawing a chair at my table. My friends were already there.

"Can you guys move over for a minute?" Chris asked while they all grabbed chairs and imposed themselves at our table.