Fearless The King Series Book One - By Tawdra Kandle Page 0,6

over the steering wheel. Michael followed my gaze.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m holding you up, aren’t I?”

I shrugged. “Just—it’s my first day here, and she probably wants to know how everything went.”

Michael’s voice was very low when he answered. “I didn’t mean to get you in trouble. Is she—will she be mad?” And beneath the words, I could hear his churning thoughts and realized that he had misunderstood completely.

“No! I mean, she’s not that way. It’s just—” This was going to be mortifying, but it was better than Michael believing that my mom was going beat me when we got home. “I don’t usually talk to boys—they don’t talk to me—and she’s probably wondering what’s going on. I’m an only child. My parents can be a little overprotective.”

“You don’t talk to boys?” Now Michael was totally confused, but this time, what he was thinking made my heart flutter. A girl like her? Thought guys would be all over her. Can’t believe she doesn’t have someone already…

“I guess I tend to be a little shy.” That was an understatement. “Listen, I’m sorry, I don’t want to be rude, but I really do need to go. Can I—I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Sure.” Michael leaned back in his seat and grinned again. “See you then.”

I stepped back from his car as he pulled away, but I didn’t move toward my mom until he had turned out of the parking lot.

With a deep breath, I opened the car door. “Hi!” I wondered fleetingly if I could distract her with talk about the rest of my day. “Sorry about that. I had a really good first day, though—”

“So it would seem.” My mom’s voice was dry, and I felt the conflict of emotions rolling from her. She was both pleased and disturbed that I was talking to a boy. She was excited and frightened for me at the same time. I didn’t know which to address first, and neither did she. We were both quiet as she turned onto the street.

“It’s nothing big, Mom,” I said at last, affecting the best careless tone I could manage. “He was just being nice.”

“Are you cheating?” Her tone was only mildly accusing. I knew she was talking about the agreement we had made years ago, when I was very small: no listening in on parental minds. It was a hard agreement to keep: the two people in the world I was closest to were also the easiest for me to hear. But I had learned early on that I didn’t really want to know what my parents were thinking, and so I tried to block them pretty consistently.

“No, I didn’t need to listen to your mind,” I answered. “I could feel you from all the way over there. Plus, I know you. You’re already freaking, trying to figure out how to deal with this.”

“I’m not freaking!” Her voice rose an octave. “You’ve got to understand, this is new territory for your dad and me. I know most girls your age have boyfriends, and it’s completely fine. But you—Tas, you know you’re different. You’re special. We have to take special care…”

“I get that!” My voice rose too, despite my efforts to keep it even. “I understand. But I also know I need to have a life. And a life might include friends, and yes, even boyfriends. I don’t even really know Michael yet. Maybe he’s just a nice person who will turn out to be a good friend. But I won’t find out if I don’t—if you won’t trust me a little, give me a little space.”

“Michael?” She was a bit calmer. “That’s his name? How old is he?”

“Yes, Michael Sawyer. And he’s a senior.”

“You got all that from a five minute conversation at his car?” She already suspected the answer.

“No. I met him earlier in the day, and I ate lunch with him—and his friends.”

My mother’s concern ratcheted up a couple of levels. “That sounds like someone interested in more than just being nice.”

I blew out a breath between clenched teeth. “I told you, I don’t know yet. There was a girl giving me a hard time, and he kind of stood up for me. And then he asked if I wanted to sit with him at lunch, so I did. I liked not having to sit by myself for a change.”

My mom winced. “Tasmyn, we don’t make these rules because we want you to be lonely. We make them to protect you.” We pulled into our driveway, and she