“Oh look, it’s freak show without her freak mate.” Lucy Stevens smirked at her as she past her in the hall. That was the one drawback from the compulsion. The idiot no longer remembered to fear her. Eden curled her lip up in a snarl just as Lucy’s friend, Shawna Beaumont swatted at Lucy, a little frown furrowing her perfect eyebrows.
“Don’t be mean, Luce,” Shawna admonished, her lip-glossed mouth quirking up into a smile of apology to Eden. “Sorry.”
Eden looked her up and down, cataloguing the cheerleading uniform and the Gucci bag. “Did I ask for an apology?” she snipped. “Go suffocate yourself inside your Gucci, Barbie.”
Shawna flinched back like she’d been slapped and had to hold Lucy back from attacking Eden. Eden chuckled, feeling mean and bitter.
She turned and walked smack bang into a solid chest. His familiar citrusy scent teased the hunger.
“You’re being a bitch to nice girls like Shawna Beaumont now?” Noah asked, pushing her back a little.
Eden let her eyes slowly crawl up his face to his eyes. They were narrowed in concentration. His lips pinched tight. His expression warred between disapproval and concern.
“News flash, Valois. I am a bitch.” She tried to walk around him but his arm closed around her fast, strong. She frowned and tried to break free. What the hell… Eden glared up at him suspiciously. “Been injecting steroids, Valois?”
He glared at her. “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t be stronger than you, Winslow?”
What…?
Her heart started racing. “What are you talking about?”
Noah sighed and gripped her arm, tugging her down the hallway and into an empty classroom. He shut the door and leaned back against it, blocking the exit.
“We need to talk, Eden.”
Oh Jesus, don’t let him know, please no no no no no…
“What about?” She shifted uneasily.
“Well among other stuff uh the fact that you’ve been acting like a psycho bitch for the past two weeks, talking to me one minute, dodging me the next. It’s giving me headache.” He shrugged casually. “So… you’re meeting me after school tonight. If you don’t, I’m hunting you down.”
Eden snorted and strode towards him. “You can’t make me do anything.”
“Eden.” He took hold of her arm again. “I’ll come to your house.”
It was like he knew, she thought gazing up at him wide-eyed, like he knew she would do anything to stop him coming to her house. What does he know?
Noah’s eyes softened and his grip eased. But he didn’t let go. That familiar warmth exploded across her chest and she found herself relaxing into him.
“I miss you, Eden,” he said softly and for a minute she could have sworn his eyes flickered to her lips and back up to her eyes. At her indrawn breath, his hand tightened again and then relaxed, his thumb caressing her skin unconsciously.
Did Noah…?
No. She shook her head inwardly. He couldn’t…
Then again... someone that hot being single for months…? And there was that night at Doug’s party two months ago…
“I can’t believe you dragged me here,” she muttered, hugging Noah’s side as they made their way through the crowds of teenagers. Doug’s dad’s house was almost as big as Eden’s. Plenty of space to pack in a couple hundred drunk and horny teens.
Noah grinned down at her. “I thought it would be a nice change of pace.”
“Uh, who invited her?” Lucy Stevens’ voice curled around Eden’s ears as Noah headed towards the ‘bar’ that had been set up in Doug’s back sitting room. The seniors were crowded around the sofas across from it, playing drunken Guitar Hero.
“Ignore her,” Noah murmured and handed her a red plastic cup full of liquid.
Eden stared down into it, uncertain. “What is this?”
“Lemonade.”