Free Staking Her Claim...: Book 1 in the Patricks' Brothers series by Natasha Thomas Page A

forbid, I moved away from home. So for the time being I was stuck being lumped in with my brothers.
     
    It wasn’t all bad, though. I didn’t get picked on at school because let’s face it, no one would dare to bully Brookes, Brandt’s, or Finn’s little sister. If they did, there would be retribution the likes they’d never seen before. So like I said, it wasn’t all bad being related to the big, smelly jerks.
     
    After finding our assigned lockers, Harper and I made our way to our first class and claimed seats that would be ours for the next year at least. Just before the bell for the first period rang two shadows darkened the classroom door. One of these shadows would end up changing my young life. The other would have just as much impact but in a very different way altogether.
     
    Tall like my brothers, almost six foot already, a boy with a dark mop of unruly hair that curled around the collar of his T-shirt stepped through the door, making my breath catch in my throat. My first thought was that he looked so grave, but underlying that he looked somber.
     
    His dark brows were furrowed, his deep blue eyes darted nervously around the room taking everything in. His jaw was strong with a small cleft in the center, and his hands were curled into fists at his side like he was waiting for someone to say something about him being in the wrong place.
     
    Every girl in the room looked star struck, and all the boys were instantly on alert as to who our new classmates were. Not that they wouldn’t be accommodating, they would be, they were just curious like all kids our age.
     
    The other boy with him looked more at ease. His eyes were warmer, more friendly. More open if that makes sense. He had dark hair like his friend, but his was lighter, naturally streaked by the sun, and shaved two or three inches from his scalp. His eyes were green instead of blue, and it was obvious that while they were friends, they weren’t related by blood, which only posed more questions. Questions, I for some unknown reason desperately wanted the answers to.
     
    It was at that moment, I decided this boy, the dark haired, blue eyed, mystery boy would be my new best friend whether he liked it or not. I would make sure the shadows that passed through his eyes, the distrust etched all over his face faded away. I made up my mind that no one deserved to look so sad, and I would be the person to erase that for him.
     
    Ms. Atkins, our first-period English teacher, entered the classroom just behind the boys, gesturing for them to take the last two available seats. Seats located closest to the windows, three rows from the front. Dutifully following instructions, they both took their seats down and faced the front without saying a word.
     
    “Good morning class. I trust that you’re ready for the new school year and have come prepared to learn?” It wasn’t a question she wanted an answer to, it was rhetorical in nature, but a chorus of ‘yes Ma’am’ echoed around the room regardless.
     
    “Good, I’m glad to hear it.” Flicking her hand toward the new boys, she added, “We have two new students joining us this year, and I hope you’ll go out of your way to make sure they are made to feel welcome.”
     
    The second boy smiled brightly, but his friend was too focused on what was going on outside the window to take notice of anything the teacher had said.
    “Now, if you could both please stand up and let us know your names and a little something about yourselves.”
     
    Oblivious to the instruction, boy number two elbowed boy number one as he stood to get his attention, earning a fierce glare in the process.
    “I’m Thomas, and I only moved here from, New Hampshire a month ago.” Sitting down, Thomas went on to answer a few questions about how old he was; thirteen a year older than more than half the class, and what his favorite sport was; baseball of course. He would fit in well, I mused silently. Lancaster junior high was big