Page 133 of Collided

Averting my gaze to her test paper, I look at the mistakes she’s made. So far, there are a lot of big ones that are related to concepts and some minor ones in the calculations. A few study sessions will fix them.

We’re in the hallway walking to our next class when someone knocks their shoulder into me. The collision makes me miss a step and I almost stumble. Marie quickly reaches for my arm and steadies me.

“Oh my God! You okay?” Marie asks, worry thick in her tone.

I give her a nod and turn around only to see a smiling Shian looking at me.

“Missed your step I see,” she says with a proud smile.

Before I say something, Marie gets in front of me. “You did that on purpose.”

Shian scoffs and sizes up the two of us like we’re nothing compared to her. We’re probably not. She’s got her friends standing behind her like a shield. Four of them against us two. Yeah, we’re not winning this battle.

I study her and almost gasp when I find my bracelets on her wrist.

“I don’t have time for you two weirdos.” She walks away, deciding we’re not worth her time. I bet it’s not that but the regulations against bullying that’ll result in immediate expulsion. I don’t know what happened last year that made the principal take such a step. I’m not aware of the incident because at the time my parents were fighting every day. It was a mess at home. To escape reality, I read books. The outside world just disappeared and became nonexistent to me. I hope whoever was the victim is doing okay.

Marie gasps. “Weirdos? Us? She’s the weird one. I’m not. And neither are you, Hope. We're both not weird ones. We’re the cool ones. Well, more like mysterious ones and I’m fine with it. Andyou’re fine with it too. Anyway, she shouldn’t have said that. Not that I care but still. I mean—” she turns to me and stops talking.

“What’s wrong?” she asks.

“Nothing.”

“Tell me, you look happy.”

Leaning down to her ear—Marie is an inch shorter than me—I whisper, “I saw her wearing my bracelets.”

“Your bracelets? The ones you…”

I nod eagerly.

She giggles and I join her, sharing a secret that only the two of us know in this entire town. Well, Heath and Sebastian know, too.

“And she calledusweirdos.”

I shrug, not really caring about it.

“This just made my day.”

“I think everything makes your day.”

She thinks for a moment, then nods. “Yeah, you’re right. Everything makes me happy, but Sebastian ranks in first spot.”

“Because he’s your boyfriend.”

She hums in a dismissive tone. “Yes, but it’s more than that. He’s my best friend and I just love spending time with him. I can spend a lifetime with him and not get bored. We usually play games or make out. Either is fun, as long as I'm next to him. He has this calming aura that puts my super-energy to rest. All I want to do is curl up against him and relax.”

Just like how Heath makes me feel comfortable.

Heat rises to my cheeks, as I remember snuggling in the backseat of his car with him. That was the safest I’d ever felt in so long. The hardness of his chest, the rhythm of his heart, and the intense heat of his body—everything about him is perfect. I can’t believe he let me get this close to him. I’d like it if it happens again.

Wait what?

Marie snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Hey, where did you go?”

Shaking my head, I disperse those stupid thoughts.

Gosh. I’m developing feelings for Heath—not like the ones I have for my fictional men.

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