Resisting Fate (Predetermined) (5 page)

“Is he around?”

I jumped, not expecting her to get all up in my grill like she was. Her fingernails dug into my arms, and I glanced down at her hands. Her knuckles whitened. What was up?

“Is
who
around?” I spat.

“Jonas, you dork,” she whispered angrily at me. “Who else do you think I meant?” I shrugged and wondered, once again, why on earth she always fought the inevitable with the guy. My thoughts were, if you loved someone then don’t fight it.

I glanced carefully over my shoulder, trying to be nonchalant as I did, and saw no sign of her blond headed lover boy. But my gaze happened upon something else instead. A tall, dark and broody something else, basking in the attention of at least a half dozen girls. I fingered the tips of my curls as I stared at the scene before me.

Damn. Why hadn’t I figured it out sooner? Jack Hartman was a senior too, so of course he’d be going to school here! He was leaned sideways against a locker, his body relaxed, with his arms crossed. His leather jacket was molded perfectly to his frame, like a tight fitting glove that wouldn’t quite stretch to conform to his massiveness.

I sighed, because yeah, the dude was
killer
hot. Then I stiffened, recovering at record speeds the moment I spied the fire red helmet laying conspicuously next to his black boots.

Steam practically flared from my eyeballs as I glared at the profile of the drive like a bat-out-of-hell biker dude. I stood up straighter, slamming my locker door shut behind me with an annoyed grunt. I cracked my knuckles together, and then my neck readying for a battle. I took in the site of his grinning lips and about fell flat on my face. Oh no, sexy, cute smile or not, this boy was
so
going to get it from me!

“Oh God,” Kelsey's loud gasp caught my attention, and I zeroed back in on her face.

Biker boy was apparently going to have to wait.

Her body trembled; all ten of her tense fingers gripped my sleeve this time. And instead of her stoic face, I was met with her tears instead. All anger I had towards Jack was forgotten, replaced with sympathy and concern for my best friend.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I turned to face her. Black mascara was painting her cheeks. I followed the point of her perfectly manicured finger, fixing my eyes on the sight that earned her sudden onslaught of tears.

“Holy balls Kelsey!” I gasped. It was Jonas sucking face with some tiny-waisted, big-boobed brunette.

“Oh shit…”

Kelsey was so still. I was more than ready to murder this guy, strangle him with my bare hands for screwing around with her one night, and then male tramping with this apparent bimbo the next. I opened my mouth to relinquish my plan to Kelsey, but was left staring at nothing when I turned to face her.

Zilch. Nada.

The girl had practically vanished into thin air. What the hell?

“Dammit…” I smacked my hand against the locker, and bent to retrieve my fallen book bag. I pirouetted on my toes, ready to bolt and find my best friend. Unfortunately, a giant black shirted body had other plans for me instead.

“Your mom must have gone through a whole lot of soap in your childhood with a mouth like that, Strawberry.”

No…nononono, it couldn’t be him.
Sweet Jesus, why me?

“What’s up? You still have hearing issues or something? You know there are ways of remedying that.” He smacked his lips; that smart ass grin was in his voice.

The cocky son of…well, you know.

Wow, my senior year was
loaded
 with awesomeness so far.

“Uh no, I gotta, uh…” I pointed a finger over his shoulders, trying to maneuver my way around him. Instead of escaping as I had hoped, he caught me around the waist and pinned me in place at the bed of lockers behind me instead.

This boy…this man, was a giant, alpha, maniacal beast. Yet I couldn’t keep myself from staring at his chest, and the way that tee was so deliciously stretched across his obviously muscled body. And my stupid brain, ugh! Damn the thing for comparing it to that of a Greek God.

Honestly though, was a body like that, even real? I gripped the straps of my bag so I wasn’t tempted to touch it and find out. “I’ve got to go find my friend, it’s an emergency.” My breath caught in my throat as his thick, dark lashes brushed against his cheeks. It was definitely something I hadn’t noticed yesterday.

Then there were his eyes in general. They had a sparkle in them of sorts, like he stored a star or two inside. Hot damn…a girl could lose her mind if she stared too long at those eyes.

For the briefest of seconds, his expression seemed to soften, the hardness he wore eased, as his lips curled into a grin that had my stomach nearly melting into puddles of goo. Then I blinked, and just like that, every blip of compassion I saw in him before was been immediately replaced with that annoying, smartass smirk once again.

