Inevitable by Tamara Hart Heiner Read Free Book Online Page A

go. If I’m late for gym one more time, I’ll have detention for a week. I’ll tell you at lunch all about that new kid in my stats class!”
    Aaron. “Sure.” I pasted a smile on my face while Aaron’s face threw itself into the jumbled crockpot of my mind. Yesterday after he asked me out, I’d planned how I’d pump Dana  all about him: how did he act, was he flirtatious or quiet, did he seem sincere or like a player, smart or silly?
    But after last night, I just couldn’t rouse the excitement to feel anything. My emotions were drained. I didn’t feel like spending the next hour trying to avoid seeing Aaron’s death.
    There was no way I could skip English class again. I waited in the classroom like a wallflower, not sure where to sit so I could avoid Aaron. I watched the girls huddle around each other and giggle while the boys stood around flexing their muscles. I’m sure they thought the girls were watching them, but I saw the surreptitious glances the female posse shot toward the open door.
    Seconds before the tardy bell rang, Aaron walked in. He held his head high with a poise and confidence that belonged to royalty. His eyes darted around the room. I lowered my head, trying to make myself invisible.
    “Hey, Aaron!” Poppy Miles flashed a smile and snapped her gum with a crack. “I saved a seat for you!” She scooted off the desk and patted a chair next to her.
    If Poppy’s shirt were any tighter, her boobs would pop right out of it. Hmm. Maybe it wasn’t a coincidence that her name was Poppy. I rolled my eyes and wedged myself into a safe seat two rows back.
    Ms. Seigfried’s words about Shakespeare’s deliberate mixing of comedy and tragedy floated around my ears. For once I couldn’t seem to concentrate. I watched Poppy scribble something in big, loopy letters and then pass the paper to Aaron. What did it say? Was she asking him out? He took the paper and wrote back with small, crooked writing. Poppy passed the paper over to her brunette cohort, Shannon, and the two girls exchanged a giggle. Then Poppy wrote something else and sent the paper back over to Aaron.
    I bristled, wondering why I would feel the insane emotion of jealousy. From here I could see the curve of Aaron’s jaw, the way the dark brown hair fell over his forehead. His lemon odor drifted my direction, reminding me of why he was off limits. Stop drooling , I told myself. You can’t have him.
    Aaron’s shoulders tensed as if he were going to turn around, and I quickly looked down at my paper, going through the motions of taking copious notes. Oh, well. With girls like Poppy and Shannon chasing him, what would Aaron need with quiet old me? About as much as Stephen had, probably.
    The bell rang, and I paused. Should I fly out as fast as I could, or should I wait until everyone had left and then file out?
    I took too long to decide. I knew from the cloyingly sweet lemon smell mixed with musky aftershave that Aaron approached my desk. I worked hard to keep my eyes riveted on my books, which I carefully organized into my bag.
    “Hey, Jayne.”
    “Hey.”
    Aaron crouched next to me, and for a moment the scent of his cologne overpowered the lemons. He smelled like evergreens and leather. I inhaled, relishing the scent.
    “Do you have lunch next?”
    “Yes.” I pulled out my pens and pencils and began rearranging them. “But I’m meeting my best friend, Dana. We like to have a private lunch everyday. You know, girl time.”
    “Oh?” I heard a smile in his voice. Again I fought the urge to look at him. Did he have dimples? “And what are you going to talk about today?”
    “We have some important things to discuss.”
    “Any boys on the list?”
    I felt my face flush. As a matter of fact, yes. Two, to be exact. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” I stood up, shouldering my bag and keeping my eyes trained in front of me.
    Aaron reached out and moved my hand further down my backpack strap. “You’ll balance the weight better if