right now, but as soon as I walk into History, that will change. You’d think I’d be used to being gawked at as one half of the town crazies, but it’s been a whole different story since my dad went missing. Now, I’m the only crazy, and there’s something very lonely about that.
Despite my father always telling me that normal is boring, normalcy sounds like icing on the cake right now. Normal people don’t have to worry about the piling up of bills and the stepmother who ran away with what money there was and the—
I turn the knob to open the door into History class where a familiar figure stands at the front. His gray-blue eyes dart to me, and a wicked grin spreads his perfect, bow-tie lips. He finishes talking while holding my gaze. A few people notice where his attention is, and they turn toward me. Snickering erupts. My fellow students start making snide comments, hiding their lips with their hands as if that will stop the law of sound and somehow keep me from hearing their petty words. Even more, however, go back to staring at Stone fucking Jacobs. After all, I’ll always be the weird girl, but Stone? Standing at the front of class like he’s top shit, Stone is a one-percenter. One of the most drop-dead gorgeous guys I’ve ever laid eyes on. Too bad he’s also one of the biggest jackasses I’ve ever had the displeasure to meet. He knows it too. So, when it comes to who the world places their attention on, it’s Stone one hundred percent of the time. Not me.
It only takes a moment to figure out what the scene before me means. The book bag slung over his shoulder. The forest green polo paired with his dressy jeans. The dumbass professor standing just off to his side, smiling and nodding.
Motherfucking shit. Stone Jacobs is in my History class. He’s transferred...here?
“What the fuck?”
The adoring gazes and snide remarks turn into jaw drops and unrestrained gasps. I have the whole attention of the room now as I stare at one part of my family’s archenemies. He crosses his arms in front of his chest as he stares me down, but the stare isn’t a normal one of mutual hatred and disrespect amongst those who dislike each other. It never was. His is one of complete distaste, like he could wipe me from this earth and not care one iota.
That’s Stone Jacobs for you, and I’m completely fucked.
2
“Dakota!” Mr. Burns chastises.
His rebuke barely registers. Stone’s steady smirk and bright eyes stay on me as the titters of my classmates chirp like surround sound. He holds my gaze until he takes a seat near the front. My seat, to be exact. I always sit in the front. He places his bag next to him and slowly unpacks it like he has all the time in the world. A pen. A notebook. A piece of chewing gum. All the while, I can’t stop staring.
“Jesus, Blue’s Clues. Sit your ass down. You’re embarrassing yourself.”
I shift, looking straight into the eyes of Meghan Tanner. Mean girl extraordinaire, who happens to look like she doesn’t belong anywhere near Clary. Maybe on Rodeo Drive in California. Or Broadway in New York City. Not near these parts where everything looks dead, and if it’s not dead, it’s deadly.
Her eyes widen as she takes in my still unmoving body. She lowers her voice. “Get a clue, Dakota. You’re trash.” She sneers at my soaking wet outfit like she’s just realized I’m standing here soaked straight through to my skin. The air conditioner kicks on behind me, and goosebumps skitter over my suddenly chilled body. It has to be the sudden appearance of Stone that I’m responding to. Out in the mountains, we’re even. I like to think I top him even. In the real world, though, I might as well be the shit on the underside of Stone’s shoes.
A boy behind Meghan, who’s always trying to flirt with her, looks up. He does a double-take, stare plastered to my chest. “Damn, Blue’s Clues, I’ll take some of those nips.” He sticks his tongue out, furiously flicking the air in short strokes.
Meghan slaps his arm. “Please. You’ll get a disease or something.”
Though he stops tonguing the air, he still ogles my chest when Meghan turns back around. I grab hold of my book bag straps and carefully maneuver my hands to hide my erect nipples. It’s the fucking air conditioner’s