Crown of Thorns

The other choir members are now pouring into the classroom in front of me, so I follow them in a bit of a daze. Gideon is already seated in his section, but his eyes lock on me as soon as I step into the room, and they stay on me as I make my way to my seat.

To my horror, it doesn’t stop there.

I steal a couple looks his way as class drags on, and several times I catch him looking at me. He’s not singing or even pretending to focus on his sheet music. He’s just staring. So hard that I have a hard time concentrating on the songs we’re working on—"Make Our Garden Grow” from Candide and “Bohemian Rhapsody,” one of my personal favorites. I can’t get into it today, though. Not with Gideon watching me like he expects my head to randomly start spi

When class finally ends, and he walks right past me like he no longer sees me, I breathe a sigh of relief.

Of course, that relief is temporary and is ripped to shreds during lunch. Almost as soon as I walk into the dining hall with my tray in search of Margaret and Gia, I spot Phoenix and Alaric across the room. And they’re both staring right at me. I glance around, certain there has to be someone else holding their attention, but no. Their eyes never move from me, even as I duck my head and hurry toward the table Margaret and Gia have claimed.

I tell myself that everything is okay and that I have nothing to worry about. I repeat this like a mantra all the way to my final class of the day, Spanish.

I enter the classroom like I always do, keeping my gaze down and trying to stay out of the way of everybody else. Taking my usual seat near the windows, I fish out my homework and textbook and wait. I know the moment Phoenix steps in the room because there’s a notable increase of noise from his groupies. Resisting temptation, I keep my eyes glued to the cover of my book.

Tell myself one more time that I have absolutely nothing to worry about. That he wasn’t staring at me during lunch but at something, someone else. That everything is just fine.

And then, I hear it. Heavy footsteps approaching me. I don’t even have to look up to know it’s Phoenix because I smell him, that same decadent woodsy scent from the day we were forced to work together. He doesn’t say a word, just slowly strides past me and sits in the seat right behind me, stretching his long legs until his feet bump the legs of my chair. My breathing grows shallow. He doesn’t say anything to me, but I swear that I can feel his stare. It’s hot, dangerous against the nape of my neck.

I risk a glance toward his groupies and find them all staring at me in utter confusion. I wish I could tell them I’m just as clueless as they are. That the last thing I want is Phoenix Townsend’s attention. Instead, I remain silent.

I don’t exactly trust my voice right now.

Just when the tension around me seems so thick I don’t think I can take it anymore; Mrs. De León enters the room and calls the class to order. Can she tell how awkward it is in here right now? If she can, she must not give a shit since she immediately launches into her lecture.

I’m not listening. How the hell can I when I’m literally pi

Class is halfway over when he finally decides to make his move. I’m expecting it, but I still have to swallow my gasp the moment his warm breath bursts against the shell of my ear.

“So,” he rumbles, his voice soft and deep and angry. So angry I can’t help but die a little inside. What the hell is going on? What could I have possibly done to make him so furious? “What role did you play in fucking over my family, Luna?”