“Well, you’re in my way, Strawberry, so unless you like touching me like that, then I’d suggest you move along and find your little friend.”

Shit, how had my hands found their way onto his chest?

Bad hands…bad, bad hands!

Slowly, I pulled them away and tucked them into my jean pockets. Still, his nearness consumed me.

He dropped his hands from around my waist, suddenly backing away as if I’d burnt him with my fingers. His eyes, once playful and teasing, turned dark and stormy…and downright mean as he tucked his fingers into the front of his coat pockets.

Crap. The scary Jack was back.

“Run along, Strawberry,” he tipped his chin at me, turning around to lean his own back against the locker next to mine. He kicked one of his booted feet back, the loud thud echoed in the hall. My entire body stilled, and I narrowed my own eyes as he spit more hateful words my way. “You’ve got stuff to take care of, don’t ya?”

My jaw dropped again. I bit my lip so I didn’t lash out at him over his manic behavior. I couldn’t stand by though, and let him treat me like a dog.

“You…are an inconsiderate jerk,” I poked my finger out, like I was reprimanding a child, a child who so happened to be nearly five inches higher than me. I inhaled, bringing out my inner bitch to play, “… and if I never have to speak to you again then it would be too damn soon.”

He moved in close, so close that I was considering the knee to the crotch move. On the other hand, his nearness was wildly right, almost as if his body and my body were meant to be one. Not a good combination of emotions, that was for sure.

“I like you, you know that? In fact, I think you are beyond what I ever expected to find…”

What? What was he saying here? I didn’t get it, what was he trying to tell me and why the hell was he beating around the bush? “W –what are you talking about…you don’t even know me?”

I’d certainly like to know you though
…

Ah, hell, now where did that thought come from? It was a good thing I had a filter on my mouth.

His lips curled into a sardonic smile, “If you don’t walk the hell away now Strawberry, then bad things are going to happen to you,”

Okay, I was officially freaking out. I opened my mouth to reply, but thought better of it as he snarled at me. Yes, that was exactly why I had to run like hell.

“Good girl…” he whispered as I turned, hitching my backpack over my shoulders. I balled my fists at my sides, but I didn’t respond to his needless comment.

Good girl my ass…

For shits and giggles, I snuck a sneak peek at him from over my shoulder, not wanting to, but like yesterday at the store, I couldn’t help it. Jerk or not, I couldn’t keep from staring.

And there he stood, legs crossed at his ankles, that smug look suddenly back on his perfectly chiseled face. I squirmed, completely uncomfortable with the way my body was reacting to him. I was warm, all butterflies and fuzziness, and all too needy for my own good.

I wasn’t a boy chaser…but he was damn near close to changing my game plan.

And that…was not a good thing.

Chapter Four

“Kelsey, please come out. We need to get to class!”

“No.”

I glanced down at my watch, for the hundredth time in the last five minutes, and sighed, slapping my hands against my thighs. This was freaking great. We had less than three minutes to get to class before the bell rang. I couldn’t be late for first period, especially not on my first day either.

I laid my head against the bathroom stall. I was running out of options as to how I was going to get her out of there. Promises of shopping trips weren’t working, neither were the nail salon bribes. It was quite possibly time to throw in the towel.

“I mean, who does he think he is, Em? How can he go and screw me one night in
my
bed, and then move on to that sophomore hussy the very next day?”

I cringed, knowing exactly what it felt like to hurt. Unlike Kelsey, I didn’t let it tear me down anymore…well, not
as
much as I did once upon a time…four long, agonizing months ago.

“Come on Kelsey, you guys
both
agreed to play the field this year anyway, right? So how can you sit in there and pout like this after agreeing to something that you both wanted?”

She grunted, probably annoyed that I was right, but she still didn’t admit it. Kelsey Orson was the epitome of stubborn, and if it weren’t for me, than the girl would
never
 let up on anything.

The bell rang off in the distant. “Dammit,” I whispered, leaning in closer to the door, trying to see through the crack as I let out one final plea. “Okay, Kelsey, I’m sorry, but we’ve really got to go. I cannot be late today. We’ve got Mr. Givens for first period again, and you
know
that the guy doesn’t like me.” Gnawing my lower lip, I placed my ear to the door, hoping that my persuasion worked. After a few more minutes of her abnormal silence and a few sniffles here and there, I turned on my heels and exited the humid room, with only a teeny bit of regret. I loved Kelsey, like she was my sister,
and
my best friend, but this was getting ridiculous.

