Branded (The Branded Series) Read Online Free Page B

possible. I wondered if Anna could hear our conversation,
or if she even cared at this point. Maybe I was imagining all this chemistry.
    “Thank you.”
She winked. I blushed and turned my head.
    “Listen up,
everyone!” Mr. Meade shouted over the chatter. “Don’t forget our new principal will
be making rounds to introduce herself over the next couple of days.” He turned
his attention to me and peered over the rim of his glasses. “ Try to stay
out of her office before that time, Mr. Rovert, and try not to embarrass
me.”
    “I’ll do my
best, sir.” I nodded with a grin as the class chuckled in response. Truthfully,
I was looking forward to embarrassing him now. My mind ran through some ideas
for payback.
    Eventually the
bell rang dismissing us to first period. Before I could stand up, Lexie had
made her way over to introduce herself to Rachel. “Hi, Rachel. I’m Lexie. I can
show you around if you like?”
    Rachel looked
back at me and hesitated. I sensed she was waiting for me to offer too. I
caught sight of Anna leaving the classroom so I gathered my books and headed
out after her, leaving Lexie to chaperone Rachel.
    “Do you have
any plans yet for this weekend?” I heard Lexie ask Rachel as I rounded the
corner after Anna.
    “Wait up!” I
called down the hall, dodging the freshman scurrying to get to first period.
    Anna turned,
giving me a warm smile. “Where’s the new girl?” she asked, pretending not to
care.
    “Lexie’s her
chaperone. I’m off the hook.” We walked down the staircase to the lower level.
    “I think she
likes you,” Anna said.
    “Who
wouldn’t?” I teased, hoping to make light of the situation.
    Anna laughed.
“You’re so full of yourself.” She nudged me into the railing.
    “Watch the
body! You don’t want to go bruising this up before the big party this weekend.”
    “So you’re
going then?”
    “I don’t know.
You?”
    “I don’t know
yet either.” Anna paused by her classroom door. “This is me,” she said, nodding
toward the class.
    For some
reason, I was finding it difficult to just walk away. I rechecked my schedule,
hoping it had somehow changed and I was actually in her class after all. Nope—French.
    Lexie and
Rachel came down the stairs.
    “Jake,” Rachel
called. Anna rolled her eyes but put on a sweet smile. I chuckled. So cute.
“Are you going to the party this weekend?” Rachel asked.
    “We haven’t
decided yet,” I answered, giving a quick, apologetic glance in Anna’s direction.
    Rachel took a
step back and said, “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize you two were together.” She
looked embarrassed, but probably not as embarrassed as I felt.
    “We’re not,” I
answered quickly. “That would be weird.”
    “Yeah, weird,”
Anna agreed.
    “Hey Anna,” A
sudden, irritating voice cut through the tension in our circle. It was Eric.
“Have you decided about the weekend?” He was looking only at Anna, and I
wondered if he realized that the rest of us were standing there too.
    “Actually,
yes,” Anna answered. “I’ll be there.”
    What?
    “Great!” Eric
said excitedly. “Bring your bikini because there’s a hot tub.”
    Of course
there is.
    Eric ushered
Anna into class and left Lexie, Rachel and me standing in the hallway.
    “So can you
come?” Rachel finally asked, watching my face intently.
    “Yeah, sure,
I’ll be there.”
     
    When the bell rang
announcing the end of a long day, I hopped out of my desk, grabbed my bag and
headed straight for the exit doors. I couldn’t wait to see the sunshine, let it
hit my face and erase the headache from the last forty-five minutes.
    “Where you
going?” Noah called from behind as I pushed the doors open.
    “Outside,” I
shouted back.
    Noah caught up
and slapped me on the back. “So what’s the deal with the new girl? You talk to
her some more?”
    “Not really.
She seems nice though.”
    “I didn’t see her
at lunch. Where do you think she was?” Noah asked.
    “How the