spine and began to stroke the back of her neck. She felt the muscles
across his shoulders tense and he suddenly pushed a knee between
her thighs. Helen gasped and tried to decide if she should pull him
down on top of her like she wanted, or push him away like he
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wanted, but she didn?t get the chance to do either. As quickly as he
had changed, he switched back. He pulled away from her with a
sad smile, and then jumped into the air.
?You know, you don?t need to run track to get into a good school.
You?re going to kill it on your SATs,? he said breezily, but with the
faintest bit of a quiver still lingering in his voice.
?That?s what Hergie thinks, too,? Helen said. She still felt a bit
dazed and shaky. She joined him in the sky and continued her
thought when she finally had one. ?I just didn?t want to be that girl,
you know? The girl who does whatever her boyfriend tells her to do
because she wants someone else to make all the tough decisions for
her.?
?I hate that girl,? Lucas said with a wrinkled nose as they flew
back, hand in hand, to his house.
?Everyone hates that girl. That?s why I can?t automatically do
whatever you say, even if you are right. I?ve got my pride,? Helen
said jokingly as they landed in his yard, but he didn?t laugh. She
squeezed his hand. ?What is it??
?Pride is a really dangerous thing for Scions. We?re prone to it,
and it?s usually our downfall. I know you were kidding, but be careful,
okay?? he said gently.
?Oh, yeah. Hubris. Ancient Greece?s big no-no.? Helen nodded
sagely. Lucas gave her a surprised look. ?What? I?ve been doing my
mythology homework. Actually, I guess it?s my history homework,
isn?t it??