Free Life Unaware (Entangled Teen) by Cole Gibsen Page A

steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. I hadn’t even stepped foot outside the car yet and already anxiety squeezed my ribs.
    I reached for my purse and was searching for my pill bottle when a fist rapped against my window. I gasped and withdrew my hand. Nolan Letner smirked at me. As usual, his cell phone was in hand and pointed at me.
    Crap. Just when I thought my day couldn’t be off to a worse start.
    I didn’t bother to roll down my window. With my new plan to lie low in place, the last thing I wanted was to encourage his attention. Instead, I grabbed my phone and pretended to scroll through my nonexistent texts.
    “You’d better hurry up. You’re going to be late for class.”
    I clenched my teeth so hard, my jaw ached. “Go to hell, Nolan.”
    He glanced over his shoulder at the school building. “Well, it is high school, so close enough.” When I didn’t move, he knocked on the window again. “Are you coming or what?”
    I fingered the keys still in the ignition. It would be so easy for me to start the car and just drive away. Unfortunately, if I skipped class, my mom would find out. If she thought I was in some kind of trouble that would reflect badly on her or the family, she’d tighten her hold on my already-choking leash.
    I whipped around and glared at Nolan. He was only here to antagonize me, but if I tried to wait him out, I’d get a tardy. He had me trapped and he knew it. “I’m not going anywhere until you put that phone away.”
    He shoved it into his pocket and smiled.
    Jackass.
    With a sigh, I pulled the key from the ignition, triggering my automatic locks. Before I could stop him, Nolan grabbed my door handle and swung it open. “After you.”
    Obviously the last thing I wanted to do was go anywhere with him, but I couldn’t afford to ditch school, which meant I didn’t have much choice. I grabbed my backpack and climbed out of my car. As soon as I started walking toward school, he fell into step beside me.
    “Go away, Nolan.”
    “Why would I do that?” he asked. “If I left, I wouldn’t be able to bask in the warmth of your glowing personality. And do you really want me to go away? Before you walk in there ?” He gestured to the doors. “Alone?”
    I made a face. “You think I need your protection or something? I can take care of myself.”
    He laughed. “ Sure you can.”
    “And so, what?” I placed a hand on my hip. “You’re going to keep following me around so you won’t miss a second of my misery? Is that your plan?”
    He shrugged. “That’s part of it.”
    I barely restrained a growl. We’d never gotten along, but I never knew he was that sadistic. No wonder his girlfriend broke up with him. I jabbed a finger against his chest. “Fuck off.”
    Before he could respond, I marched up the walkway and into the school.
    Not even several heartbeats later, he was back at my side. “I have to walk this way, too, you know. You don’t own the hallways, Princess.”
    What I wouldn’t have given to ball up all the anger and sadness from the last twenty-four hours and unleash it on Nolan. But with my reputation in ruins, the last thing I needed to do was draw any more attention to myself. I needed an escape, so I detoured to the nearest doorway.
    Mrs. Weber, the middle-aged school secretary and a longtime supporter of my mother, smiled at me from behind her raised desk. “Regan.” Her two front teeth were smudged with bright red lipstick. “What can I help you with, honey?”
    Good question. “Um…” Initially all I’d wanted was an escape from Nolan. I hadn’t thought out my plan further than that. But then an idea came to me, a piece of advice straight from my mother’s political playbook. When hit with a scandal, the best course of action is to remove yourself from the public spotlight until heated emotions have a chance to cool.
    “I need to withdraw my name from the student election.” The last thing I needed to do was remind the entire school