Chapter 39: Chapter Four

Natalee

I desperately needed to give that cursed phone back to Alec and Demetri. I seriously had to set it away from my homework station, so I wouldn't be tempted to peek at the pictures.

The phone buzzed again.

STP IGNRNG ME. LTS GO PRTY.

I rolled my eyes and quickly texted back. I DNT PRTY. I'M UNDRAGE. SO R U. DNT U HV HMWK?

The same math problem I'd been working on for the past hour stared back at me. The phone buzzed again.

I SUK AT MTH. I ND HLP. I MAY GT A TUTOR…U UP 4 THE JB?

I bit my lip. U DO KNW A TUTOR ISN'T A PROSTITUTE, RT?

His reply was quick. DAMN, I KNEW I HD THSE 2 MXD UP.

I laughed and tucked the sleek phone under my pillow in bed. I needed to think about getting to sleep if I was going to have to face those two guys tomorrow without fainting at their feet.

I yawned and closed my math book, then turned off my bedroom's lights and climbed into bed. On impulse I pulled out Alec's phone and texted Demetri goodnight. He didn't reply.

I shouldn't have been upset over it. But I kind of was. I told myself to stop being stupid as I waited for the screen to blink with his message. I closed my eyes and then five minutes later.

I checked the phone again. No messages.

My thumb hovered over the pictures.

With a curse, I clicked on the icon and scrolled through them.

Immediately, I wished I wouldn't have.

The pictures were amazing. Not your typical rock star bad boy pictures. But pictures of sunsets, vacations, and… puppies? Oh my gosh! No way was this for real.

Alec was supposed to have pictures of strippers and whores. It just showed how little I really knew about him.

I hated that I was curious about Alec. It made me uncomfortable to know that he was so closed off. It was like crack to me. I wanted to be the girl to figure out his secrets.

With a yawn I placed the phone on the nightstand and went to sleep.

****

I felt dead on my feet as I opened my locker the next day at school.

I sighed and shoved my math book in the place of my history book.

“Nat.” Demetri breathed down my neck.

I swore and turned around. “You scared the crap out of me!”

He grinned unapologetically and held out my pathetic phone. “I made a few changes to your settings and stuff. Hope you don't mind.”

I looked down to see my screensaver—a picture of Demetri's naked chest. Awesome. I felt a hot blush wash over my cheeks.

“Thanks.” I grabbed the phone and shoved Alec's into his hand.

He didn't move.

I waited.

He looked at me like I was a puzzle. “Wanna walk to class?”

If he kept looking at me like that, I was going to pass out and he'd have to carry me to class, only to have me pass out again because he was carrying me.

The class was only a few feet away, but it felt like miles. People whispered behind their books as we passed, and then Demetri put his hand on my lower back.

I nearly jumped out of my skin.

“Chill.” He chuckled as we made it into the classroom.

All eyes darted to us.

All except Alec's.

I gulped and took a seat. Once the teacher began taking roll, I stole a glance at him. Alec was staring at me. He wasn't smiling. In fact, he looked irritated, either that or angry. I wasn't sure.

I offered him an apologetic smile. He ignored me and turned back to the teacher.

****

By the end of their first week, the other kids were beginning to return to normal. Girls stopped fainting in the hallways and the guys weren't signing nearly as many autographs.

Demetri walked me to class every day and Alec found great pleasure in brooding all the time. It made me uncomfortable how much he backed off once Demetri and I started talking more.

If I was being completely honest, a part of me was a bit upset that he and I couldn't have the same relationship Demetri and I did. But then again, who was I to be upset about anything?

I mean, he was everything. I was nothing.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear anyone approach.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I dropped all my books to the floor.

“Geez, Nat, you're so jumpy.” Demetri knelt down to pick up all my books and then dumped them in my locker. “I need help.”

My eyes narrowed. “With?” I always had to be direct with Demetri. He was the type of guy who could get even the most moral of girls into bed.

“Math. Remember? I suck?”

“You're asking me for help?”

He shrugged. “We're friends.”

Oh. I suddenly felt kinda guilty. I was officially going to delete all the gossip sites from my computer.

The guy couldn't be as bad as the media made him out to be, and he'd been really nice the past week. At least when he wasn't trying to get me to go to parties or flirt back with him.

“Well…” I studied him for a minute. He didn't seem to have any ulterior motive. In fact, his eyes shone with desperation. “I guess I can help you, I have to finish all my stuff first.

“I mean tonight.” He chuckled. “How about I come over around eight, would that be okay?”

“Yeah, um… sure.” I choked on my words.

“Cool. Thanks, Nat!”

He hit me in the arm and ran down the hall, leaving me to wonder what the heck just happened. Crap, I was under his spell just like everyone else.

I banged my head against the locker.

Maybe it was all a game? AD2 thought it would be fun to torture the local girl and make her life confusing and hormonal.

“Alec.” I breathed.

He licked his lips and then looked down at the floor. “Do you have any more taffy?”

“Huh?” Not what I was expecting.

“You mean now?”

He nodded.

Was he for real? “Um, I have a few pieces in my bag, why?”

His shoulders sagged in relief.

Without waiting for him to answer, I pulled out a few pieces and handed them over. He popped all three in his mouth and moaned. I felt the rumble of his moan all the way down to my toes.

“Thank God.”

“So brooding Rock Star has a thing for taffy?”

Alec grinned the first grin I'd seen since his first day at school. “You could say that. Or maybe Rock Star just needs something in his mouth ever since he quit smoking.”

“And the world makes sense again.” I nodded. “Ever try lollipops?”

“Yup.” He cursed. “Too much sugar.”

“Gum?” I offered.

Somehow we had gotten from my locker to the front doors.

“Loses flavor.”

I nodded again. “So taffy is your best bet.”

He grinned again. He was beautiful. Even more beautiful than Demetri when he smiled. Crap! I needed to help him with his homework and I still had to work and finish mine! “I gotta go, Alec!”

His eyes narrowed. He looked unsure, and then he nodded and walked off in the other direction without even saying goodbye.

By the time my work shift was over, I only had a half hour to do homework before Demetri came over for help.

Wait.

He didn't even ask for directions, and he just invited himself to my house. Wasn't that a bit strange? I knew he had my number saved, so maybe he was going to text me for directions later?

I leaned against the truck. I seriously had no more energy left after today. Maybe I liked boring better than interesting.

I shrugged and walked into the house.