Chapter 288: A Tentative Friendship, Part 1

When I woke up Monday morning to get ready for school, excitement fueled my movements. The bite mark on my neck was still there, but it now belonged to Trent, and that filled me with an immense amount of happiness. Though, now that we were bonded and he'd claimed me, being away from him was physically painful. I'd barely slept last night.

"What's your problem this morning?" Abby asked as we drove to school.

"Just tired," I said, but my inability to sit still belied my words.

We were silent for the remainder of the drive, and as soon as we were at school, we parted ways. I headed for my locker. Relief settled over me when I saw Trent waiting for me. My body warmed at the sight of him, and I was propelled forward by the force of our bond.

"Hey," he said with a breathtaking smile as he reached for me.

I stepped into his embrace, and the feel of his arms around me calmed the anxiety I'd had while away from him. "I missed you," I said, staring up into his eyes.