Page 33 of Rockwell Academy: The Twist

I drop down into my chair and pointedly look away, and yet, as the lesson progresses, I can almost feel his scorching gaze searing my flesh from behind. It’s as if an invisible rope isjoining us and I can’t breathe. Life goes on around me, but I’m squirming inside. This wasn’t the plan and I don’t know what to do about it.

Thankfully,he’s not in my next class and I can breathe again. Imogen isn’t either, so I head into English alone and take a seat in the middle of the room.

A guy drops down beside me and smiles. “Hey, I’m Mason. You’re new, right?”

“Yes.” I smile and he grins, the kind of grin I was searching for. Uncomplicated, open and yet sort of sexy at the same time.

“I’m new too. Perhaps we could study sometime.”

“Are you always so direct?” I raise my eyes and he grins.

“You’ve gotta act fast at Rockwell. So I’m told, anyway.”

“Or what?”

“Or anyone of interest pairs off at The Claiming ceremony and you lose your chance.”

“Is that what I am, a chance?”

“Would it bother you if I said yes?”

I consider my response because up until Luca, he is exactly what I was searching for. Open, honest, good looking and easy going. Perhaps he is the antidote to my wicked soul and I should use him as a shield for my own sanity, so I smile. “No. It wouldn’t bother me, but it may bother my brother.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s a little overprotective, and you’d hate a warning from him.”

“But he’s not here now.”

“He’s not.”

I like the way he didn’t back off, although I’m guessing that’s because he doesn’t know who my brother is yet. I may as well enjoy that for as long as we’ve got, so I smile. “We should form a study group, then.”

“For English? I could read you poetry.”

“Best not.” I flutter my eyelashes, openly flirting back because this is what college is in my mind, and fuck the rest of them.

Mason has been sent from God to keep me from falling into the devil’s hands and after class we head to the cafeteria - together.

He even carries my books and I could be forgiven for thinking I’d fallen into an episode of High School Musical.

We grab our food and head to a table near the wall and I love how he offers me the choice of seats and then holds it out for me as I sit.

“You’re a gentleman, Mason.”

I’m loving his attention and the fact he’s easy on the eye is a bonus.

“It’s how I was raised.”

His honest smile captures my interest, because Mason is exactly what I need in my life.

I direct many questions his way throughout lunch, asking about his family and discovering everything about him. He is from Oregon. His family owns a hardware store and he majors in football. Tick and tick. He was brought in on a paid scholarship to play for the college team and hopes to head to the NFL on graduation. He is perfect for my cheerleading wannabe self and I can’t believe how happy that makes me.

As the hour finishes, I’m amazed at how quickly it went and as we part at the door, he says with an endearing smile, “Would you like to grab some pizza after class finishes? I mean–” He hesitates. “In the name of forming our study group of two.”

“Of course. I’d love that.”

“No, she wouldn’t.”

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