“I’m sure you understand that I have better things to do with my time.” I try to step around him, but he steps in closer to me, pressing me into the locker.
He pinches my bottom lip roughly, staring at me with this weird expression on his face. He closes his eyes briefly and it freaks me out. “Um, what are you doing?” I ask hesitantly, not sure if I want to know the answer.
“Did you think I wanted to kiss your frog lips?” he laughs and punches the locker beside of my head.
Kai Cooper picks the perfect moment to interrupt whatever game Aaron was playing just now. Aaron bumps roughly into his shoulder. “Watch it loser,” he barks loudly at him.
Most guys would shrink away from Aaron but not Kai; he is his own brand of special. Kai Cooper, also known as the school stoner to most. To me he is Mr. Mystery.
Kai is that mysterious guy. The one you know skips class and smokes in the bathroom. I just wish he’d leave me alone and allow me to disappear like most do, other than Beckett and Penny. He has made it his personal mission to drive me insane ever since sixth grade when we were put into a closet together to play seven minutes in heaven. He licked my face like a dog, it was gross and I screamed and kneed him in the nuts.
I admit my reaction was a tad dramatic, but he really took me by surprise. I hope for his girlfriend’s sake, if he has one, that he has improved his technique. I have been trying to figure that boy out for years with no luck. He keeps to himself, well when he is around. I catch him staring at me a lot. It should freak me out but Kai is sort of hot, he has that whole bad boy thing going for him. His dad owns Cooper Energy—the coal company. His parents are loaded, but they do a lot to give back to our poor town. They have been trying for years to get us a Walmart.
“You okay, want me to kick his ass.” He tries to joke but I don’t find fighting all that funny, not when I have spent many nights locked in my room, after being hit by my mom. “Want to get out of here?”
“No thanks,” I mumble. It is sweet of him to offer, but I have never cut school before.
I try to dip my head so that I am not looking him in the eyes. He does have a gorgeous pair of forest greens and dimples to match, but I’d never be caught dead admitting that to anyone. He cups my chin harshly forcing me to look at him. I blow out an exasperated breath, getting annoyed with his delusional hero agenda of the day. He sweeps his thumb over my lips and a warm feeling spreads through my veins. My heart rate increases. What in the hell is wrong with me? I don’t have time to fall for boys in high school and especially not Kai Cooper.
“Well if you change your mind Kat—you just let
me know. I’m sure I have a pair of pliers in my locker that can get that stick out of your ass.” He walks away whistling.
Kai is the only person who calls me Kat. He has called me that since sixth grade. I don’t know much about him now, other than what people whisper about him in the halls, or from what I read about the good his family does in the local paper.
God today must be asshole day. Now I am officially five minutes late for class. Great, just great.
Chapter 2
After being embarrassed by Mr. Lowe in first period, I have managed to make it through Language Arts unscathed. Mr. Lowe is a big jerk and when you are tardy for his class, he forces students to stand in front of the class and give a speech on the importance of time management. I don’t get it. The speech just takes up more of his time, but I suppose he thinks embarrassing us will make us be on time. Whatever.
I am headed to the cafeteria to get my crappy but free lunch. In warmer weather Penny, Becks and I normally sit outside on the bleachers at the football field. Now that it is too cold, we are forced inside the lunchroom, with everyone else who can’t afford to leave school grounds for lunch. Becks and Penny could probably afford it, but they stay for me, I guess. Not that I’m not grateful for them. I just hate that they care for me so much. I will never be able to repay them for all that they have done for me. I am merely surviving.
I take my place in line and immediately my back stiffens, when the familiar wave of expensive cologne hits my nose. Kai.
“Twice in one day. Stalking is a crime,” I say over my shoulder, not needing to see his smug face.
He kicks the back of my Chuck Taylor with his giant jerk foot. “You wish frog lips.” My cheeks flame in anger at the name Aaron called me earlier. Great, more ammunition for Kai to annoy me with. I didn’t think he had heard what Aaron said. I hope he doesn’t say anything to Penny about it. I don’t want her getting mad at me.
The kid in front of me moves up two spots, I stumble forward trying to keep my place. Kai is right on my heels.
“Shouldn’t you be…I don’t know in the bathroom burning toilet paper or something?”
“Nope,” he pops the p.
I continue pushing my tray along the service line getting a fruit cup and a water to go with my soggy nuggets and sweet potato fries. I am able to escape Kai when he has to stop and pay for his food. I meet up with Penny and Becks at a table in the back of the room, away from all of the cliques.
“Did we just spot you talking to Kai Cooper?” Penny raises a curious brow at me, as I take my seat. “You have a thing for him don’t you?” She teases.
“Shut up,” I quip hitting her in the center of her forehead with a fry.
Becks laughs as Penny scowls at us both, while digging into her salad. Aaron doesn’t eat lunch with us; he has second lunch with the rest of the jocks. I really don’t get what Penny sees in the guy. She says we don’t get to see his sweet side. They don’t have a thing in common other than their good looks. Penny actually has a personality. Aaron has the personality of a grey wall. I don’t get it at all and he is such a dick. But if I say anything, she will turn against me. I don’t ever say anything to Becks about it, because he would try to defend my honor, and Aaron would kill him.
“Kai Cooper is bad news Katie; you shouldn’t talk to him,” Becks warns me. I hate when he gets all big brother on me. No guy who talks to me is ever good enough, according to him. He always finds something negative to say about them.
“Why is that Becks? Do you know him personally; has he done anything to you?” I ask suddenly feeling defensive of Kai. Strange, must be because he stuck up for me with Aaron.
“What’s up freak and geeks?” Darla slams her tray down on the table with extra force, interrupting my conversation with Becks. Freak is a term of endearment coming from Darla. I don’t know what to make of her, she sort of flutters from table to table during lunch every day. She likes to have a friend in every circle. She is such a future politician, but I totally love her.