Home > Kiss Me First (Blairwood University #0)(4)

Kiss Me First (Blairwood University #0)(4)
Author: Anna B. Doe

The teacher starts writing on the whiteboard, but the marker falls out of his hand. I look around as some laugh quietly while others stare at me, giving me curious glances.

Becky turns to me and rolls her eyes.

I’m not sure what to make of Becky Williams. She seems friendly enough. At least she’s talking to me instead of about me, so there’s that.

Do I really want to do this, though? There is a reason why I keep to myself, and Becky doesn’t seem like the kind of person who’d be okay with me keeping her at arm’s length. Plus, there is also her friend.

Emmett.

Just thinking about his name has a shiver running down my spine.

Get a grip, Kate. You’re here for your sister, not for cute guys with mischievous grins and shiny eyes.

 

 

Chapter Three

 

 

EMMETT


I’m good, but thanks, seriously.

What the hell’s with that shit?

I watch as Katherine exits the food line, only to stop for a moment and look around for a free table. When she doesn’t find one, the frown between her brows deepens.

Since this morning, a few strands of hair have slipped from her ponytail, curling around her face. One slipped into her face, but when she tries to puff it out of the way, it only falls right back.

It looks cute.

She looks cute, all flustered like that.

Yes, I’ve found out her name. It wasn’t even that hard. She’s the only thing people have been talking about. Who is she? Where does she come from? Why is she here? What’s her deal? There have been dozens of different stories going around, but so far, she has been quiet, mostly keeping to herself. Even now, while she looks around for a place to eat lunch, she does it in such a way as to avoid eye contact with anybody.

I’m good, but thanks, seriously.

An elbow connects to my ribs. “What the hell are you growling about?”

I turn around to glare at Nico, the running back on the football team. “I’m not growling.”

He takes a huge bite of his sandwich and mumbles as he chews, “Sure sounds like it.”

There are more grunts of agreement coming from around the table as the guys keep stuffing their faces with food. My stomach growls, reminding me that I’ve been ignoring my own lunch while I was waiting for the infamous Katherine Adams to show up. So far, we haven’t had any classes together, and I haven’t seen her in the hallway since this morning, but I knew she had to show up eventually.

“That’s bullshit. The only thing growling is my stomach,” I mutter. To make a point, I lift my cheeseburger and take a huge bite, chewing extra loudly, not that they care about it.

“He’s just pissed off that the new girl ignored him,” Miguel says, making me choke on my food.

What the hell?

“No shit?” Nico’s eyes bug out as he glances at me and then turns his attention to Miguel, who’s still talking. Why is Miguel still talking?

“Shit. It all played out right before homeroom when the hallway was full of people. Everybody’s been talking about it,” Miguel says—always useful, that one. He looks at me and frowns. “Dude, are you okay?”

No, I’m definitely not okay, but I can’t say that since the food is still stuck in my throat.

I pat at my chest a few times until I can finally inhale properly.

“She didn’t ignore me,” I protest, glaring at him. No way I want them to talk shit like that behind my back. “She just walked away to get to her class on time, that’s it.”

And she didn’t even bother to turn back, a little voice reminds me.

“Umm, yes she did, dude.” Miguel throws a fry into the air and catches it with his mouth. “Becky and I were there the whole time.”

“Emmett Santiago looks after the new girl like she just stole his puppy,” John mocks, and I want to smash my fist in his face to shut him up. The guy’s been getting more and more on my nerves lately. He’s always been irritating, but he’s grown intolerable since Coach didn’t put him in the starting lineup along with Nico, Miguel, and me, making him the only junior who isn’t a starter. Hell, even one sophomore made it.

“Will you keep it quiet?” I hiss, glaring at him across the table.

“Why? I think it’s funny.”

“Funny?” I repeat slowly, my eyes narrowing at John. “You think it’s funny?”

“Well yeah, you always get any girl you want. The hot ones. The ugly ones. Hell, even…”

“I think you better shut up, John,” Becky says sweetly, smacking him over the head. “Because Emmett seems like he’s ready to jump across the table and bite your head off, not that anybody would blame him.”

“Yeah, John, you better listen.” I hold his gaze for a moment longer before lifting my eyes to Becky, only she’s not alone.

“Scoot over,” Becky says, nudging Nico with her hip. “We have company. And for God’s sake, can you act like human beings and not animals?” She looks over her shoulder at Katherine, who’s standing a few steps behind her, looking unsure and out of place. Not that I can blame her, we’re a big, loud bunch. “They’re not so bad when you get to know them, really. C’mon, Kate, sit down. There’s an open chair next to Emmett.”

“I can—” Katherine tries to protest, but Becky pushes her toward me, determination written all over her face.

“Nonsense, sit.” Becky pulls the chair out and forces Katherine into it. “Emmett will take good care of you. Out of all the guys, he has the best manners. Not that it means much, but hey, they’re cute.”

“Umm, thanks?” I say, trying to figure out what the hell she’s doing, but Becky just winks at me. She straightens and looks across the table, where John is shoveling food in his mouth once again. A frown appears between her brows. “At least some of them. For others, there’s no hope.”

The guys burst into laughter while John’s cheeks turn beet red. Becky shakes her head and goes around the table to her seat between Miguel and John.

Katherine shifts in her seat, nervously pushing the runaway strands of hair behind her ears. Transfixed, I watch how different shades of brown shimmer in the light until she catches me staring.

“Hi.”

“Hey, again,” I croak nervously, my voice more high-pitched than usual. It’s like I went back in time and turned into the pimpled thirteen-year-old kid who barely opened his mouth because he was afraid what sound would come out if he spoke.

Get a grip, dude. She’s just a girl, for fuck’s sake.

One breathtakingly beautiful girl.

A frown appears between her brows before recognition flashes in her eyes. “Oh, you’re the guy from earlier.”

I flinch back as if she punched me.

She doesn’t even remember me?

Somebody whistles loudly. I’m pretty sure it’s Miguel, but I don’t bother to turn around to glare at him. No, my whole focus is on the girl sitting next to me.

“Yup, the guy from earlier.” I do my best to play it cool. Like it doesn’t bother me that she found me so unmemorable while I couldn’t stop thinking about her for the past week, looking for her in every dark-haired girl I saw. “You know, the one who you tried to run over?”

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