odd question. But no, I’m not.” His green eyes watched mine.
I dusted myself off just for something to do and slowly shrugged on my jacket. My eyes met Gideon’s, and the moment they did, my heart took a violent leap. I was sure he heard it, but he studied me calmly. I didn’t know what else to do, so I grabbed my bag and started to walk away.
He called after me, “Jake likes her, doesn’t he?”
“Who, Doreen? Yes,” I answered.
“I’d rather have a friend than an enemy,” he said, his eyes still on mine.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“I’m telling you because you think I’m a jerk,” he answered. “I wasn’t trying to be. Jake seems like an awesome person, and I didn’t want to ruin any chance of becoming friends with him. That’s why I had to decline her invitation.”
Okay, so maybe I had misjudged him, but it still didn’t explain why he was rude to me. “I have to go,” I whispered and continued to the door.
“Miss Cells?” he called again, pushing away from the table. “You forgot this one.” He pointed at one of my books, which was still lying on the table. “The sight problem I was talking about.” He tipped his head to the side and smiled at me. He was being a jerk again, but he was a handsome jerk.
“The jerk thing I was talking about,” I smirked and walked back to him.
I reached out for my book at the same moment Gideon did, and our hands touched. In that second, it was as if the whole world stopped turning, and we were the only two people caught in the moment. I felt the heat of his palm, and my whole body warmed as my pulse climbed. Suddenly it felt as if the air between us electrified, amplifying Gideon’s touch and making me feel as if he were touching every nerve in my body.
Gideon was the first to pull his hand away, breaking the connection.
“I…” I was tongue-tied. “I…” I had no idea what I wanted to say.
“Your...” Gideon gave me the book. He didn’t continue what he was saying; he only stared at me, confused.
I was confused, too. “Thanks,” I whispered and then rushed out of the classroom. The moment I stepped outside, I breathed in, not remembering at what point I started holding my breath.
What the hell just happened?
TITANIC
“You give a lonesome heart, someone to love.
You give a sad heart, a memory to smile about.
You give a hopeless heart, something to live for.
But what do you give a broken heart?”
Melody Manful
“Gideon, let’s bounce!” Jake said as he walked toward the door.
School was over, and the classroom was almost deserted hardly two minutes after the bell rang. Only my friends and I remained in the classroom, even the teacher was gone.
Danny, Tristan, and Jake were now friends with Gideon. It had been less than a day since he came to school, and already they acted like best friends. Sarah, on the other hand, would have befriended Gideon despite his intentions. She had texted me about him all day, and each message included the word hot.
“You’ll love this pizza place,” Danny told Gideon as he joined the group by the door.
Sarah, standing beside me, nodded in agreement.
“It’s a shame you and Tristan won’t be joining us,” she said to me, winking.
“Like I said, I’m busy all week, and I only have time now to work on the Titanic speech,” I replied, explaining yet again how busy my life was. The rest of the week was filled with dinner plans with my mother, reading sessions at the library, and training.
“What is it you’re so busy doing, Miss Cells?” Gideon asked smugly. He knew I hated it when he called me Miss Cells, but he continued doing it anyway. I gave up trying to correct him.
I sounded annoyed when I answered, “None of your business, Mr. Chase.”
“Gideon is just fine, Miss Cells.”
Gideon irritated me, and I didn’t know how the others could stand being around him. Maybe what bothered me most was the fact that it was only me he annoyed. Throughout the day, everything that came out of his mouth was antagonistic. He had joined my friends and me for lunch, and although I didn’t protest his joining us, I didn’t want him around me.
Sarah sensed the tension between Gideon and me.
“What is it with you two?” she asked.
Gideon answered first. “It seems Miss Cells is bitter that she can’t join us.” My friends laughed