Crave (Harlequin Teen)

have to figure out something else, and fast. Though what could I do except break up with him? Even if the effects wore off in the next day or two, I would still continue risking this same situation every time I saw him. Better to break things off with him now, for both our sakes. After all, this wasn’t just about him and me anymore. The gaze daze was obviously affecting other areas of his life, too, like his friendships with Mark and Peter.
    Then again, how fair would it be to dump him? He hadn’t asked to be changed, and probably didn’t even know what he was doing under the gaze daze’s influence. Should he really be held responsible for a change my freaky eyes had caused?
    Never mind how much I would miss talking to him every day. Who else would I be able to laugh with about the Charmers latest drama? I already missed looking forward to his phone calls and notes in my locker. They used to be the highlight of my day.
    “There you are,” Anne said, scowling as she entered the bathroom. “Hiding out from Greg again?”
    “No, just…debating. I don’t know what’s the right thing to do here. And until I can figure it out, I don’t think I should see him.”
    “Yeah, well, you don’t have to figure it out all alone in the bathroom. Come on, what good are your friends if we can’t protect you from one measly boy?”
    Protection. From Greg, Mr. Boy Scout himself. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Anne—”
    “I promise, Sav, you’ll be okay. Although it would help if you told me what was going on.”
    Staring at the grubby linoleum floor, I sighed and nodded. She was right. But I would have to be careful about what I revealed. “Remember the three boys from algebra last year?”
    She sucked in a breath, the sound echoing off the tiled walls. “Same problem?”
    I nodded, my eyes burning.
    She swore. “Savannah, what made you think—”
    “It’s Greg! It’s been five months since the last time. I thought maybe it would be okay.”
    “You know I love you like a sister. But that was pretty dang stupid.”
    “I know. I don’t suppose he seemed better today? I saw him at our table, but I couldn’t hear him.”
    “Nope. He asked about you, and the boy looked straight-up possessed. Asked me to give you this letter, too.” She fished in her pocket then handed me a folded note.
    His letters always used to make me smile before I even read them. Now all I felt was dread. Slowly I forced my fingers to unfold it. The entire sheet of paper was filled with two words repeated over and over… I’m sorry.
    A laugh that felt more like a sob burst out of me. I gave her the note so she could read it for herself, knowing she wouldn’t have already without my permission.
    “He’s gone off the deep end,” she whispered, her voice bordering on awe. “What did you do? ”
    “I made eye contact with him. Apparently that’s all it takes.” And suddenly, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Anne…I think I’m turning into a monster.”
    Tristan
    The same old ache sucked the air from my lungs as I turned the corner from the walkway and the sunlight hit a too-familiar head of red hair up ahead. Savannah was wearing it down today for a change. Nice. Too freaking nice.
    Man, how I wished I could get her out of my system.
    I hadn’t put a spell on Stanwick to make him hurry and screw up his shot with Savannah, but only because I didn’t want to see her upset. Otherwise, Emily said I easily could have magically convinced him to cheat on her or drive her to break up with him for hundreds of different reasons.
    For now, Stanwick had won. He made her happy. A blind person could see he was all wrong for her. But as long as he made her smile, how could I get in the way of that?
    In the meantime, I couldn’t decide if sharing history class with her made it the best or worst period in my schedule.
    Several yards ahead, Savannah disappeared into the history class’s building. Anne turned, saw me and frowned. She was looking extra ticked off today. I expected her to walk past me. Instead, she walked right up to me and planted herself in my way.
    “Tristan, I need to talk to you.”
    “Whatever it is, I didn’t do it,” I said with a half smile. It was the best I could do, and a lot more than anyone else had gotten from me in months.
    “Funny. No, I mean a certain person we both know needs your help again.”
    Everything went cold inside me as the blood rushed down to my gut. Savannah was in trouble again?