Free Be Mine by Sabrina James

element of surprise. Claudia isn’t going to expect me to come to her party with you.”
    Will followed Jennifer’s gaze. “Relax. She can’t see us. Contrary to popular belief, not all demons have eyes in the back of their heads.”
    Jennifer ignored his joke. “Still, you should leave. Just to be on the safe side.”
    â€œWhere’s your sidekick?”
    â€œIf you mean Violet, she’s in the library studying. She’s got a test in American History next period.”
    Will pointed to the pages in Jennifer’s hand. “What are you working on?”
    â€œOur essay.”
    â€œOur essay?”
    â€œFor the Most Romantic Couple contest,” she explained.
    â€œMind if I take a look?”
    Jennifer grudgingly handed over the pages she’d been working on. “It’s very rough,” she warned him. “I still have to polish it up.”
    She watched as Will read the pages. From the face he was making, she could see he didn’t like them.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” she asked in a panic.
    â€œIt’s so, so . . .” Will struggled to find the right word. “Ooey-gooey. And sappy!”
    â€œDon’t you mean sweet and romantic?”
    â€œNo, I mean ooey-gooey. You’re giving me sugar shock! We met on New Year’s Eve and I asked if I could give you your first kiss of the new year?”
    â€œI already told Claudia that, so it has to be part of our story.”
    â€œWe talk on the phone every night? We like snuggling on the couch watching TV? We go to pet shops and look at the puppies in the window, giving them names? We like walking through the snow holding hands?” Will gagged. “This isn’t me!”
    â€œThen who are you?” Jennifer asked.
    â€œYou tell me,” Will challenged.
    â€œFine,” Jennifer said. “You’re a bad boy. You like breaking the rules. You like doing your own thing and not answering to anyone else. You like shocking people and catching them off guard. You never expected to go out with a ‘good’ girl like me. You only go out with girls who are as bad as you.”
    â€œThat’s an urban myth. I go out with lots of nice girls.”
    â€œBut you only go out with them once ,” Jennifer reminded him.
    Will shook his head. “That’s not true. Sometimes I go out with them twice. Same with the so-called bad girls, who really aren’t so bad, just so you know.”
    â€œYou’re hard to figure out,” Jennifer continued. “You don’t want anyone to get too close, so you keep them at a distance.”
    â€œWhat’s so hard? I’d rather hang out with my friends, do my own thing. I don’t need some girl constantly harping at me, asking me where I am, where I’m going, telling me when to call her and freaking out if I forget. I already have a mother. I don’t need another one.”
    â€œDo you think all girls are like that?”
    â€œI don’t think you are.”
    â€œYou don’t?” Jennifer was surprised.
    Will shook his head. “Nope. I think you’re your own person. Look at the way you’re standing up to Claudia. You’re not sucking up to her the way everyone else does. You’re not afraid of her the way they are. I like that.”
    â€œYou do?”
    â€œSure. It takes guts.”
    â€œEither that or stupidity,” Jennifer admitted. “I’m still not sure which.”
    â€œAnd you don’t need to be defined by the person you’re dating. I don’t see you as the clingy type. You don’t have to be Will’s Girlfriend. If anything, you’re the kick-butt type! That’s why we’re attracted to each other. We do our own thing and we respect that. We’re not trying to change each other. And because we’ve just started going out, we’re still learning about each other and that’s the most romantic thing of all. Because