When We Love - Page 26/36

I hiss softly, "You irritate me!"

I turn around and walk away, angry. I am deep in thought, feeling hurt and wounded - chastising myself for liking a boy who is obviously an arrogant, awful person, who uses girls and thinks we will all fall for his charms.

I am so annoyed, mainly with myself, and I am not looking where I am walking.

I knock into somebody brutally, and the books I am carrying in my arms scatter all over the passageway. I start apologizing profusely while bending down at the same time to pick up my scattered belongings, and then I look up and into the dark, green eyes of Vincent. He is kneeling down beside me, very close to me.

He smiles, dimples in the sides of his cheeks while he helps me to pick up my books, and I feel a hot flush push up into my neck.

When we have gathered all my books and I once again, start to apologize for not looking where I am walking, smiling up at him, he just looks at me. Suddenly his eyes tighten, the smile fades from his face and shoving my books at me, he walks away.

Insulted I stare after him because I am still in mid-sentence when he just rudely walks off.

When I meet up with Anne, she hands me an invitation, sealed in an envelope, and when I start to open it, she puts her slender snow-white fingers over my hand, stopping me. She says, "This is a very exclusive party and I have convinced my friend to invite you as well."

" Thank you," I smile friendly, biting the inside of my cheek. I wonder if she truly understands the concept of friends.

She lets me open the invitation and I read that the party is on the last day of school and it is in The Charleston National Country Club, at Shaun's home.

Shaun is not in our group, and I do not really know him, but Anne has attended The Christian Academy since the beginning of time, so she knows everybody.

Anne continues, "Shaun lives within a gated community, so I'll meet you at the entrance gates the evening of the party and then we can go in together. There will then be no need for you to have the access codes."

I smile, forcefully, "Okay, that sounds great."

We talk a little bit longer, and then I excuse myself, walking away. I am no longer able to spend one more second in her company. I feel hurt and insulted because she feels I cannot be trusted with the access codes to the estate.