Crave (Harlequin Teen)

table.
    “He’s a member of the Clann. You know how all those witches treat Savannah,” Anne said.
    “Tristan Coleman isn’t like them. He’s nice,” Michelle said. “The whole witchcraft thing is just a rumor. And a stupid one, at that.”
    Carrie, Anne and I all shared a look.
    Michelle sighed. “Tristan is so not a witch! Or warlock, or whatever they’re called. His family goes to my church. And he’s too nice to sacrifice small animals. Remember how he saved me last summer at that track meet? None of the others would have done that, but he did.”
    Carrie and Anne both groaned out loud. We’d heard this story countless times this year, until Anne had finally threatened to beat Michelle to death if she told it one more time.
    I just groaned inside my head. I was too busy forcing air in and out of my lungs past the tightness in my chest. How did he do this to me?
    “‘Saved’ is a little much,” Carrie said. “And for the record, witches don’t sacrifice animals.”
    “Yeah, Michelle,” Anne said. “All he did was help you off the track after you got shin splints.”
    “Exactly!” Michelle retorted. “Those shin splints hurt so badly. And he was the only one to come and help me. And he didn’t even know me!”
    Carrie sighed and dropped her chin into a propped-up hand.
    “Michelle, get a grip. He just did that to make himself look good for everyone at the track meet.” Anne chugged the rest of her soda then burped. She didn’t bother to say excuse me. “He’s nothing more than a glorified spoiled rich kid.”
    “That’s not true. And he doesn’t need to try and make himself look good. He already looks good. Did you see that chest? Those huge shoulders?” Michelle sighed again. “Thank you, God, for growth spurts. I swear he’s grown half a foot taller this year. And that new voice. Oh, yum.”
    “Oh, gag me,” Anne said. “I’ll bet his ego grew right along with the rest of him. He thinks every girl on the planet should be eager to drool over him. And what do you mean, ‘that new voice’? You got a class with him or something?”
    It was Michelle’s turn to blush. “No. He stops by the front office before first period on A days sometimes to talk to me and the other office aides.”
    “And I’ll bet you just love chatting him up, don’t you?” Anne glared at her.
    “Well, it…it’s the least I can do, since he saved me.”
    “Ugh, I’m gonna hurl.” Anne gathered up her books.
    “Me, too. I can’t believe you talk to a Clann member,” Carrie said, picking up her things despite her still half-full salad bowl. “Especially one who thinks he owns all of East Texas.”
    I stared down at my untouched chili cheese fries. My comfort food looked anything but comforting today. “I think I’m done, too.”
    “Aw, guys. Don’t be mad.” Michelle jumped up and grabbed her stuff. “Y’all are way too hard on him. He’s really very nice once you get to know him.”
    “Puh-lease.” Anne proceeded to explain the difference between being nice and being a total player as we all headed for the trash cans then the rear exit. I followed but tuned them out, tired of hearing about Tristan Coleman’s infamous reputation with the girls. But my traitorous gaze still slipped over to the Clann kids’ table long enough to see that the prince of Jacksonville needed another haircut. Tristan’s golden curls had grown long enough to brush the collar of his polo shirt again.
     
    Later that afternoon before fourth period, the foot traffic streamed around me like a human river flowing through the main hallway. I sighed, tired and achy and cranky, trying to ignore the claustrophobic feeling from the swarm of people all around me while I squatted in front of my bottom-row locker. I still hadn’t gotten used to how many students were packed into this campus every day. The junior high had only three grades and much bigger hallways, so when someone had bumped into me there last year, it had been a personal message. Here, students nudged against me every couple seconds as I struggled to find a pencil inside the chaos of my locker for my last class. Stupid algebra. It was my toughest subject, and the only class that required a pencil.
    It was also the only one I had with any Clann members. And with the worst one of them all, too.
    Thank goodness at least Anne was in the same class. She was a genius at anything to do with numbers.
    She wasn’t great at waiting for me, though.
    “Hey,