Intersecting Paths

Chapter Eight

I finally made it to school. Coffee in hand, backpack slung over one shoulder, headphones blasting. I followed the crowd through the gates, running mostly on caffeine and spite.

That's when I spotted it: a black hoodie with some obscure band name stamped across the back. Rhett.

Grinning, I sped up and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, surprise flashing across his face then that grin of his. God help me. I grinned back like an idiot.

"Hey," I said, slightly breathless.

"Hey," he echoed, casual as ever.

I yanked my headphones out, wrapped them messily around my phone, and shoved the whole thing into my back pocket like I hadn't just been caught running to catch up with him. He started rambling about how screwed he was because he still hadn't found his science homework.

Which would've been riveting if I wasn't busy noticing his jawline. Unfairly nice jawline. A jawline that could've been used to cut diamonds. I snapped myself back to reality just in time to catch:

"—probably just gonna make up some shit about leaving it at home or something."

I nodded like I'd been listening the whole time. Sure. Homework. Totally what I was paying attention to.

We stopped outside my class. "This you?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, trying to sound normal.

He flashed that easy grin again and reached out actually reached out and ruffled my hair like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"See you around," he said.

I smiled back on pure reflex, but my brain short-circuited the second his hand touched my hair. By the time I stumbled into my seat, I was still dazed, my face probably screaming what the actual hell just happened.

Alice, my sort-of friend, leaned over with narrowed eyes. "Since when is Rhett friends with you?"

Her words stung, mostly because I was asking myself the exact same question. I shrugged. "Dunno. We talk."

She did not look happy about that. In fact, the jealous little twist to her mouth almost made me laugh. Almost. It was no secret she was into him along with literally every other girl in the school.

But then her face lit up like she'd just solved world hunger. "Wait. If you talk, can I have his number?"

I stared at her. What a desperate bitch.

"No," I said flatly, still too shocked to filter myself.

She glowered. "Why not? It's obvious he's into me."

I gaped at her. Into you? That was rich. I had literally never not once heard Rhett say her name. She was delusional. I bit back the laugh bubbling in my throat and shrugged.

"Honestly, I don't give out people's numbers. You'll have to ask him yourself. He might not want me handing it out."

She snapped her head away with a click of her tongue, hair whipping over her shoulder like some kind of shampoo commercial.

I rolled my eyes. As if I'd hand over his number.

A smile tugged at my lips anyway. Because no matter how dramatic Alice wanted to be, all I could think about was next period. And the fact that I'd get to see him again.