Rue growled, clearly aggravated that John and Jesse weren’t letting him get to me. He glowered at them both, and I could almost see the steam coming out of his ears. “There is nothing to discuss. Now unhand her immediately.”
I wasn’t a wilting flower, and these guys were starting to pissmeoff. I’d only let them manhandle me because I was still in shock after Rue had grabbed my hand, and it became clear he was a candidate for my Faction.
I’d noticed him in class… because what woman in her right mind wouldn’t? The guy was brilliant and looked like an angel: golden blonde hair, blue eyes, and a dimple in each cheek. Most of the women and half the men spent most of our class period trying to get his attention.
It was all in vain because he seemed oblivious to it all. To be perfectly honest, I was amazed that he even knew who I was.
“Enough!” I stepped from behind the twins and stood in the middle of the three guys. “This is fucking ridiculous!”
“Language, Adelaide,” John mumbled, seeming unable to help himself.
“What did you say?” I tilted my head up so I could look into his eyes, daring him to repeat that.
“Shut up, bro,” Jesse said, out of the side of his mouth. “Now's not the time.”
John frowned at his brother but didn’t repeat himself.
Smart man.
“This is what’s going to happen… Rue is going to escort me to my next class since we’re in it together.” I narrowed my eyes at him when he aimed a smug expression at the twins, and he quickly dropped it. “After class, you two...” I nodded at John and Jesse, “...are going to get lunch, and we’re going to find a spot by the lake to talk things over in private.” I made eye contact with all three men. “Are we clear?”
There was considerable grumbling, but eventually everyone agreed.
“I’d just like to interject that I love a woman who takes charge.” Jesse waggled his brows.
John rolled his eyes, then, to my surprise, bent down to kiss my cheek, “We’ll have food waiting.” He locked eyes with Rue, “You’d better pull your head out of your ass and come to terms with this situation, cause we’re not going anywhere.” And of then he added, “Don’t take your eyes off her.”
Really? I could probably kick their respective asses.
Before I could tell him exactly that, both guys turned and walked off. I heard Jesse mumble something about heading to the administration office to change their schedules.
Rue frowned briefly in their direction, then grabbed my hand and started toward our class once more—a bold move for someone who hadn’t said two words to me before today.
When we entered, I headed toward my usual seat, but Rue stopped me and pointed to the desk next to his. I rolled my eyes but didn’t argue.
At this point, I just wanted a moment of peace to digest everything that had happened. Now that it had become clear I was destined to be Nexus, I needed a minute to come to terms with that.
“Why is Rue Walters sitting byher?” Beatrice, Selene’s best friend, asked no one in particular.
The nights that she came over, I made myself scarce. Dealing with them both at the same time was exhausting. Selene was difficult on the best of days, but with Beatrice there, it was unbearable. Those two seemed determined to make sure I was as miserable as possible. I had a recurring fantasy where both girls lost their voices permanently, along with developing the largest hemorrhoid on record. Sometimes I changed it up with themlosing their sight and being forced to navigate a room where the floor was covered in Legos.
A girl could dream.
The sounds that came out of Selene’s room led me to believe they were a little more than friends. Selene had to be Nexus if they were Potentials. I couldn’t see her allowing someone else to be the center of attention. It gave me chills just thinking about what kind of fucked up Faction they would have.
Rue didn’t acknowledge that she’d even spoken.
I wasn’t quite so noble, “Wow, your ability must be in asking random questions that nobody cares about.”
Beatrice opened her mouth to let her usual stream of trash fall out, but before she could speak, Rue’s deep voice carried across the room.
“We don’t give attention to ones such as her.” Rue scolded me and turned his attention back to the front.
Beatrice gasped in outrage, but at that moment, the professor walked in and began her lecture.
I heard exactly none of it. I couldn’t keep my eyes off Rue and my thoughts from the twins. My stomach felt like a flock of butterflies had taken up residence, and I had no idea how I was going to eat lunch surrounded on three sides by such male perfection.
Rue tapped one long, elegant finger on my leg, then nodded toward the podium the professor was speaking from. I wanted to be mad about his bossiness, but if I was being honest with myself, it was kind of sexy. I tuned back into the lecture, deciding to let go of my worries for now. Lunch would be here soon enough, and we could hash it all out then.
