Eternal Curse: (The Cursed Series, Book 1)

by Kara Leigh Miller

  My gaze lowered to a muscular chest and broad shoulders barely contained by the black, long-sleeved shirt he wore. Black jeans held low on his hips by a belt showcased his svelte physique. And I’d punched him in the face. Embarrassment heated my neck and face.

  “I should be asking you that. Are you okay?” I stepped closer, inspecting his cheek.

  Nothing. Not so much as a splotch of color. How could he not have a single mark when my hand was throbbing?

  “Are you sure I didn’t hurt you?” I asked.

  He laughed, the sound so thick and decadent it wrapped around me like a hug, comforting me in a way I never knew possible.

  “I’ve taken worse. I’ll be fine,” he said.

  “Okay,” I said, drawing out the word. “Is it normal for people to punch you? Because you seem very cool about this whole thing.”

  He opened his locker and rummaged around inside, not bothering to answer my question.

  “Well, I’m sorry,” I said again.

  “Apology accepted.”

  “Thanks.” I turned around, and to my utter relief, no one stared at me. In fact, no one even noticed I was there.

  Glancing down the hallway, I saw Abby finally making her way toward me, but then she stopped to talk to a petite girl with bleach-blonde hair.

  “Are you positive you’re okay?” he asked.

  The sound of his voice startled me, and I turned back to him. He leaned against his locker, his gaze roaming over me as if I was the first girl he’d ever seen.

  “May I see?” He nodded toward the hand I held protectively against my chest.

  Cautiously, almost as if he were afraid I’d hit him again, he took my hand and gently ran his thumb across my knuckles.

  I cringed but didn’t pull away. Instead, I took the opportunity to get a better look at him, and what I saw knocked the breath from my lungs.

  He was perfection personified, each line and angle of his face meticulously etched as if he’d been hand carved. Long, dark lashes and soft eyes, despite their piercing color. And his complexion was flawless, not a blemish or imperfection.

  Brow furrowed in concentration, his tongue peeked out and wetted his bottom lip. And like some sick Peeping Tom, I couldn’t stop staring.

  “Would you like to take a picture?” The corner of his mouth quirked up into a smirk, and he lifted just his eyes, watching me from under his lashes.

  Oh, God. I quickly averted my gaze and stared at my hand, but that wasn’t any better because now I focused on his hands. On how slender his fingers were, how his nails were trimmed neatly, how he was currently rubbing the pad of his thumb along the side of my pinkie, and how involuntary shivers were coursing up and down my back.

  “Uh, I think I’m good.” I removed my hand from his and made a fist. My knuckles were stiff and sore, but I no longer noticed the pain. “Thanks.”

  “You should probably go to the nurse. Get some ice before that starts to swell.”

  My eyes widened, and a moment of horror struck me. Yeah, I was not going to go to the nurse and explain what happened. Knowing my luck, I’d get sent to the principal and expelled before I ever made it to my first class.

  “Thanks, but I’m fine. Really,” I said.

  He nodded. “Well, this has been an interesting first day. I hope this isn’t how they greet all new students.”

  “What?” I cocked my head with confusion.

  “Apparently, my welcome was a punch in the face.”

  That only made my faux pas even worse. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m new, too. I’m Chloe.”

  Another guy sauntered up, and the resemblance to my locker neighbor was unmistakable. The two of them were like walking gods. Perfectly built, graceful, athletic. Flawless.

  “C’mon, Trent.” The guy barely gave me a second glance. “Stop screwing around with the locals, and let’s get to class.”

  “Oh, I’m not a local,” I said, immediately regretting my response. I had a feeling he didn’t care one way or another.

  “Like it matters,” the guy muttered.

  “Knock it off, Jax.” Trent gave him a scathing look. “Sorry for my brother’s lack of manners. I’ll see you around.” Without another word, he walked away.

  I stared after them.

  Jax turned back to look at me. No, not at me. Through me. It was unnerving, yet, I couldn’t look away. He narrowed his eyes as if squinting against a bright light. Then, as quickly as he’d acknowledged me, he turned away as if I didn’t exist.

