Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
I hear the rowdiness of the football team almost immediately, and even though he hasn’t even made it to his first practice, I’m sure that Noah has already found his people. They would have sniffed him out the second he walked through the door, acting as though he’s their savior here to give them the best shot for the season.
My gaze remains locked on the scuffed linoleum, and the further I get across the cafeteria, the harder it becomes to resist glancing up.
Don’t do it, Zoey. You’re not going to see his smile. You’re not going to see the old light in his dark eyes. You’re setting yourself up for more heartbreak. Don’t do it.
I’m right. I don’t want to look. I don’t want to see what I’m missing or how he so effortlessly falls in line with the other football pigs of East View. I can’t watch him welcome these strangers into his life when he couldn’t even pretend to do the same for me.
The very thought has a fierce jealousy cutting through my chest, but the second I come to terms with it and refuse to allow it to affect me, a new resolve pounds through my chest. I raise my head, not allowing Noah Ryan to ruin the rest of my day, but the second I do, the second I let my guard down, weakness plagues me, and I snap my stare across the cafeteria.
I look.
My gaze locks on to Noah immediately, almost as though there was a big red arrow in flashing lights pointing him out, or maybe it’s the stupid tether leading me right to him. Either way, what I see has me stumbling over my own feet, my chest aching.
Shannan Holter, the captain of the cheerleading team, sits on his lap with her legs squished between his as his hand rests dangerously high on her thigh. She looks as though she’s on cloud nine, like there was only one dessert put out for lunch and she was the lucky one who snatched it up first. How though? It’s only lunchtime on his first day. How the hell has she snatched him up already? The Noah I know would never have let some skank cheerleader make a claim on him.
God, that hurts. I was prepared to see him with his friends, prepared to see him play again, but I sure as hell wasn’t prepared to see him welcome someone else into his life.
An ugliness pulses through my veins, poisoning me from the inside out, and I quickly realize it’s jealousy. I was thirteen when he walked away, and while we were definitely flirtatious with each other, it was never inherently sexual. We were too young, only just starting to see each other in a new light. He pulled me down onto his lap a million times before, but it never looked like that.
Damn it. Why did I have to look?
“ZO!” I hear my name hollered across the cafeteria.
My head snaps to the left, finding Tarni standing up on a bench, waving her hands to get my attention as Abby and Cora laugh, trying to pull her down. I hastily make my way toward them, unable to keep from glancing back at Noah, only now those piercing eyes are locked on mine.
My heart lurches in my chest, and I pause for just a moment, paralyzed under the weight of his intense stare. But finding myself and remembering that I’ve survived much worse than anyone in this stupid school could ever imagine, I fix a scowl across my face and roll my eyes before looking away.
Noah Ryan will not see me break. I am stronger than that, stronger than what he could ever put me through.
Making my way over to the girls, I drop my lunch on the table as I take my seat beside Tarni and push my food away, suddenly not so hungry. “What’s up with you?” Cora questions. “You look like someone just pissed in your Cheerios.”
“Nothing,” I mutter, refusing to meet her eyes, hating how easily everyone seems to be able to read me. “I’m fine.”
“Oh really?” Tarni grunts, not believing me for even a second. “You’ve been a moody bitch all day, and my spidey senses are telling me it has everything to do with the man meat across the cafeteria. But honestly, Zo, what gives? You guys hung out like three years ago. And don’t get me wrong, I’m only saying this because I love you, but don’t you think you’re being a little . . . much?”
I let out a breath, wanting nothing more than to take off and pretend today never happened. Tarni just doesn’t get it. She never has. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I couldn’t care less about him.”
Abby rolls her eyes. “I’m sorry girl, but I’m not buying it,” she says. “It’s written all over you. Clearly he means something to you, but I just don’t get it. Are you upset because he hasn’t tried to say hello? Because I’ve got news for you. He’s a dude, a very popular dude. He was declared the king of the school before the semester even started. He’s not about to come find you when he has the whole world at his feet. If you wanna talk to him, then go say hi. Otherwise, maybe it’s time to admit that whatever friendship you had ended years ago and move on.”