James Hunter swaggered through the throng of students followed by three large guys with broad shoulders, whom I didn’t dare look at twice. The closer they got, the more I looked away. Suddenly, I managed to get a better look at his face. His hair was a tousled mass of chestnut locks flecked with ashy blond streaks. Lazily, he ran his ring-adorned fingers through his hair. When it fell, it framed a well-proportioned, sculpted face with a pair of full lips and a strong jawline.
He absentmindedly looked around at his classmates ogling him admiringly. The air escaped my lungs as he moved forward. My heart started racing. I was almost tempted to lower my head just he passed me by, but instead I froze and stared into his dazzling cobalt-blue eyes, which were as dark as nightfall.
Our eyes locked for a fraction of a second. I felt a rush of adrenaline pulse under my skin and course through my veins.
So, this was James Hunter.
2
Brian
I’ve always been a loner, someone who only looked out for number one. But it was impossible to ignore June’s enchanting eyes. Her gaze from under her long blond hair was curious, and her rosy cheeks lit up every time I looked at her for even a moment too long.
After watching that moron James Hunter saunter into school, she finally decided to follow me. We walked into the classroom together. June took a few seconds to look around, but it wasn’t the ample windows that lit the room that made her ocean-blue eyes light up; it was the modular desks and new mint-green seats.
I saw her look down as if she was searching for flaws in the pristine surfaces that the principal replaced every year.
“Incredible . . . not even a scratch,” she exclaimed dumbfoundedly.
The desks are polished, us not so much.
“Don’t be fooled, it’s all for show,” I said, waving at my football teammates.
I ignored the stares of a few girls who batted their eyelashes at me. My heart was taken, and I only had eyes for my girlfriend, Ari.
I sat at an empty desk and looked for her. I thought she must be absent because Ari was always one of the first ones to class, especially when it came to literature. Our English teacher was the object of every girl in school’s affection. He was about fortyish with boyish good looks and physique. Maybe it was because of his tattoos or his rebelliously curly hair, but even Ari and my sister weren’t immune to his charms. Did he make me jealous? A little, but he was still a teacher and therefore the least of my concerns. If I had to be worried about him, too, I wouldn’t make it out alive.
Amelia and Ari were the most popular girls in school. Now that that thug was back from juvie, the only thing that gave me hope was that he’d stay away from us.
June looked small behind me. She seemed to have every intention of hiding, but no new student is ever invisible here.
Behind me I heard a round of whispers asking, “Who is she?” interspersed with giggles.
“Is she in the right class? She looks like a freshman.”
I ignored the chatter and sat down. June stood there frozen, unsure of what to do. Almost all the seats were taken.
“Why is everyone staring at me?” she muttered under her breath before taking a few steps forward and turning a few guys’ heads. She reminded me of Ari but with a completely different physique. I wasn’t comparing them on purpose, but I instinctively caught glimpses of her curves in her tight-fitting uniform. Her thighs peeked out from under her pleated skirt while her blouse showcased her generous curves.
“I’m usually alone. You can sit here if you want,” I suggested, motioning to the chair next to me before shooting Sammy and Bonnie a look. Both were staring at me inquisitively.
The whole school knew I liked to keep to myself. I didn’t trust anyone, and I didn’t like anyone. But June seemed different from everyone else.
“Do you have your books?” I asked as she rummaged through the textbooks in her hands. None of them seemed to be the right ones.
“I can’t believe it. I brought my physics book instead of my English book,” she stammered.
“You can share with me.”
She raised an eyebrow and eagerly nodded. She approached the seat while a few students indiscreetly glanced at her.
The class’s attention was quickly directed to the door. Murmurs ricocheted throughout the room. I guessed James Hunter and his friends had just set foot in class.
I felt a surge of rage course through me and coalesce into tightly formed fists that I kept on my seat. Making eye contact with him was enough to make my jaw automatically clench.
James didn’t seem to notice. He looked down at me, almost pleased with himself at my reaction. I didn’t even know what made him so sure of himself. His family was a disaster. His academic career? Don’t even think about it. His future? He just got out of juvie; no prestigious university in their right mind would ever admit him.
Our glares intersected quickly like a whip cracking. There was definitely bad blood between us.
