Rex wasn't at school the next day, or the day after that, and if the other boys were, I hadn't seen a wink of them. Not that I usually did before the locker-incident anyway.

By the time the third day came around I was quickly losing what little courage I had, and the whole 'thanking' him plan was spiraling down the drain. My mood was completely somber as I walked into third period, the one class I had with Rex.

I was one-hundred percent expecting him to be absent again, and I wasn't quite sure how I felt when I saw him sitting at his usually desk in the back of the room, those always empty seats surrounding him.

I still wanted to thank him, still felt like I had to, but my courage from before was almost completely gone and he was Rex Turner. I can't make it clear enough how you don't talk to Rex Turner.

I don't know how long I stood in front of my usual desk, clenching and unclenching my binder tightly to my chest while my mind waged war on what I should do. Stay in the safety of the front of the room and never thank him or be a good human-being and show that I appreciated his help.

The good part of me won, the part that knew thanking him was the right thing to do, even if I ended up in a gutter somewhere.

I let out a shaky breath, clutched my binder even tighter and pushed through the still half-empty room. It was all I could do to keep from shaking, though I wasn't sure if the nerves raging through me were because of his reputation, or the way those almost chestnut-like eyes did funny things to my stomach.

He wasn't looking at me, and I'm pretty sure that was the only reason why I could walk up to him without running in the opposite direction. There was Jason-dangerous, and then there was Rex-dangerous, even if the second way didn't make my skin crawl—in a bad way at least.

He looked as I imagined a Greek god would. Perfectly chiseled jaw line, high cheek bones, and smoldering eyes that would turn anyone into a pile of goo. He was perfection incarnate.

And completely out of my league.

The thought shook me immediately of my surfacing daydreams, and I took the empty seat beside him distractedly. It was cruel to myself to think of such things when I knew they didn't matter. I had more of a chance with Channing Tatum then Rex Turner.

I sent my binder down on the desk hesitantly, every nerve in my body coiled in anticipation. Rex didn't need to yell or shout to get his point across, one dark look was all it took to send people scurrying in every direction. I waited for one of these looks now, expecting those dark eyes to shoot icy daggers into my soul.

I held my breath, waiting for the horrid encounter, but he didn't even acknowledge I was there. The only reason I knew he knew of my existence was by how he shifted uncomfortably in his seat—closer to the window and further from me, a scowl pulling at his lips.

I let a rather shaky breath pass my lips. I was doing a lot of those lately. Then again, I haven't been noticed by this many people in a while. The nerves strumming through my entire being were beyond chaotic.

The thick fur like feeling from before was slowly over taking my tongue, and there was a nervous heat traveling from my lower back to my neck then back down again. Just sitting beside him turned me into a visible train wreck, I doubted I would be able to actually speak to him.

It felt like hours before the other students started filing into their seats, the teacher even later than them. The entire time Rex's presence was like a bright, hot, volcano of anger beside me—even though he seemed passive enough every time I risked a glance over at him.

I couldn't help but notice the stares in our direction as desk by desk began to fill. Some curious eyebrows raised, other's mouths agape. No one dared say anything, even if I did look like a terrified fish out of water about to be eaten by an alligator. Both of my hands flexed against the top of my binder, my eyes fixed completely on the teacher, so they wouldn't dart over to him. My breath left in shaky pulls.

Class started slowly, way too slowly, and the nervous jitters shooting through me made it impossible to hear. I only made it worse by flinching every time he so much as moved. I had no idea how in h-e-double-hockey-sticks I was going to speak to him.

"Fucking hell, girl." That hard, gruff snap of his voice that sounded so much like his irritation from the other day hissed barley fifteen minutes into the class period. "If you're that terrified of me, don't fucking sit there."

My eyes finally snapped to him, my heart in my throat as his chair screeched back and he stood to his feet, his hand reaching down for the black bag on the floor. "Mr. Turner? Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Crone demanded as he slammed his chair back into the desk and started for the front of the classroom.

"None of your fucking business."

The student's collective gasp of surprise was followed by a complete tense silence. Mrs. Crone wasn't the only one staring after the stiff, angry, incredibly fit body of Rex Turner disappearing through the classroom door.

Then the silence broke when Mrs. Crone started up again. "Rosalyn Summers! Sit down this instant!" But I didn't, I had my stuff gathered into my bag and was hurrying out the door before I realized it. It's not like I was learning anything in that class anyway.

I hurried into the hall just in time to see the boy I think whose feelings I hurt exiting the school's side entrance. Those horrible nerves from before were nowhere near as bad as the guilt sitting like lead in my stomach. I had wanted to thank him! Not make him feel like a pariah!

I found him just outside the school's entrance, his back resting against the red brick as his bag sat at his feet. The second the cigarette smoke hit my nose, my stomach instantly recoiled, and my face fell into a small pout.

Forgetting about the nerves raging through my chest I reached up and rubbed at my nose. "You shouldn't smoke. It's bad for you." My voice was soft, nearly a whisper as I stepped out of the smoke's path.

