Page 3 of The 13th Daughter
"Anything else you'd like to point out while you're doing such a bang up job of it?" I tried to work up a good glare. He looked at me like he couldn't quite figure out how I fit into the whole puzzle. I was the odd piece that just didn't work no matter which way you turned it.
His face turned serious as he thought about it. "Your face gets all red when you get angry."
Oh, he did not.
"And you make a funny choking noise when you're trying not to yell."
My fist clenched.
I turned and unlocked the door. No way was I going to stand here and listen to this.
His hand found mine before I could open the door. He pulled me back to him.
"And despite all that, you're still the cutest little thing I've seen in ages," he told me with a devilish grin.
My mouth fell open. He thought I was cute?
"I'll see you around, Cassie Jayne Bishop." He tweaked my nose and then sauntered back the way we'd come.
I watched him until he disappeared. Cute? He said I was cute? Mr. Melt In Your Mouth Gorgeous thought I was cute? I smiled. Then I caught site of my Mary Janes. Ugh. Kay owed me a new pair of shoes.
I shivered as the cold wind blew through the trees and wished it was just a bit warmer. The wind faded and I could feel heat radiate around me. The heat pump must have kicked on, I decided. At least Mom had remembered to turn it on.
My gaze flitted back to the spot where he'd disappeared. I hadn't actually seen him turn the corner. It was more like he'd...faded. Odd. My eyes must be really tired, I decided, but I smiled. I could still feel his fingers where they'd grazed my cheek and my hand tingled from the warmth of his.
Things might definitely be looking up.
That is if I could forget October 15th and stay out of the town's clutches.
Chapter Two
"You oweme a new pair of shoes Makayla Joyce Martin," I told her the next day as I pulled books out of my locker.
"Shoes?" she asked quietly, wincing as the guy beside her slammed his locker shut.
Hangovers are a bitch. Served her right.
"You barfed all over my new shoes," I accused, slamming my own locker. "Then I had to haul your ass home."
Her eyes widened. "Your Mary Janes? Shit, CJ, I'm sorry."
"I will accept your apology in the form of a new pair of those same shoes."
"They clearanced those out at Target already!" she whined. "How am I supposed to find that exact pair?"
"You're a resourceful girl," I told her sweetly. "You'll figure it out."
She sighed. "How did you get us home anyway? I gave Jess my car."
"We walked with you puking every five minutes."
"What would I do without you?"
"God only knows," I muttered as I adjusted the jacket of my school uniform. It wasn't so bad as far as uniforms went. The colors were nice—red, black, and silver. We could even wearjeans as long as we either wore the school jacket or one of the shirts with the school's insignia, some sort of Celtic symbol. I knew it had something to do with our town's heritage, but I'd never really bothered to look into what it stood for. It just looked like interwoven lattice work to me.
Kay pulled books out of her own locker. "You know, CJ..." She stopped and gasped. Her shades came off and she gave me a once over. "Oh my God! Who is he?"
"Who?" I asked with feigned innocence.
