Dark and Twisted by Heidi Acosta Page A

Cardelian has both of his hands in his pockets with his text book nestled between his arm and hip. His hair has fallen into his eyes, making him look even more alluring—if that’s even possible. He stares down at his feet like he’s shy or nervous, which of course is ridiculous. Why would he be nervous? More importantly, why on Earth would he want to walk me to class?
    “Why?” Buck snorts.
    I resist the urge to elbow him in the gut, even though I have a perfect shot. Buck is still clutching my bag strap, and I wish he wouldn’t. It’s threatening to tear more, and I don’t think it can handle another safety pin.
    “I’m heading in that direction, and I just thought you might like the company, but if I’m overstepping …” He glances at Buck.
    Oh hell no. “No,” I say quickly.
    Buck snorts again. “Dude, if you want to travel down that road of crazy, it’s your funeral.” Tossing his hands up in the air, he backs out the door. “See you around, freak.”
    I shake my head in Buck’s direction as he leaves. God, he is so aggravating.
    Cardelian follows me out into the hallway, it looks like he’s going to walk me to class. Thankfully, we wasted enough time that the halls are pretty much empty.
    “He likes you, you know that right?”
    I glance at him out of the corner of my eyes. “Who?” I ask skeptically.
    “Buck.”
    He says it in such a matter-of-fact tone that I almost believe him. The years of torture from Buck surfaces and I laugh.
    “Yeah, right. More like he loathes me. For as long as I can remember, Buck has tormented me. When we were kids, he was either stealing my peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches or putting worms in my hair.”
    “He does.”
    “Please.”
    “Really. I see the way he looks at you, and trust me, there’s no loathing in his eyes. He’s always touching you or sitting next to you. He likes you.”
    Cardelian is beautiful but delusional. “No, he just sits that close so he doesn’t have to work so hard to irritate me.” Buck has been a pain in my side as long as I can remember.
    “I can’t blame him,” Cardelian says.
    My head snaps in his direction.
    “That he likes you. I mean, I can see why he does.”
    I don’t know what to say or do. I’ve never had a boy compliment me befor e I wish Liv was here so I could ask her what to do. She would know the right witty comeback for me to say that would keep him guessing. I have never been good at flirting like Liv is.
    “Ummm, I think this is my class.” I point like a little kid at the door in front of us.
    “Yeah, okay. I guess I will see you around then, Eden.”
    He hesitates, with one hand on the door behind me, as I stare awkwardly at him. The second bell rings, and I lean into the door, propping it with my hip.
    “Bye,” he says, letting go of the door. It lightly knocks against my hip.
    “Toot-a-loo,” I blurt out. Oh, my god. I am a freak. I want to die—just crawl into a corner somewhere and die.
    He smirks back at me. “Toot-a-loo.”
    I watch him walk away before stumbling into my class. You know how, in the movies, a girl leans up against the door to catch her breath and reflect on how the night went after she has been kissed good night? That is exactly how I feel. I want to lean against the door and sigh.
    “Take a seat at the back of the room,” Ms. Heart sings, waving me in with a flick of her long, willowy wrist.
    There are only three seats left. Great. One is next to Juliet, who is giving me the evil eye. I wouldn’t dare. One empty seat next to Ralph. Um … no, thank you.
    “Quickly, Eden!” Ms. Heart says from behind me.
    My only other choice is to sit next to Jaxson. He looks the same as he did earlier—hood up, hair hanging in eyes that I know are cold, calculated, beautiful, and allusive. Each step towards him makes my blood feels like it is freezing. I shiver and drop my bag, refusing to let him intimidate me.
    I clear my throat, announcing my arrival, but Jaxson doesn’t