But karma was a female dog, which was quickly proven when class began.
“Break up into your assigned groups of four and work on the project I’ve outlined,” Professor Slade said to the room before backing off the podium and taking a seat at his desk. “I’ll be grading papers but available for any questions.”
My eyes stared at the projected list, where my name was woefully crammed between Sleepy Susan and Aaron Richards.
Okay, so her name didn’tliterallysay Sleepy Susan, but we were all thinking it.
Unfortunately, she was the one I was least worried about. I was a little more concerned with the boy I may or may not have snarked back to when he was looking for a seat the first day of class.
Blaise’s name above Susan’s was another kick to the gut, and I held my breath while shuffling over to Susan’s desk. Neutral territory.
A red notebook dropped onto the desk with an echoing slap as I sat down, and Susan jerked awake. I’d recognize the grimy fingernails holding that notebook anywhere.
“Aaron,” I said politely before looking up to see his blue eyes glaring down at me. Déjà vu hit with the force of a train, and I gulped on instinct.
It appeared he remembered me, too.
“Blondie.” His lip curled up in a sneer as he dropped unceremoniously into a chair.
Blaise appeared behind him, red curls pulled back in a high ponytail and enough resentment in her gaze to fuel an army when she looked at me. “Emma, how’s mother dearest doing? I haven’t heard from her in a few days.”
I stifled a groan and tried to ignore the way her sneer rivaled Aaron’s. “Hi, Blaise.”
She sat without another word and quickly lost interest in me.
I glanced around the room, officially jealous of every other group in the class, since they were all actively working together. My eyes spotted Noah’s table quickly, and it was obvious he’d immediately taken over as lead of the project. From the way his sharp eyes darted between the other group members as he spoke, and the commanding finger pointing at the paper sitting between them, I wasn’t too proud to admit that I may have swooned in my seat a little bit. He looked like an army commander, and the others in his group nodded along—riveted to every word.
My own eyes were riveted to the way his hands rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, causing the muscles in his forearms to flex as he motioned around. It reminded me of when we’d eaten lunch together yesterday and I’d gotten caught staring at his wrists when he’d taken a bite of his turkey sandwich.
I wasn’t sure Noah believed my little white lie when I’d told him I was inspecting the turkey to make sure it wasn’t raw, but seriously—it wasn’t fair for a guy to have such attractive wrists.
Telling him would only inflate his ego. So really, I’d been looking out for him by making a fuss about the turkey.
The subject of my scrutiny met my gaze across the room with those piercing hazel eyes, and I was officially caught creeping as an amused smile curved his lips.
I just stared stupidly back as my heart rate ramped up.
Blaise cleared her throat, and I focused my attention back on our little gang of misfits.
“I can’t believe I have to do a project with you losers,” Aaron said, and it took all of my willpower not to kick his chair. Blaise raised an eyebrow while Susan just blinked wearily.
“I guess we can start with picking a piece to discuss?” I offered in hopes of getting the ball rolling. “Then we just need to figure out how to present on it for ten minutes.”
My suggestion was met with one blank stare, one glare, and the back of Aaron’s head as he ignored me.
“And why exactly should we be taking your suggestions?” Blaise’s glare turned glacial. “The other students with your grade dropped out, you know.”
My jaw dropped, and even Aaron fell silent at her sharp tone. “I’ve been improving.”
“Yes, of course.” She offered a tight-lipped smile and lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “If only all problems in life could be solved by sleeping with the smartest guy in the class, right?”
I blinked, and Aaron let out a snort of surprise on my other side.
What. The. Hell.
“Blaise,” I said, completely uncomfortable with where this was going. My face was hot enough to fry an egg. “Noah helping me study has nothing to do with the dates. I’m not using him for my grade.”
“Oh, so it’sdatesnow?” She leaned back in her chair. “Whatever. You guys have fun doing the project. It’s not as if I have a grade relying on it.”
