“My class is next door to yours. Do you want me to show you the way?” I’m hoping the change of subject will pull her from her thoughts.
She gives me a forced smile and nods her head.
The two of us walk down the hall, and I feel Rory moving closer and closer to me. As the first new kid, pretty much ever, all eyes are on her. She’s trying her best to ignore the stares and whispers, but I can feel how overwhelming it is for her. I open my mouth, hoping to distract her, but my idiot brother beats me to it.
“Damn, how can someone as pretty as you be Chief Monroe’s granddaughter?” Jameson compliments her as he gives her the famous Nash smile all the girls drool over.
Of course he already knows who she is. To him, she’s fresh meat.
Before Rory can respond, the bell rings, letting us know we’re late for class. Placing my hand on Jameson’s chest, I give him a shove.
“Get out of the way dumbass, you’re making us late,” I warn him.
“Who are you?” Rory asks, raising one eyebrow at my brother before looking back and forth between the two of us.
It’s easy to tell we’re related. The differences between us are so slight, you’d have to be an idiot not to figure it out. And this girl is far from being an idiot.
“Jameson Nash, Jackson’s older, better-looking brother. Also, varsity quarterback, small town hero, and your date for Friday night.”
“Cute, but no.” She laughs while grabbing me by the shirt and pulling me past Jameson.
I look back and watch as my brother deflates a little. Rory is probably the first girl who has ever said no to him in any capacity. But his disappointment doesn’t last long as one of the varsity cheerleaders calls out his name and wiggles her finger at him.
“Your brother’s a textbook douchebag… no offense,” she remarks, while placing her hand on the doorknob of her next class.
“Tell me about it. I have to live with him.” And in his shadow.
“Thanks for the notes and for making sure I didn’t get lost.” This time, when Rory smiles, it actually reaches her eyes. It’s like a bolt of lightning straight to the chest. “Maybe I’ll see you later.”
“Definitely,” I mutter while watching her walk into the classroom. “Bye.”
The door slams shut in my face, and I exhale the breath I have been holding. Forty minutes, twenty-four hundred seconds. That’s all it took for this new girl to steal a piece of my heart.
“I think I’m in love.”
