Page 138 of Beyond the Temptation: Vol 2

“It’s not as bad as you think,” he smirked, making his eyes twinkle in the brightly lit hallway. “Just give them time.”

By the time they got used to me, I’d be on my way out of here. I could lay low, do my work, and not make any friends. I’d live.

“What’s your next class?”

I shook my head as I pulled out my schedule. I had no idea. I was taking each hour as they came and not worrying about the next. I handed him my schedule, not even caring what my next class was as long as it wasn’t art. I was the absolute worst artist, and everything I made looked like something created by a first grader.

“Well, what do you know? We’ve got next hour together.” Putting his hand on my lower back, Slade started to push me down the hall. “I’ll walk you.”

“Are you sure you want to do that? Being seen with me might equate to high school suicide. You might be scorned if you’re seen with me.”

“Fuck them if they’re going to judge, right?” Flicking the ends of my hair with his finger, he started to walk. When I didn’t immediately follow, he gripped the strap of my backpack on my shoulder and hauled me with him.

“Has anyone ever told you you’re annoying?” I huffed from beside Slade, making him release my strap.

He smirked over at me. “I’m sure my sister has mentioned it a time or two.”

“I feel sorry for her,” I mumbled as we walked down the hall. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I’d had a wardrobe malfunction, or the word loser tattooed on my forehead the way everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at us as we passed by. “Do they always look at you like this?” I muttered out of the side of my mouth, trying to lighten the situation and epically failing.

“I don’t pay attention.”

Right! Slade was most definitely the best-looking guy at this school—quite possibly the entire state or continent. There was no way he was that oblivious to his looks.

Maybe he’d fucked over some girl. Probably the captain of the cheerleading team, and the entire school was mad at him. Or at least that was what I thought until we turned the corner and ran into an entirely new crowd. And they loved Slade.

“Dude,” a guy a few inches shorter with brown curly hair slapped Slade on the back. “Please tell me you’re going to the party tonight.” His muddy brown gaze skipped over to me and then back to his friend. “Who’s the girl?” He asked none too quietly.

“This is my new friend, Harley. She’s new here, so make her feel welcome.” Slade’s tone wasn’t one of a nice introduction. It was one of demand. He was ordering the curly-haired guy to be nice to me.

His eyes pinched at the corners. “I’m Josh. Let me know if anyone gives you a hard time.”

Slade’s eyes sliced to mine. “If anyone gives you a hard time, you come to me. Not him.”

Damn. Who was this guy? His entire attitude changed once we rounded the corner. I wasn’t sure why the other students only stared before, but he was a god to this group. I wasn’t sure what I’d gotten myself caught up in being seen with Slade. Maybe it was a good thing, or… yeah, it was bad going by all the female eyes with daggers coming out of them that were aimed at me. They didn’t need to worry, though. I’d be out of here in no time, and in the small amount of time I’d be here, Slade would only be the annoying guy who followed me on my runs like a crazed stalker.

I tried to put distance between Slade and me, but he wasn’t having any of it. Every single person greeted him as we walked. I kept my gaze straight ahead and pretended like I knew where I was going. I would need to find an alternative way to get to this class because there was no way in hell, I was coming down this hall again.

“Hey,” a sly voice came from my other side. An arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me to the stranger’s side.

“Back the fuck off, Rogers,” Slade gritted out as he maneuvered me back by his side.

“Damn, boy, I didn’t know she was your plaything. My bad,” he laughed, holding up his hands.

Oh no. There was no way I was going to let that stand, even if I was only going to be here for two months. Pushing myself close, I was only an inch away as I glared up at him. “I’m no one’s plaything.”

“Let’s go.” Slade’s arm slid around my waist as he pulled me back from killing his friend.

Turning in his hold, I poked him in the chest. “And who gave you the right to manhandle me because it certainly wasn’t me.”

Slade backed off, and his dark brows pulled down. “You know I?— “

“I don’t know shit, but until I invite you, keep your hands to yourself.”

“So that means you’ll invite me to touch you?” He smirked, and half the people in the hallway laughed.

“Don’t bet on it.” I whirled away and headed down the hall without looking back. It didn’t matter that I didn’t know where I was going. It was my first day, and I should be allowed to be late. Why was this school so damn big anyway? It was at least double the size of my old high school.

“Hey,” his voice was softer than I’d ever heard it. “Don’t be like that. I was just playing around.”

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