had twenty minutes to spare. The sun was high, glaring, and sweat soon beaded over him. He leaned against the side of the building, one lucky half of his body then in the shade. Shannon joined him a few minutes later, stone-faced as always, only one bag in hand.
Aden wanted to ask him what he’d bought but knew he’d get no answer.
“How’d you g-get so much?” Shannon asked without looking at him.
The question surprised him so much that he couldn’t find his voice.
Answer the boy, Eve coaxed.
“I, uh, only bought sale items.”
Shannon nodded stiffly and said no more.
I’m so proud of you. You’re becoming friends already. If she’d had hands, Eve would have been clapping.
Aden didn’t have the heart to correct her. SUNDAY NIGHT, Aden lay awake till morning, nervous, excited, hoping his mystery girl would return. She never did. With two hours until it was time to leave for school, he got up and showered, brushed his teeth, then dressed in his new clothes. He couldn’t stop smiling—until he spotted himself in the mirror.
Sometime in the last two days, probably while he’d been out catching up on his chores, someone had sneaked inside his room and written on his shirt before folding it and placing it back in its sack where he’d left it. The words Hello, My Name Is Crazy stared back at him.
Aden’s hands fisted on the hem, wrinkling the material. That stupid Ozzie! And he had no doubt Ozzie was the culprit, if not the one to do it then the one to order it done.
Oh, Aden. I’m so sorry, Eve said.
You need to punish him, Caleb said. Maybe wake him up with an introduction to your fists.
That’s one way to settle it, Julian agreed. If you want to miss your test and your first and probably only chance to go to public school.
And your chance to see the girl, Elijah added, because he knew the mention of Mary Ann had calmed Aden down last time.
In and out Aden breathed. A quick search of the other shirts proved that they were equally ruined. His jaw clenched. “Doesn’t matter,” he said. He only wished he believed it.
The kids at Crossroads High will think it’s a joke, Elijah told him. Maybe it will even become the new style.
Whether his friend spoke true or not, he didn’t care. Or rather, he wouldn’t let himself care. Today was too important. On the best of days, he tested poorly, his concentration shot. He needed every thought in his mind focused only on success.
Still wearing the offending shirt, he stomped out of the bunkhouse to the porch. His eyes were narrowed as he scanned the line of trees. There was no sign of the brunette or her friend. That was good, he told himself. He didn’t need the distraction they presented, either. He’d only wonder why they hadn’t approached him again, whether they meant him harm, and if the girl—what was her name?—had liked being with him as much as he’d liked being with her.
If only she stopped the voices like Mary Ann did, she would have been perfect.
He must have stood there, lost in thoughts he couldn’t afford, for his remaining hour, because the next thing he knew, Dan was strolling to the truck with two lunch sacks in hand.
The door behind Aden creaked open, and he turned, spying Shannon. Shannon saw his shirt and gazed guiltily at the ground. Guess that meant he’d been involved. Aden capped his anger again and headed for the truck, meeting Dan at the door.
Dan noticed his shirt and frowned. “What happened?”
“Nothing.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
There was a heavy pause. “You sure?”
He nodded.
Dan sighed, unlocked the door. Aden slid inside, scooting to the middle. By the time Dan claimed the driver’s seat and Shannon the passenger’s, he felt completely penned in. Thank God it was only an eight-minute and thirty-three second drive—not that he was keeping track or anything. When they were parked in front of the school, Dan faced them.
“Here’s your lunch,” he said. “Peanut butter and jelly. It’ll have to do for today. Tomorrow, Meg will pack you something better. Now, listen. Mess up, and you’re out.”
Great. They were about to get the same lecture they’d gotten at the supercenter.
“I’m not kidding,” Dan continued. “If you skip class, pick a fight, hell, if one of your teachers thinks you’re looking at him wrong, I will pull you from school so quickly your head will spin. Understand?”
“Yes,” they said in unison.
“Good. Shannon, you’ve got your schedule and can head to your first class. Aden, you go to the guidance office. School ends at three and it’s only a thirty-minute walk home. I’ll give you forty-five in case you’re held up by a teacher or something, but if you’re not home in time … “
You’ll be out, Aden finished for him.
Shannon filed from the truck and when Aden tried to do the same, Dan grabbed his arm. Total déjà vu. Only, Dan didn’t give him another lecture like he had at the store. He merely smiled. “Good luck, Aden. Don’t let me down in there.”
FIVE
THE DAY BEGAN like any other for Mary Ann. She crawled out of bed, showered, tugged on the clothes she’d laid out the night before, and blew dry her hair while outlining what she needed to turn in or which upcoming tests to study for. This week’s most important exam was chemistry, one of her hardest subjects. Only problem was, thoughts of Aden Stone kept interfering.
Penny had admitted to giving him Mary Ann’s number. So why hadn’t he called? An entire week had passed. Part of her had expected it and had jumped every time her phone had rung. He’d seemed so eager to talk to her. The other part of her, however, had hoped that he wouldn’t contact her. He was gorgeous, but after that first initial attraction, she’d felt only confused and friendly toward him—when she wasn’t experiencing that strange urge to run.
Did she even want to be his friend? Being near him was like being punched in the chest; her body only wanted to escape him. Her mind, though … it mourned his loss. Mourned, as if he were somehow dear to her.
Steam began to rise from her scalp, and she hurriedly switched the dryer off. She had to stop thinking of that boy. Already he was screwing with her mind, making it mush—proving that she’d been right to date Tucker and stay with him these last few months. Tucker always made her feel pretty, boosting her self-esteem, but he didn’t consume her. He gave her the space she needed.
With a sigh, she trudged downstairs. Her dad had breakfast ready: pecan waffles with blueberry syrup. She ate two while he read the paper and drank his coffee. Their usual routine.
“Want a ride to school?” he asked. He folded his paper and set it aside, peering over at her expectantly.
He
