Chapter 10: Too Many Questions, Part 1

I came to a screeching halt. Trent was leaning against the wall. How the heck had he gotten out of the room ahead of me?

"Chloe." He had those stupid sunglasses on again.

I took a deep breath and pretended not to care that he was way more handsome than any high school boy should be. But that was a really hard fact to ignore with the way he leaned against the wall, arms crossed, muscles straining beneath his shirt. Everything about him screamed confident arrogance.

"What're you doing standing there?" Ugh. Why did everything I say come out sounding rude?

"I thought I saw Abby leave. Do you have a ride home?" Trent asked.

"No. I'm walking." I adjusted the strap of my backpack, hitching it higher on my shoulder.

"I'll drive you."

"Won't your brother be upset?" I mentally cringed.

He was offering to drive me home, and I was being snarky. What was wrong with me?

He flinched as if I'd said something that was repulsive. "Why would Jax care if I drive you home?"

"Because he doesn't like me."

I'd never cared before if anyone liked me or not, but I wanted his brother to like me. It was important for reasons I couldn't fully comprehend, almost as if Jax not liking me meant Trent might decide he didn't like me, either.

Trent pushed off the locker. "Jax doesn't like anyone. Besides, he left already. So, can I drive you home?"

I tried to calm my racing heart, but no amount of deep breaths helped. Being alone with him, even if only for a few minutes, was exciting. But how would I explain to Aunt Beth that I'd gotten a ride home from a guy I barely knew? She wouldn't be pleased. And would Abby get into trouble for leaving me here, even though I'd told her to? I didn't want to cause any trouble.

"That's really not necessary, but thanks," I said.

I headed for the side door and pushed my way outside. It was cloudy and windy, and I cursed Abby for rushing me out of the house this morning. I hadn't had time to grab a sweater, and I was going to be an ice cube when I got home.

"It's the least I can do. Consider it repayment for what you did today." He grinned.

As charming as that smile was, I wasn't going to be swayed by it. I didn't want Trent's attention because he thought he owed me. I wanted his attention because he liked me.

Whoa. I barely knew this guy. Why did I care if he liked me? Better yet, why did I want him to like me?

Forcing the confusing thoughts from my mind, I said, "I took the fall with Mr. Patterson because it was the right thing to do, not because I was hoping to get something from you. So, no, I don't need you to give me a ride home as some sort of repayment. You don't owe me anything, okay? We're even." I took a deep breath. "Besides, you showed up for detention anyway, so I really didn't do anything."

He hesitated for a moment. "Okay. What if I want to drive you home?"

"You want to drive me home?" No way I'd heard him correctly.

"Yes."

"Why?"

That earned me a genuine laugh. Nothing made me feel as warm as his laughter did. Well, nothing since Mom had died. Hearing Trent, being near him, it was oddly comforting in a way I hadn't felt in months.

The day my mother fell into a coma was the day my world fell out from under me. Trent's presence was like the world was slowly being rebuilt beneath me. And I couldn't begin to explain how or why a guy I barely knew had such a strong impact on me.

"Look, we have a history project to do. We can talk about it on the way home," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It's just a ride, Chloe."

The way he said my name sent shivers up my spine. I couldn't deny him. "Okay."

We walked in silence toward his truck. It was an older, white Chevy pickup that desperately needed to visit a car wash. When we got there, he opened the door for me. I hadn't realized guys did that anymore.

I climbed in and buckled my seatbelt as he went around and slid in behind the steering wheel. The interior was worn and faded, but it was clean. A pine-tree air freshener hung from the rearview mirror, filling the cab with a forest smell.

"Besides, Adirondack Street isn't out of my way," he said as he started the engine and pulled out of the student parking lot.

Stunned, I paused for a moment. "You know where I live?"

He nodded.

That knowledge probably should've freaked me out, but it didn't. In fact, I found it strangely flattering. Being in this town was seriously messing with my mind.

"How do you know?" I asked.

"I overheard Abby talking in the hallway earlier. She mentioned it."

I narrowed my eyes. That didn't make much sense, but I wasn't about to call him a liar, either. For someone who was new to town, he knew an awful lot about it and its residents. I shifted so I could face him.

He was staring out the windshield, lost in concentration, seemingly oblivious to me. His cheeks and forehead were red, like he'd spent too much time outside and had gotten sunburnt. But that wasn't possible.

We'd literally walked from the school to his truck. No one burned that quickly, especially with the cloud cover today.

I leaned closer to get a better look. Everything about his face was perfectly proportionate, and his profile was striking. Inferiority flamed inside of me, and realization smacked me hard. It was no wonder he could tune me out and act like I didn't exist. He was so far out of my league, and he knew it, and I was the naïve, pathetic girl who didn't quite get it until it was too late.

I leaned back in the seat and crossed my arms.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing."

Finally, Trent looked at me, and my breath caught. There was something in his expression, or maybe it was the way the sun filtered into the cab of his truck, but I swore his eyes were sparkling and changing shades of blue right in front of me. It was breathtaking and confusing all at the same time.

I blinked repeatedly, convinced I was seeing things.

"Why do you keep staring at me like that?" he asked.

"Uh, I don't…" I shook my head, but I couldn't get rid of the image of his eyes shifting from one shade of blue to another. It had to be an illusion, a trick of the sunlight. That was the only explanation that made any sense. "Sorry," I said.

"Okay then." He gave me an odd look, put on his sunglasses, and refocused his attention on driving.

"Why do you always wear those?"

"My eyes are sensitive to sunlight."

"Oh." I chewed on the inside of my cheek, contemplating his answer. "Then, why were you wearing them in Mr. Patterson's class today?"

"I like to wear them, okay? They make me look cool."

Like he needed any help in that department. "Then why didn't you just say that in the first place?"

He sighed, the sound a mix between annoyance and something. . . darker. "What's your obsession with my sunglasses?"

I took a deep breath and considered my next question carefully. Clearly, Trent wasn't the chatty type, and it bugged me how he continued to answer my questions with a question of his own. I used to do that, too, when I was trying to lie to Mom. She always saw right through it, and I'd get into so much trouble. My mom was the master of picking up on when anyone was lying.

"Why don't you have any friends?" I wanted to slap myself as soon as the words left my mouth.

Could I have asked a dumber question? Of course, he didn't have any friends - he just moved here. Then again, so had I, but I was lucky enough to have found Ellie.

He laughed. "What makes you think I don't have any friends?"

"I never see you with anyone but your brother."

"You've been here two days, Chloe. That doesn't make you an expert on my social life."

"No, I guess it doesn't."

I'd never had anyone say so much without saying anything at all. He was so frustrating, like a puzzle that was missing several important pieces. I slouched in the seat. Right about now, I'd take Ellie's nonsensical ramblings over this conversation.

"Besides, I'm new around here, too, remember? I simply haven't had time to make any friends." He sliced a look in my direction, but his expression was unreadable. "Except for you. You're my friend, aren't you?"

"Am I?"