  “Hey!” Abby bounced up to me, and her eyes widened. “Who were you just talking to?”

  “Trent and Jax. I think they might be brothers. They look an awful lot alike. I guess they’re new, too.” I shrugged.

  “Hmm.” She hummed as if she didn’t believe me. “I hadn’t heard anyone else was starting today. Other than you, of course.”

  “He probably only said that to make me feel better.” I hesitated, tugging at the hem of my shirt. “I accidentally punched Trent in the face.”

  “Shut up. You did not?” She laughed loudly, garnering the attention of the students in the hall. “Oh, my God, Chloe. Tell me everything. Don’t you dare leave out a single detail.” She looped her arm through mine and spun me in the opposite direction.

  “There’s not much to tell. I apologized for hitting him, and he said it was fine.”

  “I don’t care about that.” She waved her hand dismissively. “It’s extremely rare for us to get new students, and now there’s not one but two super-hot new guys? And they were talking to you?” Awe and jealousy dripped from her voice. “That’s definitely something to talk about.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “Wait until I tell Rachel. She’s going to freak.”

  “It’s really no big deal, Abby.”

  “All right…” Abby drew out the words as if she thought I was insane for not wanting to gossip about the new guys. “This is our first class.” She walked into the room.

  I hesitated in the hall for a moment longer. I can do this. I turned to walk into class, but I ran face first into a shirt full of hard, cool muscle. I slowly lifted my head and was met with a scowl. A very annoyed scowl that quickly morphed into a breathtaking smile.

  “My face wasn’t enough? You need to assault my chest, too?” An almost imperceptible hint of humor laced Trent’s words. He stepped around me, muttering something under his breath that I couldn’t decipher.

  Can today get any worse?

  I stopped at the teacher’s desk in the front of the room and handed him my schedule. He gave me a textbook, then instructed me to find an empty seat. I headed straight for the back of the room when I noticed Trent staring at me. Again. Only this time, when I looked back at him, he slipped on a pair of sunglasses and turned away.

  CHAPTER THREE:

  The Punching Hall of Fame

  BY THE TIME LUNCH ROLLED AROUND, I could barely keep my eyes open, and my head ached like it had been rammed into a brick wall. Would the school nurse let me go home if I complained? Probably not.

  I got a tray of food—mashed potatoes with gravy and some type of meat, if it could be called that—which only managed to turn my stomach. Standing at the front of the cafeteria, I scanned the crowd in search of Abby.

  We’d had every class together—I had classes with the same twelve people all morning—so I knew we had lunch together, too, but she was currently MIA.

  I found an empty table near the windows with a clear view of the hallway. A girl from one of my classes came over and stood across from me, a friendly but nervous smile on her heart-shaped face.

  “Um, would you like to sit with me?” She pointed to a table across the room. “I’m waiting for a few other friends, but they’re cool.”

  Considering Abby still hadn’t shown her face, I couldn’t ignore the only other invitation I had. “Sure, thanks.” I grabbed my food and followed her to a table where we both sat.

  She crunched on a carrot stick. “Chloe,
right?”

  I glanced away, embarrassed. “Yeah. Um, sorry, but I don’t remember your name.”

  She laughed. “Ellie.”

  I looked back at her, and she continued to crunch away on her carrot, reminding me a lot of the bunny Mom had gotten me when I was seven. It had been the Easter right after Dad left us. At that time, I’d still believed he’d come back, but Mom had known better. The bunny had been her way of giving me something new to love, something to keep me occupied.

  I’d named him Frank, after my father, which in hindsight, was a really stupid name for a girl. Much like my father, the bunny hadn’t hung around very long. Two weeks after I’d gotten her, she’d managed to get out of her cage. There was a theme in my life with the things I loved.

  I tore my gaze from her and shuffled the food around on my tray. Four more people sat at the table, and while I recognized their faces from classes, I couldn’t recall any names. I searched for Abby again, but she still wasn’t around.

