Beasts and BFFs by Delany Shannon

Author:Delany, Shannon [Delany, Shannon]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2010-09-08T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

I stalked into the room, my peers’ eyes trying to catch a peek at my expression. I released the door, letting it—and hoping it would—smack into Pietr’s face.

He didn’t even glare in my direction. I made my disappointment obvious: Handing my pass to Ms. Ashton, I rolled my eyes. But she didn’t notice, letting the pass slip through her fingers as she crossed the floor, apologies to Pietr falling from her lips—for my behavior!

“I’m so sorry Jessie let go of the door too soon—are you okay?” She scanned his face, her eyes bright and oddly eager. I took my seat and watched the other students’ reactions to our arrogant new class member. The girls were all sitting—literally—at the edge of their seats, fingers white around the knuckles as they gripped their desks and made mooneyes at him.

I couldn’t believe how they all seemed so blatantly and suddenly obsessed with Pietr. I mean, okay—I looked him up and down without feeling a hint of self-consciousness, measuring and weighing what I saw there. Yep. Not bad looking, sort of had that catalog-model look, good enough for print but not typical runway material.

But he simply didn’t care. It made me want to scream. But I remembered: Most girls go soft over guys with that dangerously arrogant edge—that distance that marks them as unattainable. I sighed.

Ms. Ashton was still rambling on about the importance of literature to civilization and, of course, to the class. Pietr occasionally said something softly in that too-cool way of his, and all the girls giggled. Even Ms. Ashton. She had taken Pietr by the hand to better lead him to his desk. I was astonished by her utter disregard of teacher-student protocol.

I ruffled the pages of my lit book, feeling a heat growing on my back. I turned and nearly choked on my own surprise. Derek was watching me. He winked at me and motioned with a jerk of his head at Pietr. I rolled my eyes, my insides melting at this small communication with my old crush.

Derek chuckled silently and pointed to get me to turn back around in my seat.

“So, Jessie,” Ms. Ashton was addressing me. “How did you manage to get the assignment of showing Pietr around?”

The girls all turned, glaring at me and yet seemingly hungry to know how they could get their very own new-boy-at-school, too.

“Just luck,” I muttered. Bad, dumb luck.

I felt Derek’s eyes on me again. Pietr didn’t bother to acknowledge my statement.

Ms. Ashton closed class with a homework assignment. There were groans in response. Someone stated the obvious: “It’s almost Homecoming!”

Ms. Ashton was unrepentant.

I didn’t groan. Homecoming wasn’t my thing. I barely followed our football team’s adventures (other than staring at Derek and listening to people recount his exploits on the field—that I could listen to for days). The idea of going to a parade, bonfire, and dance…well, what did it matter if I was curious about it? Who would ask me, anyhow? Besides, there were always things to be done at home.

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