My stomach churned as I fought to hold back a rising panic.
“It’s only a new school,” I whispered to myself as I pulled the door open to my English Lit class.
Of course, there in the corner was Jake, surrounded by three girls. Each prettier than the next. Each looking as if they wanted to have his child.
He looked up and our eyes met. I froze for a second then hurriedly slid into a desk in the front row. As far from Jake and his harem as possible.
Somehow, I managed to get through the class without looking over my shoulder at him. No silly subterfuge of dropping a pencil. Or flipping my hair out of the way. I was determined not to show him any interest.
That didn’t mean that I wasn’t aware of him. I’d occasionally hear one of the girls laugh too loudly, obviously hoping he’d pick them. So typical I thought. In the stories, the bad boy was always surrounded by the prettiest girls. And Jake Benson definitely qualified as a bad boy.
When the bell rang, I beat it out of there and to my locker. It only took me three tries to get it open. I shoved in my English Lit book and debated whether I should leave my book bag in the locker or take it to my next class. I had noticed that most of the girls weren’t using a bookbag.
Chalk one mistake for Karla. I must have looked like an idiot.
“That was a surprise,” Jake said as he leaned against the locker next to mine.
“What was?” I managed to say without stumbling over my words. For some unknown reason, the picture of him walking out of the bathroom in nothing more than his towel jumped into my brain and refused to leave.
“You in English Lit. I figured you’d be in all A.P. classes.”
I shrugged. “Some of them are.”
He frowned and held out his hand. “Let me see your schedule.”
I hesitated for a moment at the idea of him knowing things about me but then realized it wasn’t much of a secret. I handed it over and watched him scowl as he ran down the list.
“We’ve got Art appreciation together with Miss Hanson.”
My brow furrowed for a brief moment. “You taking Art?”
He froze for a second as he looked into my eyes. I’d touched a nerve for some reason. But he relaxed and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s an easy A.” Then without so much as a word, he turned and left.
What a jerk, I thought. He was about as friendly as an angry porcupine. Really, the boy needed to learn some manners.
Of course, when I got to third period Art class. The only seat left was at Jake’s table. The room obviously used to be a science lab. With sinks and gas hookups at each of the large black granite-topped stations.
He looked up as I walked in then looked at the empty stool. I sighed heavily. Great. Maybe I could ask the teacher later for a seat change. There had to be a dozen girls in class who would jump at the chance to share a table with Jake Benson.
The realization made me wonder. Why was the seat open? Had Jake saved it for me? My heart jumped for just the briefest moments before a sense of reality washed over me. Don’t be ridiculous. Of course, he hadn’t.
But a small feeling of hope began to build inside of me until I realized that I wanted Jake to save a seat for me. That I found the idea unbelievably exciting.
Chapter Five
Jake
My stomach tightened up as she walked into the room. It was like getting hit by a sledgehammer to the gut. The way she moved in those tight jeans. Like a great guitar riff. All rhythm, perfect yet unique.
The way her waist curved made my mouth water. God, she could make a guy rethink everything he thought he knew.
When she sat down at the table I couldn’t help but notice a certain excitement behind her eyes.
“How’s the first day?” I asked before an awkward silence could fall over us.
She shrugged, “Good. Everyone is so nice.”
I laughed, I was pretty sure she was lying. “Give them time. The truth will come out.”
Her brow furrowed as she stared back at me and shook her head. “Are you always this disagreeable or is it just me?”
I laughed again, “I’m pretty much always this way.”
She continued to frown as she turned her back on me and focused on Miss Hanson who was calling role.
It had been like this in first period. She sitting with her back to me. But it gave me an opportunity to look at her without her knowing. Long blond hair like corn silk. Smooth, flawless skin. She sat up straight as if she were somebody important.
Careful, I reminded myself. She had a future.
A sick feeling of disappointment filled me as I pulled my attention away from her. Of course, that was completely impossible. Besides the silky golden hair, there was the matter of an enticing perfume. A subtle combination girly scents that burrowed their way into my soul and brought pictures to my mind that I couldn’t shake.
Sighing, I hung my head. It was going to be a long year.
“What’s wrong?” she asked during a break. Obviously, she’d seen me zoning out.
“Just catching a nap,” I said quickly.
She gave me a strange look then returned to focusing on the teacher. Of course, my mind wandered right away to the girl sitting in front of me.
Get a grip, I thought to myself. The girl was so out of bounds it was ridiculous to even think about it. First off, I was a one night stand kind of guy, and if I knew anything about girls. I knew that Miss Karla was a commitment type person.
To her, she would want tomorrow and forever. Not my thing.
Besides, even if it did work out for a bit. It wouldn’t last. And then I’d be stuck living in a house with a girl who hated my guts and my mother who would make my life a living hell.
Nope. Not going to happen. Besides, she wasn’t my type. Too serious. Too focused. I preferred the wild and free types. The ones who knew what they were getting into and were perfectly okay with that.
I sighed to myself as I made a final decision. There would be nothing between me and this Karla chick. I’d have to treat her like one of those prized porcelain dolls. Admire her from a distance but do not touch.