  “Chloe, this is Nick, Luke, Tonya, and Gina. Guys, this is Chloe,” Ellie said.

  “Oh, yeah, you’re the new girl who’s been sitting in the back of every class.” Gina pointed, her round, cherubic cheeks turning a soft shade of pink.

  “Wait, didn’t you punch that new guy in the face this morning?” Nick’s eyes widened, and if I wasn’t mistaken, that was pride shining through in his expression.

  “Oh my God. I heard about that,” Tonya said. Short, black curls framed her face. “He tried to ask you out, and you hauled off and punched him.”

  “No, he grabbed her butt,” Luke said as if it were a known fact not up for debate. He gave a quick shake of his head, causing his shaggy blond hair to fall over his hazel eyes.

  “What?” I gasped. “No. That’s not how it happened at all.” News spread fast at this school, but apparently, rumors spread even faster. “It was an accident.”

  I explained the events of that morning. With any luck, my new friends would help me set the rumor mill straight.

  “Yeah, that’s not what people are saying. Not even close.” Ellie laughed. “The gossip is reaching epidemic levels.”

  “Welcome to Keene Central School.” Luke grinned. “Although, I have no idea why anyone would want to come here.”

  Gina elbowed him in the ribs and gave him a dirty look.

  An awkward silence fell over the table. It was no one’s business why I was here, but from the way they were all looking at me, they wanted to know. I wasn’t about to tell a group of strangers that I was a murderer. Talk about social outcast.

  I twisted the top off my water bottle and took a long drink. When I set it down, I caught Trent staring at me from across the cafeteria where he sat with his brother. He kept looking at my face, then above my head, then back to my face. Was my hair sticking up? I self-consciously smoothed my hands over my head and down my hair, but he still didn’t look away. Didn’t he realize it was rude to stare?

  “Do you play any sports?” Tonya was asking me.

  I returned my attention to my new friends. “No, I’m not much of a team player,” I admitted.

  It hadn’t been for a lack of trying, though. Mom had put me in every group activity and sport she could find in an effort to socialize me. It never worked out.

  “Too bad. We could really use someone on the softball team,” Tonya said, her shoulders slumping with disappointment.

  “Sorry,” I said.

  “Don’t be,” Nick said. “Our teams suck.”

  My gaze wandered back over to the table in the corner. Trent laughed at something his brother said. As if he could sense me watching, he turned slightly.

  A longing tugged at my chest, so severe that my entire body ached. I swallowed hard and took several deep breaths to calm my suddenly racing heart.

  The bell rang. I gathered my stuff and headed for the door.

  “What class do you have next?” Ellie asked.

  I fumbled to get my schedule out of my backpack. “World History. Room two-nineteen.”

  “Hey, that’s my class, too. I’ll walk with you,” she said.

  I wasn’t surprised she was in the same class again. “Great.”

  Ellie talked the entire way about anything that popped into her mind, but I was only half listening.

  “So, hey, let’s exchange numbers, and you can totally call or text me if you need help catching up on anything. I’m sure it’s overwhelming to start here so late in the year, and I’m happy to do whatever I can to help.”

  All I’d heard was “exchange numbers” before my mind started racing. “Oh, um, I don’t have a phone.”

  Seriously, what teenager didn’t have a cell phone these days? Then again, after what had happened, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to have another one.

  “That’s cool. Abby has my number, so you can call from her phone if you ever need help with anything.”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  “Hands up, Ellie. New girl has a killer right hook,” someone shouted from the other end of the hallway. His comment was followed by raucous laughter.

  My steps faltered. “How does everyone know about that?” I mumbled.

  “Nothing around here is a secret.” She shook her head. “Hey, so, I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” Ellie waved and disappeared around the corner, her long, sleek ponytail swishing behind her.

  I walked into class. Abby was already there, sitting in the back with a boy. When she saw me, she waved me over. She’d ditched me for a guy? I flung my bag on top of the desk and sat.

