Plastic Hearts by Lisa de Jong Read Free Book Online Page A

than my thigh, huge.
    "I'll take care of it. Bring me a current photo of each of you tomorrow," Kevin smiled, elbowing Chris.
    I opened my mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a hand on my right shoulder. I dropped my french fry as Jade and I both turned in unison. "Oh no,” I whispered under my breath as I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. Dane was standing so close that I could feel him against my back.
    He knelt down; his mouth was so close to my ear that I could feel his warm breath on my cheek. "Skipping Anatomy to have a cheeseburger, are you? You know, you could have had a free one." I swear all the blood in my body migrated to my face.
    "She doesn't have Anatomy until one. Alex would never skip class for a cheeseburger,” Jade said. Thank you, Jade.
    "That makes you free for lunch after Art class. Next time I won't take no for an answer." I tried to look down to avoid eye contact only to realize that my head was level with areas of him that I really shouldn't be staring at. If there were any way to get up from this table without bumping into him, I probably would have run for the nearest exit. He raised an eyebrow when I looked back up. "I’ll see you Friday." And just as fast as he appeared he was gone, leaving me speechless and flustered.
    Jade didn’t turn back around as quickly as I did. "Holy gorgeous. Please tell me that you’re not complaining about that fine piece of ass being your art partner?” she said, grabbing my arm.
    Kevin interrupted before I could answer her. "That’s Dane Wright. I went to high school with him. He can be a real prick. You don't want to get on his bad side. I think he worked his way through half the girls in our school and I have never seen him with the same chick more than once."
    Jade closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Just once would be fine with me." I was not one for violence, but a big part of me wanted to smack her. Why did I feel so jealous and possessive over this guy who I didn’t even like? Not like that, anyway.
    "Well guys, I would love to stay and chat, but I have to get to Anatomy," I stood up; I didn’t need to hear anymore. I dumped my tray and exited the student center as fast as I could. Dane might have thought he had the upper hand and Jade might have thought he was cute, but this was ridiculous. What gave him the right to bully me into a lunch date? If even half of what Kevin said was true, I wanted nothing to do with him.
    It was abnormally cold and windy when I stepped outside. I pulled my hat and gloves on as I started the fifteen minute trek across campus. With all the walking I’d been doing the last several months, I hadn't worried about hitting the gym on a regular basis. This time was also good for centering myself, relieving my stress as I walked from one place to another. My med classes were draining and most of the time I didn’t want to be there, but I pushed through just like I always did.
    "Do you want some company?" My skin tingled when I heard his voice. He had to be stalking me; there was no other explanation for this much coincidence.
    I pinched my eyebrows together as I looked back at him. "I doubt you have any reason to walk to the Med Center."
    "I do if that’s where you are heading to,” he shrugged with his hands in his pockets. He was looking at me with those eyes again and I felt myself melting under them.
    "Don’t you have anyone else to stalk?” I asked, letting out an exasperated sigh. I was beginning to think I would never get away from Dane. He was popping up everywhere in my life and it was wearing on me. He was disrupting my quiet existence and I was fighting between annoyance and excitement.
    "You’re the only one I want to stalk,” he said, grinning from ear to ear and leaving me lightheaded. Okay, so maybe a small part of me enjoyed the attention he was giving me.
    “So, I’m your victim of the month?” I asked.
     “No, you’re actually my first victim. I usually don’t have to try so hard,”