Page 32 of The Star

I click my tongue, turning back to my desk to pay attention to the class, but I don’t miss the chuckle that comes from him.

* * *

I find my way to my locker after class to switch out some books and spot Carson standing with Cassidy at the opposite end of the hall. When he catches my eye, I turn, typing the combination into my locker and pretending I’m busy.

After a minute, I look at them out of the corner of my eye, finding Carson still watching me. He gives me a little smirk, then presses into Cassidy and pulls her mouth to his with one of his big hands.

Air gets caught in my throat, so I quickly look back to my locker to get my books so I can get the hell outta here and head to class. Something that feels a hell of a lot likejealousyswims through my gut, making my jaw clench with anger. Anger because I amnotjealous.

I have no reason to be jealous.

Carson is an arrogant, cocky, annoying asshole who gets on my nerves –and he’s going to be my stepbrother.I could never even imagine…No.I stop that train of thought before it crashes and destroys the entire town – because me and Carson? Never going to happen.

Maybe I need to get laid. It’s been a minute. I mean, the last person to touch my lady parts was Carson, and that’s probably why I’m feeling some type of way about seeing him with another girl. His girlfriend. Who he cheated on. With me. His almost-stepsister.

I slam my locker closed, leaving this entire train of thought in there with my discarded gym clothes.

Unfortunately for me, my next class is in the direction of where they’re standing, so I’m forced to walk past them to get there.

Pulling my phone from my back pocket, I put my attention on the screen as I use my peripheral vision to guide me down the hallway – every girls way of making themselves unavailable and distracted.

I catch a brief glimpse of Carson and Cassidy as I walk past them, and then everything moves in slow motion. My phone goes flying from my hand and I’m sailing through the air toward the wood floors.

I fall to the ground with a crash, my backpack flying forward on my back and pushing me down even farther.

What the fuck did I just trip over?

I turn, putting my ass on the ground to look behind me, but instead of an obstacle, I catch Cassidy laughing against her locker, and Carson with a big ass, shit-eating smile on his face.

You’vegotto be kidding me.

I slip my backpack off my arms as I stand up, then take the three steps over to them. I cock my head as I address Cassidy. “Did you just trip me?”

She giggles, slipping her arm through Carson’s. “Welcome to Luxington.”

My eyebrows shoot up my head. “You’re kidding, right?”

Her mouth presses into a satisfied smile, then she shrugs.

I huff a laugh, cocking my jaw to the side and looking at Carson. I find his eyes swirling with mischief, and after a few heartbeats, he flicks his eyebrows at me, as if to say,what’re you gonna do?

That makes the anger burn hotter, my skin flush with heat, and my vision spot with red. I step forward quickly, grabbing Cassidy by the jaw with one hand and shoving her back into the closed locker behind her with a bang.

I press my face to hers. “Since you’re welcoming me to Luxington and all, it would be smart for you to remember that I’m not from here, and we deal with things a little differently across the tracks than what you’re probably used to.”

Her eyes slice like she’s trying to intimidate me, but I don’t miss the twitch to her lips that shows me she’s afraid. We stand there staring at each other for a moment, the world around us blurring away.

“Don’t fuck with me.” I speak clearly, driving my point home with another shove to her jaw so her head knocks into the locker again before I let my grip fall as I turn away.

As I bend down to pick up my backpack, I hear her giggle again, and I swear to God every nerve in my body ignites with fire. I drop the hold I have on my backpack, spin around and throw my fist.

I make impact right at her jaw, making her head fly backwards and slam into the lockers. My hand throbs, so I shake it out as I watch her coil back to look at me.

She shakes her head a little. “I’m going to kill you.”

I laugh, and she runs for me, throwing her hands out in front of her in tiny little fists that have probably never hit someone in their life. I block the blow she tries to throw to my face with my forearm, then slam my fist into her mouth. She falls back, landing on her ass on the shiny wooden floors, and I dive on her.

I deliver blow after blow, and when I feel blood spurt from her nose onto my skin, I pull back and stand up. She lies on the floor, helpless and crying, so I turn to look at Carson.

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