First Chances Read Free Page A

she stayed at home and studied.
    She was visibly shaking as the December air settled in around her. “Um, a friend’s house.”
    “Hadie!” the guy called out as he reached us and stopped beside her.
    My eyes shot to him, taking in the tattered jeans and the ratty, flannel shirt. His brown hair was spiked up and there was a tattoo on the back of his hand, though I couldn’t make it out in the darkness. He definitely didn’t go to our school and looked a little older than us.
    Who the hell was this guy? Was this the friend she was referring to? I didn’t know Hadie had friends like him.
    “I’m fine, Three.” She waved the guy away with a hand.
    Three ? What kind of a name was that?
    “Are you sure?” he asked, staring me down.
    He was acting as though I couldn’t be trusted when he was the one who looked like he had just gotten out of prison and shouldn’t be alone with any females.
    “Hadie, get in my car,” I said, pointedly ignoring him. “I’m taking you home.”
    “Take a hike, buddy,” he said, narrowing his eyes at me. “I’ll take care of her.”
    I snorted in disbelief. “Yeah, right. Like I’m gonna trust you with her.”
    Three took a step towards me that was probably intended to be threatening. I knew I didn’t look like much of anything with my 5’6” height, stocky build, and average features, but I refused to budge. We continued to stare each other down until Hadie pushed in between us.
    “Will you two stop it, please?” she begged, sounding strangely sober. Her brown eyes fell on me. “You can take me home, okay?”
    Three let out a sound of disagreement. “How do you know this guy?”
    “From school.” Hadie turned to him. “He’s a friend.”
    And there it was. The word that no guy ever wanted to hear from the girl he was in love with. Friend. The girl I’d been in love with since I was fourteen continued to relegate me to the goddamn friend-zone. Story of my freaking life.
    Yeah, I’d said “in love”. I was in love with Hadie Swinton and I was pretty sure she didn’t even know it. She was still in love with a ghost; a boy she could never be with. Two months ago she’d tragically lost her boyfriend to cancer. She’d never been the same since.
    I didn’t blame her, but it hurt that I had been there by her side the entire time, yet she chose to spend her time with a guy like this.
    Hadie and Three had a staring match of their own until finally he simply shrugged. “Okay, if you’re sure.”
    “I am,” she said with a firm nod.
    “Don’t try anything funny, pal.” He shot me a dirty look before heading back in the direction of the bike I’d driven past.
    I wanted to call out a smart ass comment after him, but resisted the temptation. There was no point in creating a bad situation just because he’d rubbed me the wrong way.
    Hadie was shivering as she stared after him, and I couldn’t help feeling a twinge of jealousy. Was there something going on with those two? What exactly was she doing with a guy like that?
    It was taking a lot for me not to be affected being this close to her. Her slim body looked incredible in the out-of-character outfit she was wearing, a far cry from her usual conservative look. It was unfamiliar to me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
    For a second I thought about running my hands over the curves of her body, letting my mouth graze her soft skin. Hey, I was a guy. I could appreciate a hot girl even if I was a little annoyed with her.
    I knew I should be grateful to have her friendship, but man, I was getting pretty damn sick of being overlooked all the time. First, she’d dated this asshole jock, Bennett Anderson, and then she’d been with the new guy, Lincoln Bracks—who was actually a good person. It was sad that she’d lost him, but I wasn’t sure if being with someone who appeared to be the polar opposite of Lincoln was the best thing to do.
    “C’mon.” I gestured towards my car and started walking back to it.
    I