5

"Do you like my brother?" I dared to ask, as her gaze was that of an admirer sighing over her idol. Lottie blushed and hid a smile.

"I didn't know he was your brother, what a shame," she said, taking a sip of her juice.

"Don't worry, my brother doesn't have a girlfriend," I winked at her.

"Now that he's hanging out with the popular crowd, I doubt I stand a chance with him," she sighed.

I laughed. "Lucas is an idiot, don't judge him just by his good looks. He's unbearable. If you want, I can help you with him."

"Really? Why would you do that?" she asked curiously. Outside, it started raining as if the cold weather wasn't enough.

"Lottie, I like you even though I've only known you for less than a day. And, to be honest, you're my brother's type."

"Who's my type?" Lucas approached the table, carrying his backpack as if he were about to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked, sounding like an overprotective mother.

"The guys invited me to the forest. They said they're having a small gathering to welcome me," he informed, which gave me a bad feeling. I looked behind him at those guys with dark auras; I don't trust them because they're laughing and saying things about us. I know because they keep glancing at us.

"You're not going, Lucas, I don't trust those guys," I said firmly.

Lucas laughed. "You're not my mother, Eva, stop talking to me like that. You embarrass me."

The guys approached us. "Come on, Lucas, it's getting late," one of them said, dressed in black as if he were going to a funeral and with a piercing on his lower lip.

"Lucas, you're not going anywhere," I sounded ridiculous, I know, but when it comes to protecting mine, I can be very persistent.

The other guys laughed. "Do you really let your little sister boss you around?" they mocked. "Come on, hurry up."

"If bossing means protecting him from jerks like you, then yes, I do it."

"Eva, enough already!" Lucas exclaimed, drawing the attention of the others to us. "You're not my mother, so leave me alone." With that said, Lucas left the cafeteria hastily followed by his group. The guy with the piercing gave me a killer look that sent shivers down my spine.

"Lottie, do you have any idea where they're going? I can't leave my brother alone with those idiots," I said.

Lottie was about to speak, but a voice beat her to it.

"She doesn't, but I do," Kessler appeared behind me with that arrogant look and perfect smile that I would like to wipe off his face with one punch.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "Why would you take me? They're your friends... just as unbearable as you are." I grabbed my backpack; amidst everything, even my hunger disappeared.

Kessler smiled. "If you want to save your little brother from initiation, then you'll come with me."

I frowned at what he said. "Initiation?"

"Yeah... you know, pranks we play on new students like you just to see if they're fit for this place," he explained with some boredom. "Are you coming or not? Because it's getting late, and I'm in a hurry."

"Oh... Kessler, honey, are we leaving?" the blonde and plastic-looking girl stood by his side and took his arm as if to make me notice that this idiot is with her.

Pair of idiots.

"Not this time, you stay here. I have something to do alone."

"Kessler..."

"Penny..."

Penny seemed to understand her boyfriend's hint, so she let go of his arm, gave me a killer look, and went to her friends. It made me laugh, but I didn't express it.

"Alright, but if this is also a trap, Lottie is witness to whatever you're going to do to me," I said. Now I turned to Lottie. "If I don't show up by tonight, please call the police."

I could see a amused smile on Kessler's face, as if he found this amusing.

"Sure, Eva, be careful," she murmured, timidly. As if she were afraid of this idiot.

"Let's go," I demanded, walking out of the cafeteria.

"You're quite bossy," he said, joining me. "I think the last time someone talked to me in that tone, I was seven years old."

I snorted. "And what do you want me to do? Cry? Kessler, you may be the king of the town and all, but I'm not afraid of you," I looked at him, standing in the parking lot. "I'm just making it clear. And if your friends do something really bad to my brother, then you'll face the consequences."

He laughed. "You sound so determined," he narrowed his eyes, as if scrutinizing me, perhaps looking for a bit of fear in me.

You won't find fear, Kessler.

"I like it," he whispered, taking me by surprise. "Come on, let's go in my car."

"Sure, I don't have a car."

We headed to his black jeep. Everything about it screams money; I wonder what his parents do to have so much and to pretend so much. I got in the passenger seat, and Kessler got in the driver's seat. I buckled up, and he started the car, leaving the school.

"Where exactly are we going?" I asked. The rain intensified, and I wondered how my brother and those guys are doing something in the forest in this rain. The forest looks even greener, and the road pavement is more slippery; everything seems like a scene from a twilight movie, of course, without the wolves and vampires.

"We're close," he replied, heading down a dirt road. I took out my phone and sent a message to Nala, my ex-high school classmate. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sending my location to Nala, a friend, in case something happens to me, they'll know where I am."

Kessler snatched my phone before I could press the send button and turned it off. I opened my mouth in astonishment and anger.

"Give me my phone," I tried to snatch it, but he was faster and hid it in the pocket of his jacket.

"If you want it, you'll have to come get it," he sang. This is a game for Kessler, isn't it? He's enjoying making me angry. I unbuckled my seatbelt and leaned closer to him, trying to search his pocket for the phone.

"Watch that hand," he teased. I thought I might blush at that comment. I threw myself on him, trying to get the phone from his pocket. "Eva, I can't see the road," he said. Kessler stopped the car halfway and took my hands, making me look at him. His black eyes captivated me for a moment; I felt so hypnotized for a few seconds that I forgot about everything else.

Our eye contact stirred something in my chest, something I couldn't explain because I had never felt it before. With his grip on my hands and his intense gaze, I couldn't think of anything else but Kessler.