Page 85 of Bound By Earth (The Nature Hunters Academy 1)

“God forbid your insult creativity be stifled,” she saiddryly.

“It’s a rull threaft,” Shelly said, her mouth now full of brownie. She swallowed. “Take away a girl’s ability to get creative when she insults her BFFF and what does she have left?” Another bite ofbrownie.

“The potential for a healthy relationship?” Tarashrugged.

Shelly’s mouth fell open in shock, and a piece of brownie fellout.

“How dare you try and shove healthy relationship changes down my throat when I’m trying to make sure that the weird one stays true.” The outrage was fake, and the stifled laughter at the brownie particles flying out of her mouth didn’t help things. Before long, Shelly was laughing as Tara shoved napkins at her and apologized to those standing too close who were splattered with browniedebris.

“Wow, that was a delicious brownie,” Shelly said with a sigh once she’d finally controlledherself.

“Are you sure you could tell? You spit most of it all over the floor and your fellowstudents.”

“Meh, they probably deservedit.”

“A couple of them definitely did,” Taraagreed.

“I don’t think we can stall any longer. Tucker and his cronies are headed this way,” Shellysaid.

Just then, a popular pop song came out of the D.J.’s speakers, and the people in the gym wentcrazy.

“Perfect,” Shelly said as she smiled and looked over at Tucker and his friends. “This is an awesome song! Let’sdance.”

Tucker grabbed Tara’s hand before Shelly could and pulled her to the dance floor. Tara looked over her shoulder and saw that Seth had offered Shelly his arm and was leading her to the dance floor as well. Hayden had turned to a girl who was walking by and asked her a question as he motioned to the dance floor. She smiled and nodded and then they, too, were headed todance.

Thankfully, the song was much too fast to attempt any sort of slow dancing. Not even the awkward kind people who were desperate to touch tried. Once Shelly had caught up to them with her dance partner, she forced them into a group-dancing situation that worked quite well at keeping Tucker and Tara from getting too close. Tara found herself laughing at Shelly’s self-proclaimed Tucker deterrent and wondered why her BFFF was taking the job soseriously.

They danced that way for three songs. But the next song was considerably slower. Of course, Tucker wanted to keep going, but Tara was out of breath and thirsty. So, she didn’t feel rude declining his offer to stay on the dance floor. They all walked over to the snack table and each got a glass ofpunch.

“Why don’t we go take a seat over there?” Tucker pointed to an empty table farthest from the D.J.booth.

Tara nodded, and Shelly bebopped along beside her talking toSeth.

“You’re a fantastic dancer,” Tucker told Tara as he pulled out a seat forher.

“Thanks.” She sat and took a drink of the punch. “You’re not too bad yourself.” Tara turned when she felt a nudge on her right shoulder and saw that Shelly was holding Tara’s phone. She had given it to Shelly to put in her purse when they’d been walking inside. Tara took the phone and looked at the screen. She’d received a text from her curious asscat.

You look stunning.I have decided there should be no dancing of any kind, anywhere, especially in a dark building set up to beromantic.

Tara smiled.But then frowned. How in the world did he know what she looked like? She tried to surreptitiously glance around the dark room but must have looked ridiculous because Shelly leaned over and bumped her shoulder with her own. “He’s not here, you dork,” she whispered. “I sent him yourpicture.”

Tara’s mouth dropped open, but she quickly snapped it shut. “You did what?” Tara asked her friend as she narrowed her eyes one Shelly. Tara could feel Tucker’s attention, but she didn’t turn to look at him. “How did you get his number?” She was trying to keep her words low but didn’t know if she was beingsuccessful.

“He textedme.”

This time when Tara’s mouth dropped open, it did not shut back on its own. Mostly because she couldn’t believe what she was feeling. She was jealous. She was jealous because Elias texted Shelly. That was just wrong. Of all the people in the world who might betray her, Shelly was not on that list. Letting that realization set in, Tara finally closed hermouth.

“He said he got my number from the personality test,” Shellyexplained.

“What did he say when he texted you?” Tara asked, though it was out of curiosity this time and notjealousy.

“It was really sweet, T,” she said, her eyes softening. “He said he realized it was crazy but that he had very deep feelings for you and he was worried about losing you to Tucker. He asked me to make sure he had a fighting chance to win your heart.” Shelly fanned herself as she continued. “Not going to lie, Tara-bear, I was swooning, and he wasn’t even talking about me. Then he asked if I would please send him a picture of you so he could see how lovely he knew you must look. I’m totally rethinking the ass-cattitle.”

Tara’s heart pounded in her chest as she stared at her best friend, though Shelly wasn’t who she was seeing. Tara saw Elias’s face and desperately wished he were the one with her. She wanted to feel her hand in his, his lips on hers, and his arms aroundher.

“Everything okay?” Tucker asked as he put his arm on the back of herchair.

For those few minutes while Shelly was telling her what Elias had texted her, Tucker had ceased toexist.

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