team back in New York. Something that screams privileged.
His eyes trail up and down my body—assessing. I subtly scoot closer to my mom, uncomfortable with his probing stare. His brown eyes finally land back on mine, and every hair on my body stands at attention. His eyes are endless pools of…black, filled with nothing but darkness. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but whatever it is, I don’t like it. His stare makes me uncomfortable, but I can’t name why. He’s not even spoken one word. Nevertheless, it’s like I can feel what he’s thinking, I can feel all the things he isn’t saying, and I don’t like it.
“And of course, you know Richard. I’m so excited everyone’s here. C’mon, let’s eat,” Mom says cheerily, her brown, layered hair swaying with her elated movements. Her brimming excitement is starting to irk me.
Why doesn’t she ever get this excited around me? Jesus, the brother-sister favorites competition has already started.
I try to look at anything but Connor for the rest of the night but it’s no use. I can feel his stare burning through the side of my skull. He doesn’t say much during dinner, just talks about his favorite sports—apparently, he was captain of the lacrosse team back in New York; ding, ding, no surprise there—starting as a Senior at the new high school here, and his friends back home. I tune out most of the conversation. Instead, I’m wishing I was upstairs with Myrah at her house, watching a movie instead of sitting here, eating meatloaf and a green bean casserole that tastes exactly like it sounds.
“So, Bea, are you excited about starting eighth grade next month?” Richard asks.
“Yeah, me and my best friend share every class, so it should be fun.”
He smiles, and we go back to eating in silence before someone brings up another filler conversation.
I’m more than thankful when dinner’s over. I hurry into my room and lie down on my bed. The knocking on my door prompts me to pick up my head and prop myself up on my elbows. My mom pops her head around the door with a scowl on her face.
“Myrah’s here again, you may go over for two hours at most, but I want you home by ten o’clock, Bea.” Before she even has her head out of the door, I’m off my bed, throwing shoes on within seconds.
“So, how’d it go?”
I shrug my shoulders at Myrah, not sure what to say.
“Is that a good shrug or a bad shrug? I’m having a hard time reading you.”
I roll my eyes. Myrah swears she can read auras and people’s energies. She always gives me crap for being obsessed with astrology and I always give her crap for her little…quirk. I guess we’re even.
“I don’t really know,” I voice quietly, shrugging again. “I think my mom believes it went well, so that’s good, I guess. It’s just so weird Myrah. And Connor, he’s just so…” I trail off, still not sure how I feel about him. She frowns and scoots closer.
“Spit it out. What is it?” she prompts, and I exhale a sigh.
“There’s nothing wrong with him per say, he just freaks me out. He stared at me the whole dinner Myrah. The whole entire dinner! It was so weird. I think I have permanent goosebumps.”
I jolt out my arm, shoving it in her face so she can see the light hairs on my arms standing at attention. She’s about to say something when her eyes drift behind my head, catching her attention.
“Oh hey, Liam. What’s up?”
I whirl my head around with my heart lodged in my throat at the sound of his name, and sure enough, he’s leaning against the doorframe of Myrah’s room staring straight at me. My face noticeably heats.
Why doesn’t his stare creep me out?
“Your mom wants you.” He finally looks away from me to Myrah and she growls in irritation.
“I’ll be right back,” she addresses me, and I nod. I expect Liam to leave when she does, but he doesn’t. He’s still casually leaned against the doorjamb staring at me.
“Hey, Bea.”
My breath freezes at the sound of his voice and I nearly faint from the rapid increase in my heart rate. All he said was two words, and I’m on the verge of fangirling.
“You know my n-name?” I stutter out in disbelief. The corners of his mouth turn up into a smile, and he chuckles. The sound is deep and enticing, causing unfamiliar sensations to take root in my