He gave me a hard look, like maybe he wanted to ask me more, but Emma took his attention.

“I wanna hear more about this limo,” she said, fluttering her eyes at me and then at Sebastian. Covering her bases.

“Me too. I want to ride in the limo,” April Novak squealed, clapping her hands together as she glided up and wrapped her arms around Sebastian’s waist.

I grimaced. Personally, I didn’t like April. Last year, she’d screwed over Emma by sleeping with Matt, Emma’s ex. While they were still together. And, I didn’t get why her and Emma had remained friends. Weird.

Now, April had latched onto Sebastian, but the dude was a serious flirt. He didn’t commit to anyone. And April seemed to annoy him sometimes, but he put up with it.

He winked at both girls. “You babes are at the top of my list.”

Nora Blakely stopped at our group, and all conversation halted. I noticed Emma glaring at her, but I don’t think Nora cared. Instead, she tossed Sebastian a brown paper bag. “You forgot your lunch, goofball.”

He tucked the sack under his arm and grinned. “Thanks for grabbing it for me, Mom.”

Then, they both laughed uproariously while we stood there uncertainly, not sure how to take this pair. They seemed to click, a lot like close siblings. Nora was dating Sebastian’s older brother, Leo. She didn’t care about being in our group or about anything really except Leo. I’d been over there for Christmas because my family was out of town, and I’d gotten an up close and personal look at the couple. They’d been crazy for each other. Giddy because it was their first Christmas, putting a tree up, cooking a big meal. Pretty much waayyy too much PDA going on. Watching them had brought back painful memories of my own good holidays. I tried to not be envious. I think I pulled it off.

Nora blew Sebastian a kiss, and he pretended to catch it. She laughed and sauntered off while we watched her disappear. Really, she was kinda legendary since word had gotten out that she’d ditched her parents and given up being Valedictorian back in the fall. And then there was the whole fuck you thing at registration. Yeah, I’d tried to hit that at Emma’s back-to-school party back in August, but it had been a no-go. I shrugged. I was glad we hadn’t been together because it made being friends with Sebastian a lot easier.

Sebastian turned back to me. “So, let’s talk after party.”

“Sure,” I said, heading to Lit. The girls followed behind as Sebastian filled me in on the deets.

Matt, Emma’s ex, glared openly at us as we passed. Probably because I’d mowed his ass down hard every chance I could at football practice. I flipped him off. Douche. He may have been the quarterback on our team, but football season was long gone, and I didn’t have to play nice anymore. And hadn’t he treated Emma like shit over and over? April had just been one in a long line of girls he cheated with.

Honestly, I hadn’t really gotten along with anyone much this year, except Sebastian. My father avoided me; my coaches said I had anger issues; my teachers stayed on me because my grades had dropped; and girls claimed I’d gone over to the dark side—whatever the fuck that meant.

But wait.

I hadn’t always been such a jerk. Once, I’d wanted to take the girl of my dreams and make love to her under the stars and moon. Once, I’d wanted to give her every piece of me.

But now I didn’t want that girl anymore. I didn’t. I couldn’t.

We walked into a classroom of chaos. Students wandered here and there around the classroom as Weinstein gave instructions on the day’s activity for English Lit. Kind of the hippie type, she wore long skirts and brown Birkenstocks.

You never knew what kind of crazy she’d come up with in class.

I liked her.

Well, I did. “You sit here,” she said, pointing at a desk directly behind Dovey.

Not happening. Hell no.

“Why? My seat’s back there.” I pointed to the back of the room, my feet already headed in that direction. One of the senior girls I usually sat with waved at me from her desk, and I shot her a full-on smile. Hold that thought, beautiful.

I glanced back at Weinstein.

“Not today. We’re getting in groups and doing an activity. I’m mixing up the seating, and you’re right here.” She put her hand on her hip, emphasizing her authority. “No more back row seats this semester.”

“Back row hasn’t hurt me yet. I have a B in here.” Barely.

I poured on the charm, softening my face. “And you know you’re my favorite teacher, Mrs. Weinstein.” No lie.

She shook her head in bemusement. “You come close, but flattery doesn’t work on a menopausal woman. And your grades could be better, so front row until the end of the semester. Dovey is your partner for the next class project, so sit down and get to know her.”

I do know her, I wanted to yell out. I fucked her.

I paced around the aisle, my insides jumpy. Skipping class came to mind.

I flicked a glance at Dovey’s rigid back, and it cranked my anxiety up higher. Wasn’t it completely illogical to get worked up like this? She was just a girl. Some scholarship chick from Ratcliffe Heights who thought she was better than the rest of us.

Giving in, I rolled my shoulders and tossed my bag on the desk behind Dovey. She flinched at the sound, but didn’t turn around. Ice would be warmer than her reception. Great. First the episode in the hall and now this? Being near her made me nuts. No doubt, I’d be ready for a lobotomy by the time class was over.