If there was a bad habit I hated more than anything, it was smoking. Getting Jax to quit was probably my greatest achievement, and now watching the most beautiful boy I had ever known smoking hurt my insides. I hated it. It killed.

Rex scoffed, his eyes pointed completed away from me as he tapped away the cigarette's ashes before raising it to his lips once again. "I don't remember asking for your fucking opinion."

I tried to hide the obvious flinch at his words, at the curse he loved to speak more than actually sentences. It's not that I hated cussing, just that it made unpleasant tremors shoot through my chest. Too much cursing from too many evil people.

Rex was bad, but he wasn't evil—at least I didn't think so, even with the disgust dripping from his tongue when he spoke to me. But he was speaking to me.

I stood uneasily just outside of the school's entrance, my eyes trained on our feet so I wouldn't stare up at the beauty that was his face—even with that thing hanging from his lips. The silence between us was uncomfortable, awkward, or it seemed that way to me.

My eyes flickered quickly up to him. He was as casual as ever, his hand running through that dark, slightly curly hair, the light from the sun reflecting off his dark chestnut-colored eyes.

"I-I'm sorry..." I started softly a moment later, my stare going back to the ground. His entire body stiffened beside me, that dark gazing snapping over. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings back there-"

The harsh bark of laughter that suddenly tore from his lips made my gaze snap up in surprise, my eyes wide as I watched him snuff out the butt of the cigarette against the brick of the school and reach down for his bag.

"You didn't 'hurt my feelings'." His voice rose a notch or two in a poor imitation of a girl's voice as he threw his bag over his shoulder and stepped away from the wall. "Get lost, girl. Go back to class before dear sweet mommy and daddy find out you left."

He didn't wait for my response, just threw on a pair of sunglasses from his bag's side pocket and started stalking off for the school's parking lot. I ignored the sharp painful knife cutting through my chest at his statement and clutched my straps tighter as I watched him leave.

"Thank you!" My tongue suddenly blurted past my lips, and that embarrassed heat was creeping up my neck and into my cheeks once again. It was all I could do not to slap my hand over my mouth and run in the opposite direction when he suddenly froze, his strong back going completely rigid.

"For, uh, for- for the other day! With, um, Trey a-and Jason, and the twins-" I couldn't keep the words steady as they slipped pass my lips, my heart hammering like a stampede in my chest.

There was a brief moment of silence, one where I felt a million boulders crushing down on my shoulders before he turned his head just barely towards me. "Stay the fuck away from me." His tone had completely changed from that humorless sneer, to one filled with such a dark hatred I could feel it tear into my soul.

I swallowed back my nervous stuttering until they chocked in my throat. Neither of us said another word, and I didn't understand that weird pain in my chest as I watched him walk away. I let out a deep breath as he disappeared into the parking lot filled with student vehicles.

At least I thanked him.

"And why aren't you in the lunchroom on this fine Tuesday afternoon?"

The smile that pulled on my lips was automatic, and it only grew when my eyes locked onto the bright green pair staring down at me in blatant amusement.

"Why aren't you?"

His gaze flickered with the laugh that escaped his lips and he shook his head. "So she does speak!" Trey snickered as he pulled out the chair beside me and sat down with a heavy huff. My cheeks flamed with that always-recently-there blush, and I dropped my gaze back to the paper in front of me.

"But, in all honesty," The man/boy started with an amused sigh, "I was on my way when I saw you disappear into this... lovely room." He regarded the old, damp, and mildew infested theater room with obvious disapproval.

My blush started to ease as that smile pulled on my lips once again. I hadn't seen any of the Big Four in two days, now I had two encounters in one—this one much more enjoyable than the last. "It's easier for me to concentrate in here." I mumbled and nodded to the laptop in front of me, that horrid, not-started-yet, English paper glaring back.

One sand-color eyebrow raised before those bright eyes did another survey of the dark, empty, except for the table we were sitting at, room. "Ever heard of a library?"

I rolled my eyes and leaned back into the hard-plastic chair with a huff. "Too many people. I feel like they're all staring at me."

"Ah, social anxiety?"

My eyes snapped to his, my breath catching in my throat. I wasn't sure if he could sense the tension suddenly strumming through my body, or if he could see the change in my gaze because his face instantly fell.

"I don't like that word." My voice was so soft it was even hard for myself to hear, but Trey didn't seem to have a problem. He stared at me for a long, silent moment, his gaze void of any amusement or teasing. Then he gave one brief, short nod before a smile pulled at his lips again.

"Come eat lunch with us." He suddenly spoke, his eyes bright again as he leaned forward. "My brother always brings us pizza on Tuesdays, and that idiot Denton has been up my ass about seeing you again."

Aaannnddd the blush was back, but I couldn't help it. Plus, I was more than grateful he changed the subject. "I really need to start this paper..." My words trailed off as I watched him, in almost slow-motion, reach over and push the lid of my computer closed, a sly smile gracing his lips the whole time.

"Come on, Princess." His voice was nearly a whine, even though he had taken it upon himself to grab my laptop and shove it into my backpack already. "You can't go all day without eating, and if I show up without you I'll hear about it all day long."

