The Bad Boy's Dance Read Online Free Page B

greeted them. Dana looked downright bubbly, and Caleb was smiling affectionately at her.
    “Guess what?!” she shrieked. I winced. I definitely wouldn’t be leaving Darwin High without severe ear damage.
    “The moon is made of cheese!”
    Caleb suppressed a laugh at Dana’s irritated look. “No! Would you quit it with the moon cheese already? Jason asked me to Homecoming!”
    “That’s great news!”
    We gushed and gossiped and went girly on poor Caleb, who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else.
    “I’ll bet he’ll look even more delicious in a tux!” Dana dreamed.
    “What are you gonna wear? Oh my gosh, we need to get you a dress!”
    Caleb cleared his throat. “I’m going to, ah, go lift weights. Or some other manly thing.” We watched as he disappeared faster than a cartoon character.
    Happy for my friend, I shelved my books in my locker when a note came fluttering out.
    Have you done your stretches?
    I hid the note before Dana could spot it. There was no doubt to the identity of the sender. If he thought I was going to fawn all over him, he had another think coming. I was immune to his charms.
    Keep telling yourself that.
    My next three periods dragged. We were asked to share information about ourselves in language arts, something I thought was unnecessary. What if someone in the classroom was a future axe murderer?
    After writing my homework for math, I put my stuff away and waited out the cafeteria rush. Dana had already bought our lunches.
    “It’s a grilled cheese today,” she informed me as I plunked onto the seat beside her. Caleb sat in front of us, engrossed in a magazine. I snatched it from his hands.
    “Hey!” he protested.
    “No reading at the table, dear. Bad Caleb. Eat your lunch Mister!”
    He rolled his eyes but took a bite of his lunch obediently. “There. Now gimme my magazine.”
    I handed it to him while Dana laughed at his sulkiness. “We can’t help but be mother hens, Caleb-Poo. But you know you love us.”
    He pointed his fork at her and narrowed his eyes. “Call me that again and you’ll have to go to Homecoming with one eye.”
    Before Dana could reply, the cafeteria doors opened and the Plastics entered, fashionably late as always. They sat at their table, reveling in the attention of the cafeteria. They were pretty. They were smart. They were popular.
    They were the Plastics.
    Last to enter, again, was Asher. I averted my gaze quickly. I had no desire for him to remember what happened yesterday. Hopefully he had forgotten and moved on.
    “Jason’s favorite color is green. Should I wear a green dress?” Dana asked me thoughtfully.
    “Only if he wears a purple tux.”
    “If it was a fruit bowl contest, you guys would be a sure thing,” Caleb added. Sometimes I think he wanted Dana to fillet him.
    “We’ll find you something, Dana, ignore the imbecilic jock,” I consoled her, but she wasn’t listening.
    Her eyes had widened to the size of saucers, and Caleb’s jaw was scraping the table. I looked up to see what had caught their attention….
    ….and looked right into cobalt eyes.
    “So this is where you hide,” Asher said thoughtfully.
    The cafeteria was dead quiet. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone was gawking at Asher, and the Plastics were looking at him in confusion. I wondered briefly if the sky was swirling angrily at this cosmic rift.
    My skin started to crawl from the attention. “What do you want?” I hissed.
    He glanced at me amusedly. “Do you want me to leave?”
    “Yes!”
    He slid in beside Caleb, who scooted a respectful distance away. If Dana’s eyes got any wider, they’d swallow the rest of her.
    Murmurs broke out in the cafeteria, and I glared at Asher. “What are you doing?!”
    “Sitting.” He spoke slowly, like he was educating a child.
    “Why are you sitting here?” Go away!
    “I like the view.” He smirked and flicked a piece of dark hair from his forehead. 
    “Asher! Go away!”
    “Ooh, say my name again. It’s