Blaise Morrison is in my choir and voice development class.
I avoid him like the plague. It's easy because he stays attached to Avery, and I was already trying to stay as far away from that girl as possible. They're such close friends, it's easy to see in the way they banter with each other and their casual touches.
I had been planning on speaking to Miss Umber about doing my solo privately but, embarrassingly, I find I can't even speak in Blaise’s presence. It's humiliating and humbling, and I consider leaving the school for the very first time since arriving in the hellhole.
How can he affect me so much?
But I know the answer to that already. He's every single one of my fantasies come to life and walking the halls of Hannaford with me. I can't look at him without thinking about all the times I've listened to his crooning or sung along at the top of my voice. I used to listen to him and imagine what my life would be like if I were brave enough to start a band and run away from all my troubles. But I'm not brave. Not that type of brave, anyway.
We make it through warm-ups without a hitch, and then Miss Umber breaks us up into groups to work through the vocal exercises. I'm with Lauren, who smiles at me shyly, and two other girls I don't really know. It's easy enough to distract the other girls and not actually do any singing myself. Lauren is good, but not as good as I am, and the other two can harmonize well. I'm kind of shocked to realize how much fun I'm having. I wish so badly that I could sing, but the loss hurts less when I can laugh with the other girls.
“Oh god, he's about to sing!” Dahlia says. Well, squeals is more accurate.
I glance over, and Avery is grinning up at Blaise as he starts with his vocal work. I try not to show on my face what his voice is doing to me because honestly, I've never been so turned on in my life. It's wildly unfair and cruel.
All the other groups have stopped to listen to him as well, and Miss Umber isblushingat Blaise as she watches him over her glasses. She's looking at him like she'd eat him right up. Are all the teachers at this school predatory, or is that just the intense allure of Avery’s guys?
Speaking of Avery, she is enjoying being in the thick of it. Her hand is curled around his arm possessively. I roll my eyes at her, and Lauren giggles next to me. She's a sweet kid. I wish she were a bit braver, and we could actually be friends.
“Any other songs you’d like, Claire?” he says to Miss Umber with a flirty wink.
I could just die.
If he ever does that in my direction, Iwillexpire.
“O-oh, no, that's quite alright! How was your touring during the break? Did you get to spend some time at home with your family?” She blushes her way through her questions, and then sits down with his group. The room stays quiet. He's the focus of everyone's attention, and he grins easily.
“It was great! I did a lot of Europe and a little bit of Asia. We focused on smaller, more intimate venues so I could look into the crowd and see people rather than just a giant, writhing mass. My parents came out to me, so I did get to see them. It's hard being young and still going to school. I have to try and fit a lot into my year.”
Miss Umber nods along with him, her eyes affectionate.
“I'm ready to be here, though. I missed my friends and I need a rest.”
“Only you would see school as a rest,” Avery scolds him, smiling like a Cheshire cat.
“Well, I'm expecting to sleep at least ten hours a night, and my liver is going to have a chance to empty out a bit, so yeah, it's a break. You never realize how precious sleeping on a stationary bed is until you're trapped on a bus for months,” he says with another wink at Miss Umber. I’m starting to worry the poor woman’s heart wouldn’t be able to cope with all the blushing she’s doing.
“Trapped, like you don't love every second of it! Last year you were the worst to be around because you'd been home for too long. I give it a week and you'll be planning your next move.”
He laughs, and his whole face lights up when he looks at Avery. I've never been so jealous in all my life.
“I'd kill for a boy to look at me like that,” whispers Lauren, and I smile at her. Dahlia nods frantically, and Jessie hums in agreement. At least I'm not the only girl feeling this way.
Chapter 5
Idecide I’m going to try every breakfast option at least once, so I’m sure I’m eating the best while I’m here. I’m sitting in the dining hall enjoying a giant stack of pancakes when Joseph Beaumont sits down beside me. I stiffen up, but I try not to make it obvious. I fail.
“Relax, Mounty. I'm here to chat,” he says, and his voice is like dark malt liquor. Rich, seductive, dangerous.
“Is there something I can help you with?” I put down my cutlery and stare across the table at him. He's attractive like his brother, but his features are sharper, like you could cut yourself on him and bleed out in seconds.
“I've heard that you've been getting some unwanted attention.”
Right. I'd been propositioned by eleven juniors this week, and it was only Wednesday.
Eleven.
So far I've only had to punch that one guy, but I'd had a few more close calls. It was beginning to make the short walks between classes unbearable.
