Page 17 of Visions & Shadows

Well, he has that part right. My whole body is tense. I’m so used to being alone that I feel entirely out of my depth.

I nod at him, then admit, “I just don’t understand why you don’t hang out with the cool crowd. You’re going to kill your reputation if you keep sitting with me. You’re hanging out with the wrong person.”

The frown on his face darkens. “I don’t see anything wrong with you, and I don’t care what others think about me.”

I stare at him with wide eyes as I mumble, “Okay.”

Ryan smiles a crooked smile that turns my legs to jelly, and it unravels my nerves at the speed of light.

Dear God. Don’t look at me like that. I’m going to overheat.

“I’m not good at the whole friends thing,” I admit. “I’m a loner, so don’t be surprised when I’m super awkward.”

He gives me a piercing look as if he’s trying to see inside me, and it unnerves me even more. I start to fidget with my hands, pulling at the hem of my hoodie.

Letting out an awkward chuckle, I admit, “This is all new to me. I don’t even know what to talk about.”

Ryan clears his throat. “We’ll just get to know each other.” He’s silent for a moment, then he adds, “You could show me around.”

Another hot grin from Ryan has my stomach stuck on the spin cycle.

“Don’t get too excited,” I mutter. “There’s not much to see, and I’m actually quite boring.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he chuckles.

Damn, he’s too hot for me to handle.

“So…” I say, “Why did your family move to Steamboat Springs, of all places?”

“It’s work-related,” he answers vaguely.

“It must suck, though.” I glance through the window into the cafeteria and see that everyone’s staring at us. “You must miss your old school and friends.”

Ryan just shrugs then turns his head to see what I’m looking at. “Don’t mind them.”

“It’s hard when everyone’s staring at us,” I mutter.

“They don’t matter.”

My eyes fly to his face, a take in the serious expression tightening his features.

“You really don’t care?” I ask.

“Not at all.”

“Wow.” I let out a burst of laughter. “I wish I had your confidence.”

The bell signals the end of our break. Getting up, I let Ryan walk one step ahead of me toward our Spanish class.

One after the other, I hear the unwelcome comments from the other students.

“What’s the new guy doing with the freak?”

“What does she have that I don’t.”

“Is he blind?”

“Dude must like his girls vanilla as fuck.”

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