Into the Spiral (The Spiral Defenders Series: Book One)

  Chapter Eleven

  Gavin sat with them at lunch again and it was almost enough to make Ronnie wish she could leave school to eat. She thought about skipping her afternoon classes just to get away for a while. It wasn’t that Gavin was being annoying all morning; in fact, from the moment they walked into English together, he had been nothing but nice. He opened doors for her, walked her to class (which was expected since they had every class together) and even helped with her locker when she had to make an emergency stop between third and fourth periods. She knew he was just trying to get her to like him... and she wished it weren’t working. Yesterday, he was an annoying jerk and today he was killing her with kindness. She wished he would make up his mind.

  “How did you sleep last night?” Gavin asked as Ronnie was about to dig into her salad. She dropped her plastic fork. Her cheeks heated as she wondered what he was going to say next. She looked down at her plate as she retrieved her fork but she didn’t start eating.

  “Why?” she asked hesitantly.

  “Well, I just thought after what happened, you might not sleep well,” he replied. She glanced up at him. The knowing look in his eyes heated her cheeks even more; it was as if he knew she had dreamed about him.

  “Whoa, wait a minute; what happened last night?” Shawn interrupted from the other side of Ronnie. The possessive tone of his voice turned her gaze to him and for a moment she was annoyed that he was glaring at Gavin. She glanced at Gavin again, a move she knew made it look like something happened between them, and frowned at the smirk now on Gavin’s face. This was not going to end well no matter what she said. She turned back to Shawn and put a hand on his arm.

  “Gavin walked me home last night,” she told him. “I was coming out of The Reading Corner and he caught up with me and insisted on walking me home.”

  Shawn tore his gaze from Gavin and looked down at her. Ronnie tried to smile but she could see that Shawn didn’t really believe her. “Uh huh, so tell me what really happened when he walked you home,” he sneered. Ronnie frowned at him. His possessiveness was not cute anymore.

  “Why would you think something happened?” she snapped at him, realizing too late how defensive she sounded and knowing what his reaction would be. His face clouded with anger as Gavin interrupted.

  “Look, man, it was just a walk; if you had been there, you would have done the same thing,” Gavin spoke up.

  “Why didn’t you call me if you wanted to be walked home?” Shawn asked Ronnie, some of his anger gone.

  “Because it wasn’t until today that you acted like you even noticed me,” Ronnie blurted out and covered her mouth with her hands. That wasn’t what she meant to say.

  “What does that mean?” Shawn asked, looked genuinely confused. Ronnie refrained from rolling her eyes as she answered him.

  “Yesterday, you hardly paid any attention to me, even after you asked me out for Friday night. Even though he was annoying as all hell, Gavin was there. And when he turned up last night as I was walking home, I was a little freaked out because of some stupid book I read so I was glad for the company. I would rather it was you but calling you didn’t come to mind.”

  Ronnie looked down at her now unappetizing salad, pushed away from the table and stalked away to throw out her food. She couldn’t believe she said all that to Shawn. She wondered what he would do about it. Andi appeared next to her when she was almost to the garbage cans.

  “That was rough; is that really what happened last night?” Andi asked. Ronnie nodded.

  “Yep; I got freaked out by a stupid book and he walked me home. He was even nice about it when he dropped me off at the door.”

  “No wonder you dreamed about him last night; you were probably trying to figure him out.”

  Ronnie gratefully nodded as she threw away her lunch. She knew she would be hungry after school, but right now she couldn’t stomach the thought of food while two guys fought over her.

  “So, what’s up with Shawn?” Andi wondered as they walked back to their table. A glance in that direction showed Ronnie the two guys II started physically fighting yet. Thank God.

  “I don’t know; it’s a mystery to me, too. This morning he showed up and was being all cute and flirting with me. He even walked me from Homeroom to second period.” Ronnie shrugged. “I don’t know, but it’s what I’ve wanted for two years so I don’t really question it. Except now, when he acts like that; I hate possessive guys. I really wish I knew what changed.”

  The girls sat down and Andi continued eating while Ronnie struggled to ignore the guys on either side of her. It wasn’t easy. They were both people she was way too aware of. She looked up when Shawn tugged on her braid and was relieved to see he wasn’t upset anymore.

  “Sorry about yesterday,” he apologized. Ronnie smiled. “Why don’t you come to practice today and I’ll take you home afterwards.”

  “Okay; I’d like that,” she replied and the bell rang to end the lunch period.