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“Bullshit,” Hunter teases. “You were six. All six-year-olds get scared about their first day of school. Even you.” When Zay doesn’t respond, worry flickers across Hunter’s face, his lips parting. “I’m sorry, Zay. I wasn’t thinking when I said that.”
“It doesn’t fucking matter,” Zay mumbles. “None of this does.”
They grow quiet, and Hunter continues to frown as he sneaks glances at Zay. I can’t tell if he’s afraid of him or worried. Maybe a little of both. I find myself fascinated by it. How can he make people so afraid of him, even his own … friend? If that’s what Hunter is. What I wouldn’t give to have that talent. Then maybe people would stop tormenting me.
Eventually, people begin pouring into the classroom. No one says anything to Hunter or Zay, but a lot of them do double-takes in their direction then gawk at me. I’m not positive, but I have a suspicion that it has to do with the new seating arrangement. Why the hell is it such a big deal? Just what kind of guy is Zay?
The frown remains on Hunter’s face until a tall guy with dark, chin-length hair enters the room. Like Hunter, he’s dressed all in black and has a pretty face, although his seems to have a more beautifully haunted way about him, all serious, as if he hasn’t laughed in a very long time. He also has a lip and brow piercing and tattoos cover his lean arms.
“Dude,” Hunter says as he approaches. “Why are you late?”
“I had to …” He trails off as his gaze skates from Zay to me, a crinkle forming between his brows as he looks back at Hunter. “Did Mr. M. finally assign seats?”
Hunter shakes his head. “Nope.”
The stranger looks at me, but I pretend not to notice, picking at my chipped fingernail polish.
He looks back at Hunter. “Is she aware she’s sitting in Zay’s seat?”
“Yeah,” Hunter replies, leaning back in his seat and kicking his feet up onto the chair in front of him. “Apparently, she didn’t want to move.”
“She was a real bitch about it, too,” Zay mumbles as he twists sideways in his seat.
So, I’m a bitch because I wouldn’t move out of the seat when he demanded?
Annoyed, I tug out my earbuds. “I wasn’t being a bitch just because I refused to obey you.”
As Zay’s gaze cuts to me, the stranger’s brows rise while Hunter gives me some sort of cryptic pressing look.
Zay studies me for an intense beat. “You’re right; you don’t have any self-preservation.”
“Actually, I think my exact words were I left it at home,” I remind him. “Maybe I’ll remember it tomorrow. But probably not since I have a habit of forgetting things. I’m so bad that I had to install that app on my phone that helps me find my phone because I keep losing it. But I don’t think there’s an app that helps people find their self-preservation. Maybe, though. I’ll have to look into it.”
Hunter smashes his lips together while the stranger stares at me with a crinkle between his brows.
Zay’s dark gaze practically bores a hole into my head. “You know what? I think I’m going to enjoy teaching you your place here.” Then he gets up and storms out of the classroom.
The stranger lets out an exhausted sigh. “Do you want to go check on him this time?” he asks Hunter.
Hunter shakes his head. “Might be better to let him vent it out this time.”
“Maybe.” The stranger drops into Zay’s seat then turns around to look at me. “So, who are you?”
I have no plans of answering him, but Hunter does it for me.
“That’d be Ravenlee Wilowwynter. Raven for short.” A smile dances at his lips as he glances at the stranger. “Ironic, isn’t it?”
Huh?
The stranger stares at me with an unreadable expression. “Perhaps.”
Dude, these guys are weird.
“I tried earlier to get more information out of her,” Hunter informs him, still appearing amused, “but she insisted she wants to remain mysterious. I’ll wear her down, though. In fact, I predict we’re going to be BFFs by October eighth.” He winks at me.
“That’s a really random number,” I tell him. “Maybe you’re the psychic.”
Strands of his hair fall into his eyes as he shakes his head. “Nah, I’m just a goal setter, something you should know about me if we’re going to be friends. You should also know that I almost always meet my goals, so get ready to start making those friendship bracelets.”
