Moon Academy - Catherine Banks Page 0,3

to go out with me?”

He leaned towards me and whispered, “I believe I already answered that question when I told you that you are beautiful and sexy. Plus, you’re the only girl within two hundred miles who likes playing with wolves at night.” This was too overwhelming. “Dinner and a movie, Sarah, that’s all I’m asking.”

Gary was nice and sometimes just as protective as Nick. He was also handsome and quite the charmer. If Nick and he didn’t despise each other so much, I would have spent more time with him. “Okay, but if you’re doing this to hurt Nick, I’ll never forgive you.”

He kissed my cheek and whispered, “Nick is the last thing on my mind.”

I watched him walk away and knew my world was changing. I only hoped it was for the better.

I sat in silence as I absorbed all that had happened. Was Gary right? Did Nick love me as more than a friend? Or was he just trying to push my buttons?

“Sarah,” Nick said quietly. I looked up and tried to smile, but he’d known me too long. “What happened while I was gone?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. I’m just thinking.”

“About?”

I didn’t want to tell him. Even if he wasn’t interested in me, he’d be upset to hear that I was going out with Gary on Saturday. He was already irritated that I was going out with Tom, and Tom was one of his friends.

Nick sat down and put his arm around my shoulders. “Talk to me, Kitten. What’s wrong?”

Hearing him use my nickname eased my tension. “It’s nothing, Nick. Really. How was your talk with Tom?”

He knew I was trying to change the subject, but for once he let me. “Fine. We’re okay now.”

Nick sniffed and then bent down, sniffing my cheek. “Gary kissed you!”

Hell puppies. I’d forgotten about his sense of smell. No doubt Gary hadn’t. “Uh, yeah, he came by while you were gone.”

“Of course, he’d come by when I was gone. He probably waited until I left. What did he say to you? Why did he come by?” he asked as he pulled his arm away and turned to face me.

What the hell was I going to say? I couldn’t lie to him. “It’s not important.”

He stood up. “Then I’ll go ask him why he had to wait until I was gone.”

I jumped up and grabbed his arm. “Nick! Please, just wait. You don’t need to talk to him. He just…”

“Just what?”

I released his arm knowing he was going to storm away as soon as I said something. “He asked me out on a date.”

I’d never seen Nick so mad, well, except the time when we were four and I’d stolen all of his underwear as a practical joke and he’d had to run through the house in only a shirt. “What did you say?” he asked in a soft voice.

Calm was not good. Calm preceded the storm. I pulled out the only card I had to keep him from being mad at me. “He said you told everyone that we’re only friends and that you’re not romantically interested in me–that you’re only interested in guarding me. So, he figured there was no harm in asking me out, since you weren’t going to.”

Nick’s entire body went still. His nose quivered as he inhaled my scent and tried to discern my feelings. When I looked up at him, I saw fear in his eyes. He turned and headed towards the gym. “I’ll see you in fourth period.”

“Nick!” I yelled.

He ignored me. I threw my hands up in the air and headed towards my third period. I just couldn’t win. First, I finally got dates with attractive guys, and now my best friend was mad at me.

Third period dragged on endlessly, but I was hesitant to go to fourth period which I shared with all three of the guys confusing me right now. Cherry put her arm around my waist as I stood, looking towards the fourth-period classroom door. “What’s up, Sar-bear? The door scaring you?”

“I’m having a guy dilemma, and I don’t know what to do.”

“Maybe I can help,” she said as she pulled me out of the walkway and against the side of the soda machines.

“You know Tom asked me to dinner tonight already. Well, at lunch Gary asked me to dinner and a movie Saturday. Now, Nick’s acting mad even though he’s told his friends that he’s not interested in me romantically. I don’t know what to do and I don’t