  “Sorry I missed lunch.” Abby leaned over and lowered her voice. “I’ll explain all about it later, but you understand, right?” She gave a subtle nod to the boy on her right.

  “Yeah, whatever.” But I didn’t understand. What happened to family comes first?

  “You’re the best,” Abby whispered.

  As if being ditched by the only person I knew wasn’t bad enough, Trent chose that moment to stride into the room like he owned the place. Every step oozed confidence, and every girl in the room stared. Me included.

  He stopped in front of my desk and crossed his arms. “I was sitting there.”

  “You were?”

  He nodded.

  I stared at him, dumbfounded, and then I swiped my bag onto the floor and studied the top of the desk. “I don’t see your name anywhere.” I stood and checked the chair, too, just to be sure. “Nope. No name.” I plopped back down and gave him the sweetest smile I could muster.

  To my surprise, he laughed. Like before, the sound was deep, genuine, and it stirred something in my gut, something I hadn’t ever experienced.

  For a moment, I was terrified I might throw up all over his shoes. The feeling was intense and all-consuming, and as soon as I’d felt it, it was gone. So was the amusement on his face, replaced with mild annoyance.

  His brother shoved past him and glowered at me with so much fury, an icy chill snaked up my arms. There was something disturbingly menacing about Jax, and my instincts were telling me to keep my distance. Obviously, he wasn’t as friendly as his brother, but I was starting to wonder if my initial assessment of Trent had been wrong.

  “Please move,” he said.

  “No,” I said.

  It was a stupid desk for crying out loud. There were at least a dozen other empty seats in this room, and here I was ready to fight him over one. But to be fair, he was the one who’d made a big deal over this seat first. And I was not in the mood to give into bully tactics.

  “All right. Fine.” He slid into the seat beside me and then moved the desk closer, scraping the metal legs across the floor in an obnoxious, grating noise.

  Everyone in the room had stopped to watch our exchange. I cringed. Please let me disappear. Someone near the front of the room coughed the word “fight,” which caused a ripple of laughter.

  I clenched my jaw and turned to Trent. “Why are you telling everyone I punched you?”

  “You did,” he said simply.

  �
�It was an accident.”

  He’d accepted my apology. So, why was he embellishing what had really happened? I curled my hands into fists, my fingernails biting into my palms. I really had no idea if he’d told anyone or not, but he was the only other person involved in the incident, so it stood to reason he was the one telling the story.

  “Easy there, slugger.” He inclined his head toward my balled hands, his mouth twitching with a smile. “I haven’t told anyone.”

  Abby giggled, and that’s when it dawned on me. She’d been the one telling people. I was going to strangle her.

  “People are saying you…” I averted my gaze. “Grabbed me, and that’s why I hit you.”

  He let out a laugh that silenced the room. All eyes were on us again, and I slinked farther down in my chair. This day couldn’t end fast enough.

  “No, I most certainly did not grab you,” he said.

  “You don’t have to sound so disgusted by the idea,” I mumbled.

  I’d had exactly one serious boyfriend—Aaron—and he’d been on track to become the Valedictorian of our class. He was clean-cut and wholesome and polite in a boy-next-door sort of way. He was safe and easy to be with. Trent was the complete opposite, and that put him firmly out of my comfort zone.

  “Disgusted is not the word I’d use, Chloe.” His voice was smooth as silk, my name rolling off his tongue just as smoothly.

  A shiver wiggled up my spine. “What word would you prefer, then?”

  He glanced at me like he couldn’t believe I’d had the nerve to question him. “Cautiously interested,” he finally said.

  I opened my mouth to ask what he meant when the teacher entered the room and closed the door. The class progressed much like all the others had—with the teacher droning on and on about things I had no interest in.

  On one side of me, Abby was shamelessly flirting. And on my other side, I was hyper-aware of Trent. He hadn’t bothered to speak to me again, but I felt him there. Every subtle movement he made. Every breath he took. I was aware of it all.