On silent feet and sporting a lip so gnawed on it burned, I made my way towards homeroom, more than ready to taking the lashing of a lifetime. And just as the door came into view, I heard it again—that damn voice—devil boy
Jack’s
voice.

“Seriously…?” I groaned, frozen in place by the sound I just wanted to forget. It’s like I
had
to stop. Every single time I heard it, I couldn’t
not
listen to it. What was wrong with me? Was I going absolutely crazy here?

I glanced from the left to right, before backing closer towards his low, whispering words. I was already late, and more than likely in trouble, so what was five more minutes, right? Besides, I was a sucker for secrets, and he seemed to be filled with them.

“I already told you, I have to stay in Louisa now. They’ve signed me up for school.” Ah ha, so he
was
guilted
into staying here.

Interesting…

“Yeah right! I don’t freaking think so, now that Zachary’s away…” A conversation about Zachary, coming out of Jack’s mouth? Now
that
was something I couldn’t help listening in on. I inched closer; my heels didn’t even touch the floor. My heart raced like crazy. And a nervous tension ate away at my muscles as I pressed myself against a locker.

“No, she’s not here. You
know
that dad. She left two years ago, her
and
her family. Jesus, how many times do I have to explain this to you? Besides, even if she was, I’d still handle the situation. I told you that already…”

The sound of something hard hit a locker. A shoe maybe, possibly a fist even? I grinned and shook my head. Apparently Jack’s temper was worse than mine.

“Shit, I’ve gotta go, I’ll call ya later.”

I jumped, my shoes squeaked. I tried to back up, to run back to class, but as I made my way to the locker bay right outside the door, an irritated growl hailed from behind.

I froze again, my hands outstretched in front of me. Dang it…I wasn’t fast enough.

“I know you’re there, Strawberry, I can smell you from a mile away.”

Smell me? What the hell? Did I stink? I mean, I
know
 I hadn’t showered that morning due to the fact that the hot water heater went out and all, but still. I used a crap-tastic amount of this icky fruity lotion, and extra deodorant in case, so I totally should have been fine, right? I panicked, checking to see if that’s what he meant, lifting my arm and inhaling because I’m that weirdly subconscious kind of girl.

I nodded. Yup, I was good.

Now though, my question was…how in the hell could he have
smelled
 me from where he currently was standing? It had to have been at least, oh I don’t know, five feet around the corner?

“What am I going to do with you, huh? The cussing, the stuttering, the hearing issue…and now I discover that you like to spy on private phone conversations?” He tssked. I
hated
being tssked, “That’s not good Strawberry…”

I still didn’t speak. Nor did I make any other noise beyond my breathing. I plastered my back against a locker, fingers gripping my jeans as I waited for him to show his face from around the corner.

His hard sounding footsteps echoed throughout the empty hall. Jack
Moody
Harman was coming closer. I squirmed, fighting against my need to see him and my need to run. And the weirdest part was that all I could do was sing that Dierks Bentley song,
Come a Little Closer,
as each second passed by.

I wanted him there, but yet I didn’t. It made absolutely no sense.

 And then he was there, black booted toes edged against my pink flip-flops.

Hot damn, that boy had some big feet…

I couldn’t look up at him. I was a wee bit scared of what version I was going to get of him this time.

“Ah look at you…all cowering against the locker. You’re like a little kitty cat, curled behind all that hair of yours.” He snickered. His eyes were deceptively bright as he tugged at the tips of my hair. I growled at him, like I was a wild animal in either heat, or ready to kill her prey. There was something feral about the way he made me feel. And I was also getting pretty sick and tired of getting my hair yanked too.

“You don’t think I’m really going to hurt you, do ya?”

Um, maybe?
And if that was the case, then why in the
 hell
 did I still want to keep talking to him?

I lifted my chin. I lost focus, my heart took up shop in my gut. Damn he was cute. “I –I was listening to you talk about Zachary…”

His face morphed with both anger and curiosity at my statement.

“You were, huh?” he nodded, popping those full lips of his together like he was seriously trying to get into the center of one of those Tootsie Roll Pops. “Well then, did you catch anything worth listening to?”