A quick sense of loss filled me, but I pushed it aside and tried to replace it with a sense of pride. I was doing the right thing. A first for me.
.o0o.
Karla
Lunch was a madhouse. Thankfully Buck found me and helped me through the process. All I could do was shake my head. The sheer numbers were almost overwhelming.
Buck studied me for a moment then asked, “How many kids at your last school?”
I shrugged, “Maybe three hundred, across four grades. All of them girls.”
He laughed, “Sounds like heaven if you ask me.”
All I could do was laugh in return. We made our way to a side table. I noticed several girls glancing at Buck. I knew that look, it was a quick appraisal and general approval.
“Where’s Jake?” I asked as I remembered the swarm of females around him in first period.
Buck nodded across the large cafeteria, sure enough, there he was holding court. Once again surrounded by a dozen girls.
“Do you want to sit with them?” Buck asked, raising an eyebrow.
I shuddered, “No, I don’t think so.”
He laughed as he guided me to where Parker was waiting for us. The three of us quickly fell into an easy conversation about the school. The differences and the similarities to my last school. The various cliques and groups. The unspoken rules and the tribal expectations.
About halfway through, Buck suddenly excused himself and took his tray over to another table. A cute brunet looked at him like he’d just solved world hunger. Parker laughed and shook his head.
I criticized myself for not seeing the signs. There must have been signs. A cute look, a shared moment. Something. Was I completely oblivious to what was going on around me? It was all happening at twice the speed of sound, it seemed.
“I was surprised we kept him that long,” Parker said.
; I smiled. “He’s just like his older brother,” I said as I nodded across the room to where Jake sat.
Parker laughed but didn’t dispute my observation.
We continued with our conversation. It was nice, Parker had absolutely no interest in me. I could read that instantly. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure if I had been a different girl in a different situation. Things might have been different. But Parker had instantly looked at me as a sister.
I’ve got to say, it was nice. Having a boy for a friend. Especially someone like Parker. He knew everyone. Their hopes and their history. He was very smart without being nerdy. Handsome, and just an all-around great guy.
And as close to a brother as I would ever have, I realized as a sense of happiness filled me.
Of course, the same could not be said for his older brother Jake. No, things were different when it came to his brother.
“You going to be okay the rest of the day?” Parker asked. “You know where your classes are?”
I nodded around a mouthful of lettuce.
He smiled then said, “Great, … listen, there are some things I need to take care of. Student Council stuff.”
My insides turned over as I realized both he and Buck had gone out of their way to ease me into the whole school lunch thing. But obviously, Parker was in a hurry to take off. I nodded and waved my hands for him to go. Then grabbed my tray and started for the trashcans. The last thing I was doing was sitting at a cafeteria table all by myself.
I would have looked pathetic. And one thing I did not do was pathetic. Not my look.
As I left the cafeteria, I glanced over my shoulder and caught Jake looking at me with a strange expression. My heart jumped, but he pulled his gaze away as if he hadn’t even registered I was in the room.
I flipped my hair over my shoulder and forced myself to not hurry. No way was I letting him see any concern on my part.
The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. As I had anticipated, the classes were easy. Some of this stuff I’d picked up in my sophomore year. It was nice to realize that I wasn’t going to have to work too hard this year.
Mom was pretty sure that with my experiences overseas. Good numbers on my SATs, and my straight A average I’d have no problem getting into Columbia, my first choice, or as a fallback, Georgetown in D.C.
Either would be fine and feed me into the State Department. Although, there were times that it felt more like my mom’s dream than mine.
When the bell rang at the end of the day it was as if thousands of doves had been released from their coop. Kids pushed and shoved to get out of there. All I could do was shake my head. Such intensity.
I dropped off my books at my locker and made a quick stop at the bathroom. As I stepped out I was surprised to find four girls waiting for me. I swear it was like dropping into a shark tank. Shiny teeth and cold eyes. I knew that look. Girls were easy. If they were that upset, it was about a boy.
“So, you’re Karla Forest,” the blond said. My stomach fell. Everything about the girl said queen bee. Expensive clothes, a perfect body, tall and trim. But even more, it was the way the other girls looked at her, waiting for her to lead the way.
Careful, I thought. Reminding myself of the importance of first impressions. These were the girls surrounding Jake in first period and again at lunch.
“Yes, that’s right,” I said, giving her my best smile. Under no circumstance was I letting her think she could intimidate me. No, better to make her think I was no threat.
“We just wanted to welcome you,” she added as she quickly checked out my clothes, obviously calculating the cost of each item and determining that I passed muster. “I’m Bella Tucker.”
“Thank you,” I said as I stepped out of the way of a young freshman rushing from the girl’s bathroom. “That is so kind of you Bella. Welcoming me like this. You know how it is, a new school. And you went out of your way to welcome me. That is so sweet.”
The other girls looked at her, each of them with a frown. They had expected a quaking supplicant. Bella though got it. She could see the game I was playing but hadn’t yet figured out how she was going to play it back.
“Is it true you’re living with the Benson brothers?” a short redhead in a green blouse asked me as if she were asking if it was true I was a billionaire. Bella shot her a quick frown but I ignored it as I turned on the redhead and gave her my best smile.
