I admit my reaction was a tad dramatic, but he really took me by surprise. I hope for his girlfriend’s sake, if he has one, that he has improved his technique. I have been trying to figure that boy out for years with no luck. He keeps to himself. Well, when he is around. I catch him staring at me a lot. It should freak me out, but Kai is sort of hot. He has that whole bad boy thing going for him. His dad owns Cooper Energy—the coal company. His parents are loaded, but they do a lot to give back to our poor town. They have been trying for years to get us a Walmart.
“You okay? Want me to kick his ass?” He tries to joke, but I don’t find fighting all that funny, not when I have spent many nights locked in my room after being hit by my mom. “Want to get out of here?”
“No thanks,” I mumble. It is sweet of him to offer, but I have never cut school before.
I try to dip my head so that I am not looking him in the eyes. He does have a gorgeous pair of forest greens and dimples to match, but I’d never be caught dead admitting that to anyone. He cups my chin harshly, forcing me to look at him. I blow out an exasperated breath, getting annoyed with his delusional hero agenda of the day. He sweeps his thumb over my lips and a warm feeling spreads through my veins. My heart rate increases. What in the hell is wrong with me? I don’t have time to fall for boys in high school, and especially not Kai Cooper.
“Well, if you change your mind, Kat—you just let me know. I’m sure I have a pair of pliers in my locker that can get that stick out of your ass.” He walks away whistling.
Kai is the only person who calls me Kat. He has called me that since sixth grade. I don’t know much about him now, other than what people whisper about him in the halls, or from what I read about the good deeds his family does in the local paper.
God. Today must be asshole day. Now I am officially five minutes late for class. Great, just great.