“No not really,” I swallowed heavily. My words stuttered the more I spoke, “I…I uh…” I ran a trembling hand through my tangled curls. My heart crashed against my chest. I hated how unnerved he left me.

I blew out yet another breath while my thoughts once again centered on Zachary, on his sudden absence. I needed to know why he left, that was it, nothing more, and nothing less. I couldn’t get the words out. They were stuck in my throat, like my breath was stuck in my lungs. I was a tongue-tied mess of girliness.

Jack’s shoulders dropped. His hands went flat against his hips. And for the first time, in the two short days of knowing the guy, I saw his confidence waiver.

Curiosity was my downfall, so I tilted my head to the side to study him, to wait for a word to accompany his sudden change in temper. Of course it never came.

“Come on, we’ve got to get to class.” His voice was grave. He grabbed hold of my backpack as if he was going to carry it. I raised one eyebrow at him and shook my head. Oh no.…He was
not
going to go all chivalrous all me. I liked to do things for myself, on my own. I was an independent kind of girl… So I gripped the strap harder, pulling my withered backpack towards me, and a sudden game of tug of war pursued between us.

“Just let me carry the damn thing Emmy, okay?”

All the fight left me at his words. He had spoken my name, for the very first time ever. And holy moly did I like the way it sounded.

He took possession of my bag and tossed the old green contraption over his shoulder. He narrowed his eyes at me, pressing his lips into a flat line as he nodded me along. I cocked my head to the side even more.

“Why do you hate me Jack? I haven’t even talked to you before yesterday, but you act as if we’re like, mortal enemies or something. I don’t understand…”

His face softened even more and he let out a heavy breath as we moved side by side towards class. He didn’t answer me though… Had I overstepped my Jack boundaries? Did he have issues with giving, but not taking? Ugh, boys really did piss me off, even if they were cute boys.

I shook my head, and attempted to walk ahead of him. I was done with his cryptic vibe.

“Hey,” he whispered, grabbing my bare shoulder.

And that’s when it hit me. I stilled…unmoving…unblinking… My stomach dove into my feet and every inch of my skin exploded with a fire that burned, but felt so damn good at the same time. I sunk back. I needed to have his hands on my skin some more. One single touch of his fingers against my exposed skin, and I was ready to fall at his feet…join my mouth with his mouth…press his body against my body…

Stunned with my inner battle, I hopped backwards; my hands went flush with the wood of a nearby door. My mouth fell open and I gaped up at him in complete and utter disbelief. My entire body shook. Uncomfortable tingles rose up my arms at the sudden separation. I stared down at his hand that lingered in the air, watching as he curled it into a fist.

What. The. Hell. Was. That?

Our eyes locked, a pull so strong formed between us that I couldn’t comprehend it, understand it.

“I don’t hate you Emmy,” he whispered, sounding almost ashamed. Did he feel it too? Why wasn’t he wigging out over what happened?

I licked my lips; my mouth was dry as a bone. I had to gain emotional control, or else I’d do something I regretted, like attack that delectable mouth of his with my own. I backed away further, hands out in front of me in defense of something I’m not even sure I wanted to defend myself against.

Shit, what was wrong with me?

“I…I’ve gotta go.”

My heart rate accelerated as I turned to leave. I had to get away from him. I had to gain a little mental control! I wasn’t supposed to react to a simple skin on skin touch like that! I was panicking. I was losing it.

I flipped my hair over the exact same spot he’d touched. I bit my lip as the memory of his warm, tingling hands invaded my thoughts. I managed to make it to my class, without passing out from shock, only to be assaulted by another craptastic individual, my hairy old man of a history teacher Mr. Givens.

“Ah, Miss Emmy, it’s so good of you to come to class today. Please, won’t you join me for detention after school?”

I nodded, “I’m sorry sir… I’ll be there.” I dug my hands into my pocket, needing somewhere to hide their shakiness as I darted to my chair. I didn’t offer up an excuse as to why I was late. At this point, I didn’t really care either. I was simply glad to be away from whatever the hell had happened in the hall.

“Oh, and hello to you too, Mr. Hartman…”

My entire body stiffened again!
God! Please…why?

“So glad you could join us as well!”

I winced, slouching low in my chair. I focused solely on my desk in front of me, nothing more. This day kept getting better and better.