Page 18 of Creatures of Chaos

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. I’ve barely touched my food, but I’m not hungry anymore.

Someone calls Talon’s name, and he raises a hand in their direction, signaling he heard them without breaking eye contact with me.

Chairs scrape against the stone floor and trays clank as students stack them by the door on the way to their next class, but I can’t seem to look away from Talon, at least not until a hand lands on my bicep. When I glance up, Becks is standing next to me. His hand is warm on my arm, and my insides go melty.

“Come on, Locklyn. I’ll walk you to class.”

I smile up at him, thankful for the rescue even though I’m confused about why I even needed it.

“See ya around, Freckles,” Talon says. I’m no longer looking at him; my eyes are on Becks. But I hear him push out of his chair and walk away.

No one bothers us as Becks and I walk to my next class, but it’s hard to ignore the stares and whispers. Ensley has class on the other side of campus or I’m sure she’d be in my ear right now, asking me all about what went down when Talon came into the shop this weekend, wanting to know if I learned anything interesting about him. But I don’t want to talk about Talon, so I was relieved she didn’t have time to give me the third degree. The look she shot me before heading in the opposite direction let me know I’d only bought myself some time, not escaped her inquisition altogether.

“You headed to Peet’s Gym after classes today?” Becks asks, avoiding the topic of Talon as well.

“Probably. My parents don’t need my help at the shop, and I don’t have much homework. I could use a quick workout.”To work off some of this extra energy, I think, but don’t say.

I feel weird and a bit jittery after the lunch interaction with Talon. Like I have a bunch of extra emotions I don’t want or need. Perhaps I can shake them off by pummeling a bag with my hands and feet. It’s worked in the past.

“Cool. I might come with,” Becks says just as we arrive at my class.

I glance at his biceps as they strain against the confines of his t-shirt. Those muscles aren’t just for show. I know, because sometimes he comes with me to the gym to spar or work out on his own. He’s a beast in and out of the ring. And I’m not even talking about his dragon form.

I let my gaze drift down his arm and over the bit of his tattoo that peeks out from under his sleeve. In my mind’s eye I can see the entirety of the ferocious inked dragon that wraps around his bicep and curls onto his shoulder, but in a t-shirt only flashes of its hind legs and tail are visible. He got the tattoo last year after he was named dragon heir. I remember how my stomach flipped the first time he showed it to me. The ink gave him a bit of anedge that only heightened his appeal. I was surprised though because he’d never shown interest in being inked. When I asked him why he got it he said that he needed a permanent reminder of how his life had changed.

I drag my focus from his tattoo down to his hands. He’s amazing with his fists. As I stare at his hands like a weirdo, my mind drifts to what else they are good for, and I flush.

“You okay?” Becks asks. “You’re turning red.”

Kill me now.

I swallow, wetting my suddenly dry throat. “Yeah, sorry. I just remembered I have a quiz in Creature History today I forgot to study for.”

That answer doesn’t explain my sudden redness at all, but Becks nods like it does. “Sucks.”

“Yeah.” And it does. I really do have a quiz I forgot to study for in my search for Shadow Striker information this weekend. So unless the questions are about obscure Ancients that no one seems to know about, I really am screwed.

“Hey, Becks, did you transfer into our class?” Sutton, a cute blonde fae with a pixie cut asks as she chews on a piece of gum. The look in her eyes is nothing short of hopeful.

An easy smile lifts the corners of her mouth when he glances over at her. A frown pulls at my features from losing his attention. I don’t have anything personal against Sutton. She’s never been overly aggressive toward me. We’ve probably never said more than a handful of words to each other. She’s definitely part of the student population that ignores my existence, and so that makes her A-okay in my book, but just the way Becks smiles down on her now instead of me makes me prickle.

“Hey, Sutton. Naw, I was just keeping my bud, Locklyn, company on the way to her class. I’d better head out before I’m late to my next class.”

“Oh,” she says, her pretty face falling and her lower lip jutting out in a small pout.

“See ya,” he says to her, and then holds his fist out for me to tap, our usual goodbye gesture.

I hold back a sigh. I’m so far in the friend zone I can’t even see the end of it.

After I tap his fist, he turns and walks down the hall toward his class on the other side of the building. I stay outside the classroom, watching him leave, a forlorn ache in my chest.

The moment after Becks rounds the corner, I’m hit in the back of the head with what is probably a crumpled piece of paper.

I sigh. The reprieve Becks offered was nice, but it’s over.

Five

“You still interestedin coming with me to the gym?” I ask Becks, who’s leaned up against the locker next to mine as I unload the books I don’t need.

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