The Space Between Heartbeats Read Free Page B

necklace into my palm, closing my fingers over it. His skin was warm, his touch light and delicate. The smile I’d been fighting finally bloomed on my lips.
    “Thanks,” I said softly.
    Dale shoved his hands in his pockets, looking a little embarrassed. “I got a drumstick from the same concert, and that’s even more epic in my opinion. Besides, those will look great on you.” He gazed down at his shoes as if they were the most interesting things in the world.
    “Thank you,” I said, rubbing the dull metal with my thumb.
    He cleared his throat, squeezing the back of his neck and glancing at me. “So, why do you like Granite so much?”
    “Oh, my dad used to be into them,” I said, the smile slipping from my lips. When we were younger, my dad occasionally took Jody and me on his business trips to LA. He’d blast Granite, and we’d sing our heads off as we flew down I-10. The memory stung, a reminder of how my family used to be and all the little rituals we’d lost along the way.
    “Nicole?” Amber’s clipped tone sounded from down the hallway. Penny walked besides her.
    My blood went cold and I threw the dog tags into my locker, slamming it shut as my friends approached.
    Dale gave me a dry look. “Really?”
    “You should probably get going,” I whispered. “I’ll catch up with you later.” But he just stood there, a slow smirk spreading across his face. Penny’s eyes darted back and forth between us, struggling to comprehend why we were talking.
    “Hello, ladies,” he greeted them smoothly. I had to admire him. The guy wasn’t scared of anyone.
    Amber’s upturned nose crinkled. “Are you lost?” Her tone was acidic as she took in Dale’s baggy gray T-shirt, scruffy ripped jeans, and bright red Converse.
    I stood up a little straighter, not missing Dale’s flat expression as he eyed Amber. He was so unimpressed it nearly made me laugh.
    “So, thanks for returning my phone,” I said coolly, trying to make it obvious that we were done here.
    “You’re welcome.” He put his hand on my elbow. “Hey, maybe we can catch up after school tomorrow, listen to some music.”
    Penny sneered while Amber crossed her arms over her chest, and looked at me expectantly. I knew what she wanted: me to put Dale in his place, to make him regret ever talking to me. I had to protect the icy reputation I’d worked so hard to cultivate.
    So that’s exactly what I did.
    Shrugging his hand off, I looked him right in the eye, my tone sharp. “I’m busy tomorrow, so, no.” Scared he might make everything worse by trying to arrange another time, I eyed his clothing in disgust and went for the jugular. “Now, fuck off, Scarface.”
    My friends snickered and Dale’s expression fell. Pity flashed in his eyes, followed by a deep disappointment that seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. It wasn’t hard to read his mind.
    You should know better.
    I wanted to apologize as soon as I said it, but it was too late. The words were already out there, heavy in the air between us, and I couldn’t take them back.
    I looked back at him just once after I walked away. Dale was pulling his shoulder-length curls down over his face, a pathetic attempt to hide his scar.

CHAPTER THREE
    WEDNESDAY, 8:45 AM
    I arrive at school over an hour late, just as the second period bell rings. Barrington High is a typical suburban California high school, a cross between an alpine lodge and a strip mall. The central building has a green tiled roof and covered walkways that lead to the swimming pool and athletic fields. The only high school in the area, it is home to around nine hundred students and has a parking lot twice the size of the local airport’s.
    The corridors are empty and thankfully no one spots me as I sneak in through the back entrance and hightail it to American history before Mrs. Spencer arrives. I dump my bag on my desk next to Amber and Penny. Amber’s eyes are bright, her makeup flawless. Penny’s wearing a new red plaid shirt