Starcrossed: Perigee - A paranormal romance trilogy by Tracey Lee Campbell Read Free Book Online Page B

know that in less than half an hour he would have to stand up in front of an audience and talk about quantum mechanics.
    "Are you sure he knows what to say about that thing you guys built? I mean, it looks great and all, but if he can't say something scientific about it, well, it's all pretty useless."
    Aric, having finished his ice cream, jumped down from his perch on the monkey bar, and strolled to a nearby trash can where he deposited the empty stick. "Of course. He knows a very basic version of it. He's got palm cards if he forgets." He hoisted himself gracefully back on to the metal bar and made himself comfortable.
    "What did you think of that Simon kid's volcano?" he asked.
    I wrinkled my nose. "I hated it. A piece of crap," I said loyally, even though I thought it was actually incredibly impressive.
    Aric looked down at me and smiled. "Really? You really thought it was crap?"
    I shrugged. "Well, no, it was well done, but I don't want to say anything nice about that horrid little weasel."
    Aric watched Michael climb to the top of a rock climbing board.
    "It's well done because Michael was actually the one who made it."
    I turned to him in surprise. "What?!"
    "That was Michael's project and that lazy little bastard forced him to hand it over and give it to him. Apparently he's been bullying Michael for quite some time."
    I jumped down from the monkey bar, furious. I was ready to go kick that kid's ass, cause a storm, tell the teacher, whatever had to be done. Aric put a placating hand on my shoulder.
    "Hold on there, it's all being taken care of."
    I was so angry on Michael's behalf, I could barely spit any words out.
    "You... have... I...!" I swallowed and squared my shoulders. "Have you told the teacher about this?"
    "He doesn't want me to. He says the bullying will only get worse if parents and teachers get involved."
    "Then what are you going to do?"
    He smiled at me, then over at Michael, who was hanging from a high bar like a chimpanzee. He didn't answer, but his smug smile, and the steel in his eye told me he already had things sorted. I thought I imagined his voice in my mind. Just one word - ' karma '. I watched Michael slide down a fireman's pole and land lightly in the sand, springing up instantly and dusting the sand from his spindly knees. I was intrigued as to what Aric had in mind. And if whatever that was didn't work out, I would personally go and sort the little creep out myself.
    Aric turned back to me and grinned. "You need to calm down. You're literally foaming at the mouth." He wiped his thumb gently over my lips in what I thought was an intimate gesture but I was left blushing as he held up his thumb to reveal a blob of ice cream that had dripped on to the corner of my mouth.
    "Oh!" mortified, I turned away from him and wiped my mouth and chin with the palm of my hand. He must think me a total slob. I took the time it took to walk to the trash can and discard the ice cream stick to compose myself. When I turned back again, he was leaning casually against the monkey bar, watching me intently.
    "What?" Humiliation had a way of making me crabby.
    His eyebrows arched, and he shrugged. "Nothing!" He said with a grin, and my heart did its little happy dance.
    I groaned inwardly. You are pathetic, Lucy, I admonished myself. Stop acting like a lovesick loser!
    Lovesick? Love -sick? Was I falling in love? Was it possible to fall in love with someone when you'd only known them a short time? I risked a sideways glance at him, and he was still watching me with those amazing, strangely colored eyes. I slapped myself mentally. It was impossible to fall in love so quickly... that only happened in books and movies. Stop being an idiot! I lectured myself. This is real life. Any girl would feel all fluttery when faced with a guy like him. Trying hard to ignore his handsome face and those compelling eyes, I stalked past him and made a show of checking the time on my watch.
    "Come on. It'll be starting soon. We should