Free Secrets of the Sleeper: True Nature Series: Book One by Karen Lynn Bennett

a girl. Suck it up, Parker! That made me think of Isaac and our drama class. I really needed some of those acting skills right now. I could do this.
    I fixed a bored look on my face, straightened my spine, and thought: I don’t give a shirtless shanghaied shaman about what Zander thinks of me or whomever the freak he likes!
    Then I looked up and right into those stellar blues. My mask slipped just for a second because he actually had a contrite expression on his face. What up?
    Phoebe struck up a conversation just for the two of them, obviously, because I could barely hear her. I turned to Isaac, who was swigging down his bottle of milk. He caught my look and lowered the bottle. I smiled because he was just so dopey-looking with that little milk mustache. Before he could read too much into my smile, I motioned to his upper lip and then his milk, but he just smiled wider. And then he leaned in and threatened to smooch me.
    I automatically jumped out of my seat, laughing, because he looked like he just might do it, but he had hold of my arm. I squealed, managing to slip free. Something about a girl running from a boy—boys were such dogs. It just always seems to make them chase you more. But running was a reflex I couldn’t change. I really didn’t want milk all over me. And, honestly, I wasn’t that comfortable with him laying one on me in front of my lunch table or the whole school. Unfortunately, as I passed one of the tables near the edge of the quad, Hugh Lawson snagged me, pulled my arms behind my back, and held me by the waist. I didn’t think things could get worse, but they did.
    “Hey, Isaac! Caught someone for you!” He laughed evilly. Isaac was on me in a second, grabbing me from Hugh’s arms. Ignoring my pleas, he laid one on me, milk and all. And it wasn’t bad, just weird because I knew everyone was staring. Hugh released me, cackling. The whole quad was laughing and pointing at me.
    I froze. This was way too much like my outcast memories of last year.
    Isaac caught on before anyone else noticed my freaked-out state. As quick as lightning, he threw me over his shoulder and hauled me around the nearest building. Plopping me down on the pavement against a wall of lockers, he crouched down to cradle my face. He wiped the milk from both of us.
    “Tru, I’m really, really sorry if that hurt you in any way. I was just having fun.”
    I knew that already, and I totally knew I was blowing things out of proportion. I smiled regretfully.
    “It’s okay. I don’t know what happened to me. It just felt a little like last year with everyone staring. Sorry.”
    “They weren’t really laughing at you, you know. It was just fun. I won’t be surprised if we’ve started something. At the very least, I bet more of them will be buying milk.”
    A laugh forced its way out of me. “Yeah, we could have been a commercial for milk.”
    He hooted, the sound booming down the corridor. “Hey. I’m going to go grab our stuff and be right back, okay? Unless you want to go back to the table?”
    “No, thanks. I’m fine here.”
    “K. Be right back.”
    I heard the cheers as he ran across the quad. Let the rumors begin , I thought. I was grateful for my shady corner, because it kept everyone on the edge of the quad from seeing me.
    So, my first kiss was in front of the whole school, and it was from the milky mouth of hottie Efoti. My conflicting thoughts turned to Zander. What had he thought of this? Was he thinking the same as half the guys out there and considering joining the milky mouth crowd, with Phoebe? Again, why did I care? He was into her and all her graceful beauty, and why shouldn’t he be?
    Seconds later, Isaac skidded over to me and sat down to finish his lunch. He distracted me with the gossip he had heard that morning. The rest of lunch flew by.
    Still feeling snubbed by Zander by the time English arrived, I prepared to write Zander off my list of acquaintances and determined to sit as far from him as