Torrential Read Free Page A

swam, I get those shivers down my spine again. “What’s his name?”
    “Oh, not you too,” sa ys Tanner in disgust. “Please tell me you have more taste than that.”
    The sun’s starting to set, and yellow-pink light streams over the g leaming tops of the buildings. I shield my eyes, feeling defensive. “What do you mean, not me too? I just asked what his name was.”
    “Sebastian Crane.” Tanner kicks an empty soda can out of his way, frowning like the name itself offends him. “ I can’t stand the guy. Nobody can. And that’s why he has zero friends and spends all his time at that stupid pool. I was hoping he wouldn’t be around today, but I guess my bad karma’s catching up with me. Anyway, what I meant was that all the girls around here secretly drool over him. They won’t talk to him, though. Nobody’s that stupid. Except you, apparently. You’re probably the first person around here who’s dared to say more than two words to him in ages.” He softens a little as he looks at me. “He didn’t say anything douchebaggy to you, did he?”
    “No,” I lie, though I’m not sure why I’m bothering. Maybe it’s because I feel a twinge of pity for Sebastian Crane. “I feel kinda sorry for him. It can’t be fun to always be alone.”
    Tanner snorts. “Oh, trust me, that’s the way he wants it. He made that real clear to everyone on his first day here. Say hi to him and he glares at you like you’ve personally poked him in the eye. Real charmer. Listen, May, don’t worry about him. Everyone else around here is nice, I swear.”
    Tanner keeps up a steady stream of chatter on our way back to the dorms, even when we stop by the Admissions Office to pick up my dorm key and student I.D card. His jokes are a little forced—he’s trying to turn the subject as far away as possible from Sebastian. But it’s not that easy. I feel jarred to my core. Every time I blink, I see those golden-brown eyes narrowing at me.
    How can someone swim so beautifully but be so cold?
     
     
     
    CHAPTER TWO
    SEBASTIAN
    Beautiful girls don’t faze me.
    I stare at myself in the fogged-up mirror, my hair dripping water down my forehead. I’m used to beautiful girls watching me. But only when my back is turned. As soon as I face them, they look away. Leave. Before I say a word to them.
    Because I’m Sebastian Crane. People know to stay away. I smile ironically at my reflection before turning. I can only stand the sight of myself for so long.
    She’s new. Tha t’s the only explanation. She has yet to hear about me, and that explains the lack of fear in her eyes. Why she shouted at me. Nobody’s done that in…
    A long time.
    But she will hear about me. She seems friendly enough. Normal enough. She’ll make friends like anyone else with a trace of humanity left, and they’ll tell her to avoid me. Tell her what I am.
    That’s the way I want it.
     
     
    MAY
    When we get back to the halls, I realize I’ve been almost entirely silent sinc e we ran into Sebastian, and that Tanner is looking more worried with every step. I break into a quick grin. “Hold on. What about that booze you promised to provide to convince my roommate I’m worth having around?”
    He claps, pressing his hands together for a second so the muscles in his forearms bulge. “There it is! I was waiting for you to ask, milady. I’ll run to my room and be back faster than your roommate can put on pants, which is apparently like, ridiculously fast.”
    “How about you just not say anything that relates to her being in her underwear,” I hiss, giving him a little shove to start him off in the right direction. I already like Opal. I can tell she’s a sweet person. And I’d really like to make a friend here.
    For some reason, I flash back to Sebastian again—the way his chest glistened with water. Except he made it pretty clear he wasn’t interested in being friends with me. It’s just that, at my old school, I spent so much time going home for my