his face. There were girls out there who actually wanted to talk to him. He was done wasting his time on the one girl who didn’t.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Quinn had managed a full twenty-four hours without something creepy happening. No more evil messages appeared on her phone, no shadows followed her, and she hadn’t had a nightmare since dream-Aaron had pulled her from the lake. Sleep deprivation had caused her hallucinations, and now that she’d had a night of uninterrupted sleep, she could see how stupid being afraid of shadows had been.
Waking up rested, she’d been determined to have a good day, but Kerstin wouldn’t let her. Not after overhearing Jeff complimenting Quinn on her new haircut. Since then, Kerstin had “accidentally” tripped her in the hallway, dropped a textbook on her foot, and started whispering that Quinn’s new haircut made her look like a drag queen.
Quinn had spent most of the morning avoiding Kerstin’s attacks by taking different routes to class and ducking behind trashcans whenever Kerstin rounded the corner. The bathroom seemed the safest place to spend the lunch hour, so she picked the one farthest from the cafeteria. Cowardly, but effective.
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Quinn cracked the door and peeked into the hall. Aaron tapped out a rhythm on the metal door of his locker as he spun the numbers of his combination. He turned, as if he sensed her watching. She fumbled the door shut and pressed herself against the tiled wall. She had forgotten his locker was right across the hall. She cracked the door again. Aaron switched a book from his backpack with one from his locker. He was a mix of rugged and broody with piercing green eyes—the complete opposite of the all-American, preppy Jeff. A pen slid from his hand and he bent to pick it up. Her cheeks grew hot. Part of her wanted, needed , to talk to him, but uncertainty held her back. Had he hung up on her because he thought she was crazy, or had the random phone malfunction cut her off? There was only one way to find out. Talking to Aaron would be the only thing good about her day, so why was she still hiding in the bathroom? Before her courage waned, she checked her hair in the mirror, squared her shoulders, and stepped through the door.
“Hey! Watch where you’re going, freak.” Quinn stumbled as Kerstin rammed into her.
“Just leave me alone, all right?” Quinn rubbed her arm where Kerstin’s shoulder had hit her.
“Now, what would Quinn Perfect be doing hiding in the bathroom?”
“I wasn’t hiding.” Quinn tried to push past her, but Kerstin wedged her arm against the doorframe.
She prayed Aaron would notice what was happening and rescue her like he had so many times before. As if on cue, he closed his locker and turned around. His eyes found hers, and the world slowed. Knowing he was there with her, that he saw her, gave her strength. The world rushed back into sync as he turned and gave his attention to a girl with dark, spiky hair: Marie. Marie adjusted the collar of Aaron’s shirt, and he laughed at something she said. He picked up his backpack, and Marie brushed against him. They both laughed at the awkward moment. Aaron offered his arm, and Marie took it. As they passed Quinn, he glanced her way. She tried to hold his attention with a smile, but he looked away and turned his smile back to Marie. Quinn slumped against the doorframe.
“What’s wrong with you?” Kerstin cocked her head.
“You’ve had your fun for the day, and I’ve got to get to class.” Quinn ducked under Kerstin’s arm.
“Oh, the fun’s just beginning.” Kerstin let her go. “You’re lucky I’m on my way to meet Jeff. See you at the pep rally, Quinn Perfect.”
Quinn was past caring. What could Kerstin really do to her? All she cared about was why Aaron had walked right past her. Maybe the connection she felt to him was just in her head, along with everything else. Maybe it was for the best. He couldn’t help her
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Quinn had managed a full twenty-four hours without something creepy happening. No more evil messages appeared on her phone, no shadows followed her, and she hadn’t had a nightmare since dream-Aaron had pulled her from the lake. Sleep deprivation had caused her hallucinations, and now that she’d had a night of uninterrupted sleep, she could see how stupid being afraid of shadows had been.
Waking up rested, she’d been determined to have a good day, but Kerstin wouldn’t let her. Not after overhearing Jeff complimenting Quinn on her new haircut. Since then, Kerstin had “accidentally” tripped her in the hallway, dropped a textbook on her foot, and started whispering that Quinn’s new haircut made her look like a drag queen.
Quinn had spent most of the morning avoiding Kerstin’s attacks by taking different routes to class and ducking behind trashcans whenever Kerstin rounded the corner. The bathroom seemed the safest place to spend the lunch hour, so she picked the one farthest from the cafeteria. Cowardly, but effective.
The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Quinn cracked the door and peeked into the hall. Aaron tapped out a rhythm on the metal door of his locker as he spun the numbers of his combination. He turned, as if he sensed her watching. She fumbled the door shut and pressed herself against the tiled wall. She had forgotten his locker was right across the hall. She cracked the door again. Aaron switched a book from his backpack with one from his locker. He was a mix of rugged and broody with piercing green eyes—the complete opposite of the all-American, preppy Jeff. A pen slid from his hand and he bent to pick it up. Her cheeks grew hot. Part of her wanted, needed , to talk to him, but uncertainty held her back. Had he hung up on her because he thought she was crazy, or had the random phone malfunction cut her off? There was only one way to find out. Talking to Aaron would be the only thing good about her day, so why was she still hiding in the bathroom? Before her courage waned, she checked her hair in the mirror, squared her shoulders, and stepped through the door.
“Hey! Watch where you’re going, freak.” Quinn stumbled as Kerstin rammed into her.
“Just leave me alone, all right?” Quinn rubbed her arm where Kerstin’s shoulder had hit her.
“Now, what would Quinn Perfect be doing hiding in the bathroom?”
“I wasn’t hiding.” Quinn tried to push past her, but Kerstin wedged her arm against the doorframe.
She prayed Aaron would notice what was happening and rescue her like he had so many times before. As if on cue, he closed his locker and turned around. His eyes found hers, and the world slowed. Knowing he was there with her, that he saw her, gave her strength. The world rushed back into sync as he turned and gave his attention to a girl with dark, spiky hair: Marie. Marie adjusted the collar of Aaron’s shirt, and he laughed at something she said. He picked up his backpack, and Marie brushed against him. They both laughed at the awkward moment. Aaron offered his arm, and Marie took it. As they passed Quinn, he glanced her way. She tried to hold his attention with a smile, but he looked away and turned his smile back to Marie. Quinn slumped against the doorframe.
“What’s wrong with you?” Kerstin cocked her head.
“You’ve had your fun for the day, and I’ve got to get to class.” Quinn ducked under Kerstin’s arm.
“Oh, the fun’s just beginning.” Kerstin let her go. “You’re lucky I’m on my way to meet Jeff. See you at the pep rally, Quinn Perfect.”
Quinn was past caring. What could Kerstin really do to her? All she cared about was why Aaron had walked right past her. Maybe the connection she felt to him was just in her head, along with everything else. Maybe it was for the best. He couldn’t help her
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