Eleanor & Grey(6)

“Oh, nothing. Just getting to know Eleanor.” He did that grin thing and Shay totally fell for it like a freaking gazelle in a lion’s den.

“Oh, how neat! She’s my favorite person in the whole wide world, so you’re in for a treat. I’ll let you guys keep chatting.” Shay waved to me as if she didn’t see the panic in my eyes that pleaded “Abort, abort! Save me.” She wandered off to be the social butterfly she was, and I was left stuck in my cocoon with Greyson.

“How long does this have to go on?” I asked him.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. As long as it takes for Landon to stop throwing the Stacey White situation in my face.”

“What did you do to Stacey White?”

He narrowed his eyes and cocked a brow. “What do you mean, what did I do to her?”

“It just sounds like something happened.”

He shifted around in his seat and broke eye contact. “It’s actually the opposite. Nothing happened, though, it’s not really anyone’s business.”

“It kind of feels like my business since it’s making you stare at me.”

“Yeah, I get that.” He went quiet for a moment then parted his lips. “Why doesn’t Shay give Landon another shot?”

“He cheated on her. After a week.”

“Yeah, I know, but—”

I shut my book. It was clear I wasn’t going to be getting much more reading done any time soon. “There are no buts. It just blows my mind that you guys think you can get a shot with anyone and everyone because of how you look. Shay isn’t an idiot, though. She knows what she deserves.”

Greyson pushed his tongue into his cheek. “Did you just kind of call me handsome in a roundabout way?”

“Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Trust me, it already did.” He started drumming his fingers against his legs. “So, what’s your deal?”

“I thought we were only pretend talking.”

“Yeah, but I got bored with that. So, you’re into…reading?” He nodded toward the book.

“Great observation, Captain Obvious,” I remarked.

He laughed. “You’re sassy.”

“I get that from my mother.”

“I like it.”

My face heated up, and I hated that it happened. My body was reacting to his annoyingly cute-without-even-trying personality, even though my mind had been taught to dislike him. I’d spent the past year observing guys like Greyson and the way girls melted in their hands without any thought process involved.

My brain never wanted me to be that girl, but clearly my heart didn’t care what the mind wanted.

I looked away, because my heart raced when we locked eyes.

“I’ve never read Harry Potter,” he said, and for the first time in my life, I felt bad for Greyson East. What a sad, sad life he lived.

“That’s probably a good thing,” I told him. “Because if you did read it, I would probably have to form a stupid unrealistic crush on you that goes against everything I stand for.”

“You’re sassy and straightforward.”

“The straightforwardness comes from my father.”

He smiled.

I liked it.

Whatever.

“So, books and dragonflies?” he asked me.

I cocked an eyebrow. “How did you know about the dragonflies?”

“Well, your sweater has dragonflies on it, and your hairclips are dragonflies, too.”

Oh, right. I’d have bet good money I was the only girl at the party who had dragonfly clips in her hair.

“It’s kind of mine and my mom’s thing.”

“Dragonflies?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a weird thing.”

“I’m a weird girl.”

He narrowed his eyes as if he was studying me, trying to scan my DNA with his eyes.

“What is it?” I asked as my stomach flipped.

“It’s nothing. I just…I swear I know you from somewhere.”

“Well, we do go to school together,” I commented sarcastically.

“No, yeah, I know that, but you just…” His words trailed off and he shook his head. “I don’t know. You probably weren’t at Claire Wade’s party, huh?”

“That’s a big no.”

“Kent Fed’s?”

Blank stare from me.

“Right. It’s just weird, because I swear—” Before he could finish his sentence, he was cut off as Landon came rushing over.

“Mission aborted, dude. Shay’s just a bitch,” he said with a grumpy frown. It was clear my cousin had bruised his ego.

“Call my cousin a bitch one more time, and I’ll show you a real bitch,” I barked.

Landon glanced at me and rolled his eyes. “Yeah whatever, weirdo.”

“You don’t have to be an ass, Landon,” Greyson said, standing up for me. “And she’s right—Shay didn’t do anything to you. You’re the one who cheated on her. It doesn’t make her a bitch because she doesn’t want you back.”

Wait, what?

Did Greyson East just stand up for me and Shay?

Well, okay then.