AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So, I’m gonna assume that’s a no.” She bends down to tie her sneaker. At least, I think that’s what she’s doing. “Let’s not talk about this anymore while we’re standing out in the open, okay?” she whispers as she ties her shoe. “However, if you want to hang out at lunch or after school, I can totally give you the rundown of this hellhole that you now call home. That way, you’ll be able to survive.”
I want to ask her,Survive what?but she seems pretty adamant about shutting that conversation right now, so I let it drop.
She stands up and dusts off her hands. “So, you wanna leave campus and get some lunch?”
I want to. I like Harlow, and it’d be nice to hang out with her, but I’m helping the guys, and I really do want to help them, mostly so I can get some answers for myself.
I’m about to tell her I can’t when Jax walks up to us. He still has that pen tucked behind his ear, which I find amusing, and he’s also carrying a small wooden box.
“Hey, Low,” he greets then looks at me, his eyes all warm, again making me question what this shy, sweet guy could’ve possibly done to make everyone afraid of him. “You ready to go to lunch?”
I start to nod then look at Harlow. “Sorry, I was about to tell you that I told Jax, Hunter, and Zay that I’d go to lunch with them today.”
“It’s cool,” she says, but I can tell she’s a bit hurt, and I feel bad. “You want a ride home from school?”
I start to nod when Jax interrupts.
“Actually,” he says with hesitancy, “I was going to take you to get a new phone after school.”
“Oh.” I can feel Harlow’s gaze burrowing into me.
“You’re buying her a new phone?” she asks with a trace of amusement. “Interesting.”
“Hers is really old,” Jax explains, looking at her confusedly. “But why did you say it like that?”
“Like what?” Harlow replies innocently.
Jax does not seem impressed, narrowing his gaze on her. “Don’t play dumb with me, Low.”
She tosses a sassy grin in his direction. “You don’t scare me,Jaxon. I can still remember that shy little boy who cried because he accidentally killed a butterfly.”
He shakes his head and mumbles, “That’s not why I was crying.”
I’d probably find it funny and kind of adorable that he cried over something like that, but I’m getting the strangest sense of déjà vu.
The little boy holds the butterfly in his hand, crying. “I killed it.”
“It’s okay,” I say, crouching down beside him. “Butterflies have multiple lives.”
He sniffs as he glances up at me. “You promise?”
I nod, even though I don’t know for sure. But it seems possible. Butterflies are magical, right? That’s what my mom told me. And magical things live forever.
He stops crying, but sadness continues to reflect from his eyes. “I don’t want you to die.”
“Earth to Raven.” Harlow waves her hand in front of my face.
I jerk back and blink. “Huh?”
She examines me with concern. So does Jax.
“Are you okay?” Harlow asks with a questioning look on her face.
I nod, an uneven breath slowly easing from my lips. “I think I’m just tired. I slept like shit last night.”
That appears to satisfy her. Jax, however, doesn’t seem to buy it, his gaze basically burning a hole into the side of my head.
“We should get going”—he shifts the box to underneath his arm—“before Zay has a shit-fit.”
