Page 41 of Treacherous

I stared with my mouth hanging open for a moment before swinging my head around to look at Noah.

"Does that look like the look of love to you?" I demanded in a hushed tone.

"You know what they say," Hope mused as she watched Noah as he sat stiffly with his fists balled, glaring evilly at my face. "Hate is the closest thing to love."

"Save me," I whimpered as I clutched her sleeve.

"Miss Connolly!" Miss Andrews glowered at me from the front of the classroom. "Given your inability to compose yourself long enough to complete your assignment with Miss Carter, I suggest you move to another desk and start again with a new partner."

Hope snorted and I reddened.

"I'll contain myself," I told her, knowing full well who was sitting next to the only vacant chair in class. "I promise?"

"Up," she snapped and pointed towards Noah.

Standing slowly I did the walk of shame across the classroom while my legs shook like ivy leaves.

When I reached his desk Noah did absolutely nothing to put me at ease, keeping his chair – and his body – sprawled out, forcing me to climb over his lap to reach the inside seat.

The class erupted in wolf whistles and why wouldn't they? It only looked like I was giving him a bloody lap dance. I was as red as a lobster by the time I was seated.

"So…" I cleared my voice and focused all my attention on my desk. "What are you going to do after high-school?" I tapped my pen against my notepad, desperate to complete the assignment Miss Andrews had doled out to us. "What's your preferred career path or college choice?"

Noah didn't answer me, he just continued to stare, his brown eyes boring holes through my skull. "Noah," I hissed, twisting in my seat to nudge him with my elbow. "Answer the bloody question."

"You know what, Thorn, for someone who likes to play the victim, you've got a nasty little habit of vandalizing property," he said in a low tone. "You're becoming as bad as her."

Ouch.

"You and Ellie started this war," I snarled. "I didnothingto deserve your crap."

"You were born, weren’t you," he shot back cruelly.

"You asshole," I spat.

"Miss Connolly. Mr. Messina."

Miss Andrews did not look impressed.

"Detention after school," she spat. "Both of you."

Noah shrugged like he didn't have a care in the world.

Meanwhile I covered my face with my hands and prayed for death.

****

There were only two words in the English language guaranteed to send my heart into overdrive and set my body on fire.

Two words that, when spoken in sequence, put the fear of god and the desire of Aphrodite into me.

Unfortunately for me, those two words had just come out of Coach Johnson's mouth.

"I'm sorry, Coach," I choked out before clearing my throat. "I didn't quite hear you properly. Who did you say was my partner for rubbish collection duty?"Please be someone else, anyone else…a different person. Let it be my imagination….

"Noah Messina," Coach repeated and my heart soared for a brief moment before sinking into my butt.

Oh sweet Jesus no.

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