Page 6 of The Boy With The Sharp Teeth
"I'mnothing like that," she argued, hating every word of the goody-two-shoeassessment he was casting on her.
Seeingthat he hit a nerve, his smile deepened with an edge of cruelty. "Ofcourse, you are. Why else would my normally friendly uncle, Adam Waatese,threaten me to stay away from you?"
Surprised,Sana momentarily forgot her outrage. "You're a Waatese?"
Blinking,his smile faltered a bit as shock colored his eyes. Lifting one black eyebrowin a sardonic arch, he gestured at his face and body. "Isn't itobvious?"
"I…Isuppose so," she tried to recover. She felt silly for not guessing he wasrelated to the Waatese family. "I guess I wasn't thinking aboutthat."
"Lord,you are precious," he laughed, the genuine amusement only made hishandsome face even more beautiful. "What do your parents do, keep you in abubble all year?"
Hurtlanced through her at that. Moving to sidestep him, since at some point oranother he had moved to block her way yet again, she wasn't going to stand hereand be berated any longer. But he quickly stepped in front of her, blocking herpath again. Exasperated, she was about to shout at him when he spoke.
"Myname is Zachariah Waatese. You can call me Zach," he offered, his tonefriendlier. "And I promise, you will be safe with me."
Therewas truth in his words but a lie shining in his eyes. Letting her gaze driftfrom his and pass over his body, Sana turned away as she thought about hisoffer. He was without a doubt on a whole other level than her. Sexual prowessexuded from him in waves. With one hand stuffed casually in his pocket, the sungleamed off his naturally bronze skin and black hair. The definition of hoursand hours of hard work had already made its path down his arms, outliningmuscles from one another, pushing their hard shapes to the surface. With eachmovement of his arms, she could see the heavily corded muscles flex underneathhis taut skin, reminding her of his strength. She wasn't just out of her leaguewith this boy; she wasn't even playing the right game.
"I…can't,"the words were barely out of her mouth when he turned around and began walkingup the hill.
"Sametime, tomorrow. I will meet you in the clearing behind the drug store," hecalled over his shoulder.
Wait...what?What just happened?
Staringat him walk away, Sana could feel the uneasy sensation in her stomach transforminto a foreign feeling of excitement and dread. There was no way she could seehim tomorrow. Her parents would lose their minds at the very notion of hertalking to a guy like Zachariah Waatese, much less traipsing off in the forestalone with him. No, she definitely could not go with him. He was dangerous byall accounts. Looking at the deep footprints in the sand at the spot he justvacated, she recalled the feeling of heart thrashing excitement as she talkedto him. It was a feeling she never felt with any other guy before.
Catchingher train of thoughts, she frowned. No, absolutely not. She would be a fool togo anywhere with a boy like that.
Buta fool she was.
Itbothered her to think how long she had spent in the mirror that next daylooking at her outfit. After multiple changes, Sana finally decided on a pairof olive khaki shorts and a peach-colored t-shirt. The entire way to thedrugstore, she imagined a multitude of scenarios that all involved her beingstood up and laughed at by Zachariah. Maybe he was joking? Or worse, maybe thiswas all a prank he had concocted with his friends, who were all waiting nearbyto laugh at her. She stopped walking a couple of times on her way there,eventually forcing herself to take another hesitant step forward. Sana toldherself if he wasn't there when she got there, she would leave immediately. Shewould not for any reason stand around looking a fool for that boy with the oddgolden gaze.
Roundingthe back corner of the drug store, her stomach dropped at the sight of theempty clearing running up against the drugstore's brick wall. No one was there.Anger began to flood through her veins as she stepped back into the pair ofstrong hands. Sana nearly screamed.
"Ididn't think you would show up," Zachariah looked down at her from overher head, giving her a large upside-down smile.
Steppingquickly out of his warm grip, she turned around to face him properly. "Ishouldn't have."
"You'reprobably right," he admitted deviously. Before she could argue at thatresponse, he grabbed her hand and began to lead her into the forest. "Now,let's go see that carnie graveyard, shall we?" He announced happily.
Fora moment there, Sana feared he was going to try and hold her hand hostage inhis the whole way. Thankfully he let go, choosing to walk alongside her insteadof leading her the whole way as she feared. The forest was peaceful and cool,keeping the summer sun constantly interrupted by the soft canopy of leavesabove. Both her and Zachariah's mood seemed to shift accordingly to theirserene surroundings, him losing the taunting edge to his tone as he asked herabout Seattle and her losing some of her suspicions of him as she slowlyresponded. Although, he seemingly couldn't help himself from a few snidecomments when she mentioned the private school she attended.
"Letme guess, it's an all-girl school, isn't it?" So sure of himself about heranswer, he gave her a waiting evil look, ready to laugh at her expectedresponse.
Notdeigning to look at him, she tilted her chin higher and stared determinedly atthe path ahead. "It's a coed school for your information," she saidhaughtily. "I'm notthatsheltered."
"Doyou have a boyfriend?"
"No."She was so shocked at the sudden personal question the answer just tumbled fromher lips.
"Haveyou ever had one?" The smirk on his lips made her want to slap him.
"Whatis the need of asking me all of these personal questions? I thought you werejust going to show me this supposed carnie site."
"It'snothing to worry about. I just like to know who I'm going to be upagainst," he said with a grin that showed off his sharp white teeth.
Stopping,Sana stood stiff and straight, giving him her best commanding look. "Look,I don't know what you think…"
"Ahah ah, no stopping," he reprimanded. Reaching back, he grabbed her hand,forcefully resuming her walking. "I want to get you back before dinner, sothat means no breaks until we get there."