He stood, without waiting for my answer, threw my backpack over his shoulder, and began walking for the door. I couldn't stop the laugh from escaping my lips and shook my head before standing to my feet. I guess one slice wouldn't hurt, and after the whole Jason-incident I felt more comfortable with them than anyone else.

He waited at the abandoned room's entrance, a too-big, victorious smile plastered across his handsome face. I shook my head as he handed my bag back to me. "I am a little hungry." I conceded as we entered the hall and he closed the door behind us.

"What did we tell you about wandering around by yourself anyway?" His tone was scolding, and even though his eyes hardened, I felt no fear. I shrugged, my eyes glued to my shoes as he 'escorted' me to the cafeteria.

"I have second period with him and he wasn't there. I doubt he's at school today."

"That's no excuse. You should be more careful, especially now. He's a determined prick."

I could only nod. I knew he was right, knew I shouldn't be hanging around in the secluded parts of the school alone, but sometimes it just didn't click in my head. But as we drew closer to the loud, obnoxious lunch room, something else did.

I paused just before the doors, my heart jumping to my throat. Trey stopped beside me, that eyebrow raised once again. "Is, uh, is Rex sitting with you guys?" The hesitation in my voice was clear, so was the way I was obviously gripping tightly at my backpack's straps.

I wasn't sure if he had actually left school after our conversation, or just disappeared to his car for the rest of class. But I did know one thing, Rex Turner did not like me.

"He should be. There's no way he would miss pizza day. Why?" I could feel his questioning eyes staring holes into the top of my head—he was that tall—his hand ready to push open the crummy metal door at any minute. I gulped nervously and chewed on my bottom lip, my eyes locked on the door's handle.

"I don't think he likes me..."

Trey scoffed and pushed open the door without a second thought, his eyes leaving me to shoot towards the ceiling. "Rex doesn't like anyone. Don't take it personally, that's just how he is."

But I did take it personally, I really-really did.

Trey was like a huge mountain at my back as he physically steered us around the length of the cafeteria towards the Big Four's infamous lunch table in the very far corner. The other three were already there, the twins fighting over a specific pizza slice while Rex seemed glued to his phone, a scowl pulling on his lips.

My breath caught in my throat. Why did he have to be so beautiful?

No one noticed us at first, not even when Trey pulled back a seat for me beside Denton. I gave him a small smile as he took the seat on my other side. "But I called dibs!" Denton whined as his brother kept trying to grab the slice he wanted. "You only want it because I do!"

"Get over yourself, Den. There's still a whole pizza." Brett scoffed and sufficiently grabbed Denton's slice.

"But I want that one!" His voice sounded like a temperamental four-year-old as he glared at his twin and crossed his arms haughtily over his chest.

I looked over at Trey who only rolled his eyes then reached over for his own slice of pizza. I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled from my lips, one that gained all their attention—and I do mean all.

I refused to glance up at the dark, deadly glare I could suddenly feel stabbing at me from across the table as the twins turned, Denton's pout disappearing into a huge smile. "Buttercup! There you are-!"

"What is she doing here, Trey?" There was no mistaking the sneer in Rex's voice, and the entire table grew silent as everyone turned their attention towards him. I kept my eyes pointed to the table.

"I found Rose hiding in the old theater room and invited her to join us. Besides we all want her here, right guys?" There was a hard edge to Trey's tone that suggested against the twins saying otherwise, even though Denton was already beaming and nodding his head wildly while Brett shot me a smile.

"Right, kid."

I frowned at that and tried not to pout at the pizza slice Trey slid to me. "I'm not a kid." I grumbled down at the greasy goodness, though the barley older twin didn't bother dropping that teasing smile.

"Your name is Rose?"

I forced my gaze from the pizza just enough to watch the shock pass through Rex's dark eyes, before disappearing as quickly as it came. "I-It's actually Rosalyn, but yeah..." Our conversation from before slammed into my mind. He had been so crude, so dead set on wanting me to stay away from him. Now he was wondering about my name?

"Yeah! Isn't that cool?" Trey interrupted the little stare off we had fallen into, his thick arm reaching over to rest against the back of my chair. Rex's eyes flickered toward the action, then narrowed.

"Princess Rose. Perfect combination." Trey shot me a cheeky smile, one that only made that blush rise to my cheeks once again.

"Don't call her that."

The man/boy stilled beside me, and I glanced over enough to see the twin's share a look before turning back to their now fuming friend. Trey leaned forward, his arm slipping from the back of my chair as those green eyes narrowed.

"Don't call her what? Princess?"

I didn't miss the challenge in his voice, and neither did Rex. His sharp jaw ticked, and those dark eyes seemed to flare in fury. "Don't call her anything. She has a fucking name, use it." His voice was a gruff rumble, one that made a weird fluttering feeling enter my stomach.

His eyes flicked back to mine, that chestnut harder than a diamond as he rose to his feet. "Get your head out of your fucking ass, Trey." He snarled, then just like third period, he slammed his chair into the table and stormed away without a backwards glance.

The thick tension now surging throughout the whole table and rested heavily on my shoulders was broken by Denton's snort. "What crawled up his ass and died?"