I look over at him as he drives us to school. He has his left hand on the steering wheel and his right on the shifter. His glasses rest on top of his head and he wears a scowl on his face. Even angry, he looks gorgeous.
He pulls his hand away from the steering wheel to check the black watch on his wrist. Then he speeds up. He wears a pair of blue jeans, and his long-sleeve gray t-shirt shows off every ripple as he fists his hands. He’s angrier than usual. And I wonder what he was fighting about with his dad.
I don’t even think he realizes that Taylor’s song continues to play. His mind is elsewhere as he speeds down the road.
We pull into the parking lot of the high school, and I let out a long breath. It looks more like a college campus. Multiple buildings scatter around acres of green grass and three stories tall. A huge football stadium is to right of the parking lot. We get out, but before I can take off, he grabs my hand.
We walk into a set of doors, and he pulls me through the busy halls, knowing exactly where we’re going. I notice some kids that see him coming avoid eye contact with him. A few nod their heads in greeting. Others call out his name. He ignores all of them.
“We have second and fourth period together.” He finally speaks to me.
“You know my schedule?”
“Yes.”
I bet Celeste gave it to him.
“Hey, man,” Deke says, coming up to join us. “Austin.” He gives me a big smile that makes my skin crawl. He’s up to something.
I just stare.
“We’ve got calculus together,” he tells Cole.
“Yeah, I’m gonna walk Austin to class first.”
I snort. “I don’t need an escort.”
They both ignore me. What the hell is up with him? Just two days ago, he wanted to break me, and today, he’s treating me like I can’t walk the halls of the school alone.
The bell rings, and I growl. “Crap.” Not a good way to start your first day.
Cole grabs my hand, and we walk down the hall as kids scatter like roaches when the lights come on. He and Deke talk about their plans for tomorrow night. I ignore them. We come up to a door. He opens it and shoves me inside. I start to protest, but he spins me around and grips my hair before he leans down and kisses me. I gasp into his mouth, and he takes the opportunity to slide his tongue between my lips. I kiss him back without thought. His lips feel so soft even though his words are as sharp as a knife. He pulls away quickly and slaps my ass. “See you after class, sweetheart.” Then he walks out.
I turn to face the classroom half dazed and half horrified. It’s full.
“Hey, Austin,” the blond headed guy who sits in the front row says.
“Huh?” I manage to say.
“How’s it going, Austin?” the guy next to him says with a wave.
“Good to see you again, Austin,” another says.
My eyes dart around the room as these guys I’ve never seen before greet me by my name.
“Austin?”
Finally, a voice I recognize. I look at the back to see Becky—my kind of girl. I walk back to her, ignoring those who say hi to me. I plop down in the empty seat next to her. “What the hell?”
“What?” she asks.
“How do these people know me?” I ask like she would freaking know.
She smiles softly and pulls her phone out of her bag. “The video.”
“What video?” I ask in horror. Did Deke share the video of me driving Cole’s car? Are the cops gonna show up here to arrest me?
She scrolls through her iPhone and then holds it up to me. It’s of Cole and me at his house party Monday night. I walk up to him and wrap my arms around him. He looks down at me in surprise, and then I smile up at him like I’m his doting fucking girlfriend. You can hear every word I say to him. He spins around in my arms, and then he’s whispering against my lips. All of a sudden, he picks me up and places me on the counter …
“He posted this?” I demand.
“Deke did,” she answers, putting it away. “Cole doesn’t do social media. But Deke”—she rolls her eyes—“is an attention whore.”
I fist my hands. Tonight, you’re mine. He wanted everyone to know I belong to him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
COLE
When I walk into class and sit down, Deke sits next to me. He leans over his desk. “What’s the plan?”
“With what?”
“Tomorrow night? How are we gonna play it?”
“Like we always do,” I say simply.
“We’re not gonna give her any special rules?”
I shake my head. “Nope. She’s gonna play just like the rest of us.”