Jack's feet were moving before he'd made a conscious decision. He'd learned from watching Colt that sometimes the right thing to do was also the simplest. Help when you can.
“Hey.” He kept his voice gentle, not wanting to startle her. “You look like you could use some help.”
She turned her blue-gray eyes on him, and Jack felt something shift in his chest. Up close, she was even prettier than he'd realized. But it was more than that. Something in the way she held herself, exuding a quiet strength beneath the obvious nervousness, pulled at him.
“I was waiting on my new friend Cindy Coates, but she got called away,” she said softly. Her voice had a slight tremor, but she met his gaze directly. “I’m supposed to find room 214. I have Mrs. Trentham for World Geography.”
“Lucky you.” Jack grinned. “My first period is in the Social Studies wing. I'll walk you there.”
Relief flickered across her face. “Thank you. Cindy was going to show me, but now can’t.”
“That sucks, but I’ll make sure you’re taken care of,” he said with a smile. He should be sorry that Cindy had to leave her, but now the new girl needed someone to show her around. They started down the hallway, and Jack adjusted his pace to match hers. “I'm Jack, by the way. Jack Hudson.”
“Rachel.” She paused, then added, “Rachel Ayers.”
“Are you new here?”
A flush crept across her cheeks. “Is it that obvious?”
Her voice was soft and sweet, and Jack found himself wanting to hear more of it.
“Only a little.” He gestured to the folder she clutched. “Baytown High isn’t so bad once you figure out the layout. The building's shaped like a giant U, which makes it harder to get lost than you'd think.”
They climbed the stairs to the second floor, and Jack pointed out landmarks as they went. The library, the science labs, and the senior lounge—underclassmen were technically not supposed to use it, but everyone did anyway. Rachel listened quietly, nodding occasionally. She didn't say much, but Jack didn't mind. Something told him that silence was more comfortable for her than small talk.
When they reached Mrs. Trentham’s classroom, Jack nodded toward the door. “Here you are.”
Rachel looked up, her smile trembling slightly. “Thank you,” she said before slipping past him.
He caught the faint scent of something floral. Shampoo, maybe. He watched her move straight to the teacher's desk before Jack made his way across the hall to his class. Marcus had already claimed a desk, and Jack slid into the seat next to him.
“Who was that?” Marcus whispered.
“New girl. Rachel.”
Marcus raised his eyebrows. “You move fast, man.”
“Shut up.” Jack kept his voice low. “I just helped her find the classroom.”
“Uh-huh.” Marcus smirked. “That's why you were watching her like she's the only person in the school.”
Jack forced himself to look away, focusing instead on pulling out his notebook. Mrs. Bingham launched into taking the roll and her class rules. He did his best to pay attention, but his concentration slipped. He kept thinking about Rachel, and something protective stirred in his chest. Rachel was trying hard to blend in, but everything about her screamed uncertainty.
When the bell rang, students gathered their belongings in a cacophony of scraping chairs and chatter. He hurried to snag his backpack from the floor, keeping one eye on the door across the hall.
Marcus clapped him on the shoulder. “See you at lunch?”
“Yeah.” Jack barely registered his friend leaving. He shouldered his backpack and made his way to Rachel as she walked out of her classroom. “Hey, what do you have next?”
She blinked up at him before smiling as she consulted a paper in her folder. “Geometry with Mr. Garrison.”
He looked at the paper schedule in her hand. “We’re in the same grade. And we both have math next. It’s on the second floor, west wing.” Jack shifted his weight. “I have Algebra II down the hall from you, but I can show you where Garrison's room is. It's on the way.”
“You don't have to keep helping me.” Despite her words, hope flickered in her eyes. “I'm sure you have better things to do.”
“Not really.” Jack gestured toward the door. “Come on. Anyway, Cindy would be furious if I were here and didn’t help.”
Rachel's smile was small but genuine. “Then I guess I should let you help. For your own safety.”
