Page 15 of You Said I Was Your Favorite

Ever since that conversation with Arch, I’ve been doing things out of the norm. Not that I’m pleased about it.

Mrs. Peebles finalizes a few things on the computer before she prints out my new schedule and hands it to me. “If the classes start to overwhelm you, let me know, okay? We can make a few more changes if necessary. I don’t want you getting in over your head.”

“Thank you.” I take the schedule from her, wondering if she gave Arch the same warning.

Probably not. She most likely believes he’s capable of such a tough class load and has zero doubts. Where I’m looked at as weaker.

Or maybe I’m projecting my own insecurities on this poor woman. I’m not sure.

I escape the building seconds later, headed for my first class, which hasn’t changed. It’s advanced English, and he’s in that class.

Arch.

The moment I walk in, it’s like he knows it, his head lifting, his gaze meeting mine. I glare at him, clutching my new schedule between my fingers and he actually smiles, reminding me of a shark. Not that sharks smile, but oh my God, he looks like he’d derive great pleasure from sinking his teeth into my flesh and shaking my helpless body back and forth in the water until all the life drains out of me…

Taking a deep breath, I tear my gaze away from Arch’s and head into the classroom, plopping into the desk that’s front and center. Where I normally sit in any class.

Every class.

When I try to unzip my backpack, I realize I’m shaking. Trembling. My overactive imagination has sent me spiraling and I exhale as steadily as possible, closing my eyes for the briefest moment. Desperate to calm my frazzled nerves.

“Meditating?”

That now familiar deep voice curls around me and I crack my eyes open to find Arch standing in front of my desk, watching me with an amused look on his handsome face, his hands shoved in his pockets, as casual as ever.

“Go away,” I mutter like I’m five.

He frowns. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“I have nothing to say to you.” I rest my hands on top of my desk and curl my fingers together, wishing he’d just leave me alone.

“I don’t want you to say anything to me. I want you to listen.” Arch watches me for a moment and it’s impossible to tear my gaze from his. I hate how he looks at me. As if he can see right through me and knows what’s hidden beneath. I’ve never felt like I have deep, dark secrets that I’m keeping from those who surround me, but when it comes to this boy?

He makes me feel like I’m a puzzle he’s dying to figure out. And I don’t like it.

“You’re so rude,” I murmur, the words he said finally sinking in. What, he wants to yell at me? Berate me for whatever reason? It’s like he gets off on talking down to me and I’m not going to tolerate it.

“Mr. Lancaster.” We both swivel our heads to see our English teacher Mr. Winston enter the classroom. “Please tell me you’re going to sit in the front alongside Miss Albright.”

From the expression on Arch’s face, I think that’s the last thing he wants to do. “I prefer learning from the back of the classroom, Winston.”

Our teacher walks over to his desk and settles his book bag onto the empty desk chair. “Somehow, I knew you’d say that.”

Arch sends me a look I can’t decipher before he turns away and heads to his desk, leaving me alone. I should feel relieved. I should talk to Mr. Winston, who’s one of my favorites. He replaced the last guy—who got busted for having an inappropriate relationship with a student—and he’s a great teacher. I think it helps that he’s young. He’s only like twenty-three or twenty-four and I think it makes him more relatable.

The bell rings and Mr. Winston immediately starts talking, pacing the front of the classroom like he always does, becoming quickly impassioned while speaking on the subject of romance in literature. It’s literally my favorite topic, and I try my best to focus on the words our teacher is saying and how excited he is about it.

But all I can feel is a certain someone’s eyes on me. Watching me. Making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I don’t dare to look back, too afraid to see the judgment in his eyes.

The amusement.

By the time we’re in second period and I’m sitting in the office while Arch is late doing whatever it is he does when he’s off screwing around, I’m positively fuming. Vivian leaves me alone as if she knows I’m mad, and while I feel bad that my mood is permeating the entire office, I also sort of don’t care.

I’m not normally a moody person, but there’s something about Arch Lancaster that gets under my skin. Only when he focuses on me and opens his mouth though. Yes, he was an irritant before but nothing too bad. I could forget about him fairly easily.

Now though? He’s infuriating. After our initial conversation the first day of school, it’s like I’ve become a target for him. I hate it.

I don’t like him. At all.

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