“So that’s Sai,” Malik said, watching me. “He’s a shifter, too.”
“What kind?” I blurted the words without thinking.
“A tiger,” he replied.
I let out a relieved sigh.
“A fan of terrifying beasts?” Daniel teased.
I shook my head. “No, I just didn’t know if it was okay to ask about that, but the words kind of slipped out.”
“It’s completely fine to ask what kind of witch or shifter someone is. If you don’t know what species they are, you can ask that too. No one will take offense,” Malik promised.
“Yeah, it’s perfectly normal to us,” Hannah confirmed.
“Is it perfectly normal for you to be glared at?” Daniel leaned forward and whispered the words.
“Me?” I gasped.
He nodded. “Niall Kelly has been staring at you like you murdered his puppy for the last ten minutes. How did you manage to piss him off already?”
I fought the urge to turn and look for those crystal blue eyes. “Nothing. Mr. Haddon had him show me where to sit before the assembly, and we’re in lit together. I don’t know why he hates me.”
Hannah waved me off. “He hates everyone. Just give it a few days, and he’ll forget all about you.”
Why didn’t I like the sound of that? Ugh. I didn't want the mysteriously dark, angry, and annoyingly sexy guy hating me, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to forget about me.
Which was stupid.
Of course, I did.
Making an enemy on my first day was not ideal.
“What’s his deal?” I asked, pushing my hair behind my ear and trying to glance discreetly over my shoulder. I didn’t see him. Maybe he was on my other side.
“I don’t really know,” Daniel admitted. “He was fine freshman year. Normal, even. He hung out with some witches and shifters. Then something happened during summer break, and he came back all grumpy and quiet. He doesn’t talk to anyone, and everyone gives him space.”
Huh. “Did anyone ask his friends?”
Malik shook his head. “They said they didn’t know what happened. He just stopped answering their calls and texts and showed up for the next term like a completely different person.”
What happened to him? What would make a person close themselves off completely and turn so angry? Had he lost someone? Had someone hurt him? It was hard to imagine what could have been bad enough to create someone that looked so mad at the world.
My entire life had been turned upside down within hours. I’d been taken from my home and dropped off in a strange place, expected to adapt to this new world alone, and I wasn’t bitter or shooting daggers at people. That option appealed to me, but what would it accomplish in the end?
I hadn’t exactly been given a choice, but I could have refused or at least fought to stay with my family. That wasn’t what was best for them, though. I needed to be here so one day I could safely return to them.
“Well, he’s sure interested in you for some reason,” Daniel said, not sounding pleased about that. “Don’t worry. We’ll make sure he stays away.”
Malik nodded in agreement.
“Thanks, guys, but I’m sure it’s fine. He’s probably just curious about why I’m here.” I forced a smile to show them it wasn’t bothering me.
“I’ve already been asked like a dozen times what I knew about you,” Hannah admitted.
“Me too,” Malik chuckled.
“Same, everyone wants to know about the new girl, but none are brave enough to just come up to you,” Daniel scoffed. “Cowards.”