Rick grins. He’s always cheerful when we move somewhere new. It lasts about as long as his credit line at the local bar. “Sure it is. There’s plenty of work at the construction site. And when this one completes, they’re moving to the plot next door. So we can stay as long as we need to.”
My humph lets him know what I think of his optimism as I jump down from the truck, swinging my threadbare denimbackpack over my shoulder. I wince, belatedly forgetting the rip down the side as a tearing noise tells me my stuff is hanging on for dear life. Another sound precedes every single one of my things tumbling out onto the sidewalk.
Rick is already pulling away without another glance, not bothering to stick around and help. Sighing, I crouch and start picking everything up. I have pins in my pocket to patch the bag back together, but Rick will definitely have to shell out for a new one now.
“Need a hand?” Someone crouches beside me, large hands reaching for the history textbook that probably tipped my bag over the edge. The boy straightens with it in his hand before extending the other to me. “I haven’t seen you before.”
His tone tells me he knows everyone here. Not that I’m surprised. There’s probably ten people in our whole year. “Yeah. We just moved here.”
“Welcome to Widow’s Peak, then.” I peek up at him as he pulls me to my feet. But he keeps hold of my hand for a few seconds longer. “I’m Theo.”
His smile is warm. As warm as his voice. Rich and smooth - like the proper butter, not the cheap shit Rick buys when I’m not paying attention to the groceries. My mouth tips up in a small smile. “Hi, Theo.”
Maybe this school won’t be so bad after all. “I’m Kennedy. Uh. My friends call me Kenny?”
“Kenny it is, then.” He winks, before his cheeks flush lightly, as if in embarrassment. It makes my smile grow wider. “Can I walk you in? I can introduce you to a few people.”
“Sure.”
Theo strolls beside me, keeping my history book in his hands as I hoist my bag back onto my shoulder, keeping the heaviest books to carry. Frowning, I gesture to the textbook in his hands. “I can take that.”
“Or I could carry it for you.” I blink as my books are plucked out of my hands. “These too. They look kinda heavy.”
My lips press together. “I can carry my own stuff.”
“I know.” Theo smiles at me over his shoulder as he reaches to open the door, my books balanced easily in one hand. His green eyes crinkle at the corners, as if he laughs a lot. “But if I can make your first day a little easier, I will.”
My brow crinkles. “That’s…nice?”
He half-laughs, but his eyes scrunch together. His sudden focus is a little unnerving. “You’re not used to people being nice to you, are you?”
“Not particularly.” This feels a little deep for a conversation with someone I just met. “I find that it’s easier not to expect anything at all. Then I won’t be disappointed.”
“Well.” He holds the door open with his shoulder, his arm swiping in a funny little bow. “We’ll try not to disappoint you, Kenny.”
“We?” I step inside, taking in the small hallway. At the end, a group of boys have their heads together, one pointing to a book in his hands as his lips move. Theo starts toward them. “That’s my pack.”
His legs are ridiculously long. I scurry behind him. “You already have a pack?”
Packs don’t normally form until adulthood. Theo shrugs. “We know what we want.”
I slow as he reaches them. I suddenly wish I had my books in my arms to use as a shield. There’s a lot of… alpha, in the air. And all of them focus on me with an intensity that has my cheeks heating.
“This is Kenny. Or Kennedy. Ozzy. Look up from that textbook for one minute, will you?” Theo smacks his hand lightly against the stomach of a boy with steel-gray hair, capturing his attention. His thick-set glasses almost fall down his nosewhen he looks up, capturing me with almost black, onyx eyes. “Kenny, this is Oscar. That’s Jake, and Max.”
Two other boys wave. One of them – Jake – is already a giant, his shoulders broad enough that I’m pretty sure I could fit inside them twice over. But his smile is kind. “Hey, Kenny.”
Beside him, a blond, curly-haired boy grins. “You’ve found us at the perfect time to save us from Oscar.”
The gray-haired boy only raises one eyebrow, tilting his head. “We were going through some equations.”
Another boy, leaning against the wall, groans. “Don’t introduce yourself with that. What have I told you?”
“And that’s my brother.” Theo sounds amused. “In case it wasn’t obvious. Brett.”
Brett is almost identical to Theo. But there’s an edge to him that makes me step back. His dominance level is ridiculously strong – enough that I almost drop my eyes before forcing myself to stay where I am. His smile is sharper, a little wider. His hair a little shorter, gelled at the front. His eyes gleam, pale green in comparison to Theo’s emerald as he steps forward. “It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, Kennedy.”
I try to smile. “Likewise.”