“Yes. For the whole year. Our mothers are best friends and my mom had to go overseas.”
Bella continued to study me for a moment then said, “This is Janet, and that’s Kathy,” she said pointing to pretty brunets on either side of her. “And carrot top here is Janice. You should join us at lunch tomorrow.”
Was that a suggestion or an order? I wondered. It only took me a moment to realize that Bella had decided to follow the advice from the Godfather, keep your friends close and your enemies even closer. She couldn’t warn me off of the Benson brothers, or to be more specific, Jake. So she had decided to pull me into her clique so she could control the fallout.
“Thank you,” I said with my most innocent smile. However, something inside of me refused to let her think she was in charge. Call it feminine competition. I couldn’t resist. “But I see enough of Jake at his house,” I said and was rewarded with a flash of anger behind her eyes. So, of course, I had to add, “Two meals a day is enough.”
Bella balked for a second then shrugged, “Oh well, your loss. You should know that if you’re going to fit in around here, it’s best to know who to hang with. You don’t want to fall into the wrong crowd. It could ruin your entire year.”
I smiled back at her. While I didn’t disagree, I knew in my gut that this was one clique I didn’t want to be a part of.
The five of us stood there in an awkward silence for a moment until I remembered I had a bus to catch. The empty hallway drove home the point that I needed to hurry.
“Sorry, but I’ve got to go. It was nice to meet all of you,” I said, giving them a quick smile as I then turned to leave, all the while expecting a claw to reach out and hold me in place. The further I drew away, the more I was able to relax.
Well, that was different, I thought. There had been a touch of menace behind Bella’s words. Perhaps more than a touch. All over a boy. How ridiculous.
I took a cleansing breath as I stepped out the front door only to find my world ruined. The busses were all gone. How was this possible? How could they leave without me?
A thousand thoughts raced through my head. Did I know the way to Aunt Kim’s house? No, I realized. The bus that morning had taken a winding path picking up kids. No way could I trace my way back.
What then? Wait for the late bus? How long? Two hours probably. What was I supposed to do while I waited?
Of course, at that moment, Bella and her cohorts stepped out of school, shooting me curious looks. I immediately pulled out my phone and pretended I was engrossed with something on my screen.
Bella frowned for a moment but then turned away and walked out to the student parking lot. She and the others climbed into a convertible and all I could do was laugh. The girl was a walking cliché.
Now what? I wondered as I returned to trying to figure out what I should do. Call Aunt Kim. No. she was at her job. I couldn’t call and ask for a ride because I was an idiot. No, I’d just have to wait here for Parker and Buck. Maybe if I worked hard, I could make them believe it had been intentional.
A deep rumble to the right drew my attention. As I turned to check it out, my heart fell as Jake pulled to a stop on his motorcycle. Black leather jacket, boy jeans, and boots. The guy was a walking advertisement for all that was good about being male.
Pulling his helmet off, he ran a hand through his hair and shot me a frown as if he couldn’t believe I was so stupid I missed the bus on the first day.
“Get on,” he said, nodding over his shoulder at the seat behind him.
My heart jumped as a surge of excitement mixed with fear flowed through
me. This was a mistake on so many levels. But of course, at that exact moment, Bella drove by in her convertible. I couldn’t pass up that chance.
I swung my leg over the back of Jake’s Motorcycle and gave Bella my best smug smile ever.
Chapter Six
Karla
My Insides fluttered as I sat down behind Jake. I sent up a prayer of thanks that I had worn Jeans. It was turning out to be one of my best decisions ever. I mean come on, what girl wouldn’t find this entirely mind-blowing. Riding a motorcycle with Jake Benson. I was breaking about a dozen rules. And I knew deep in my gut I was going to love every moment of it.
“Here,” Jake said as he handed me his helmet then looked down to make sure my feet were in the right spot.
“What about you?” I asked him.
He shrugged, “It won’t be the first time. I’ll take the back roads.”
My insides hitched as I wondered how many other girls he had given a ride to. Of course, I wasn’t going to complain as I slipped on his helmet and buckled it under my chin.
He kicked over the starter then looked back at me for a long moment. “Hold on tight,” he yelled over the loud rumble of the bike.
All I could do was take a deep breath and put my arms around Jake. It was like holding a stone pillar. Solid, hard, and all Jake. My heart raced.
“Get closer,” he yelled as he dropped it into gear and started to pull away. “And lean with me.”
I scooted closer, hugging his back as my stomach churned and my heart pounded in my chest. I didn’t know if it was because I was on the back of a motorcycle or because I was holding onto Jake Benson.
The power of the bike surprised me. It was like riding a force of its own. The wind whipped at my clothes and Jake’s hair brushed my face.
It was like flying. A feeling for freedom and wild excitement. We turned a corner, I leaned with him to the side and we zipped around it like water down a funnel.
Jake was true to his word as he wove his way via the back roads to his house. All I could do was hold on tight and enjoy myself. Every part of my body buzzed with excitement. A girl could get to loving this too much I realized.
Our Secret (The Benson Brothers Book 1) Page 3
