The Last VonTassel

Rumors Over Secrets

The hand that I'd been admiring just seconds ago now horrified me along with the person connected to it.

"Nice to meet you. Now could you please ignore me starting from now on?" My eyes were still on the spot his hand had been even after he realized I wasn't going to shake it. It was as if I'd been petrified by what he said...it wouldn't be very unlikely. Nell Hillsoft was supposed to be dating Chase Manning, so what was she doing...doing the new kid? I shook the thoughts from my head. If I wasn't careful images would start forming and that wasn't difficult when you had an imaginative mind...plus, I'm in the middle of writing an erotica.

"Nerium." That's when I snapped back. He was reading my notes.

"Y-you should give those back. Those are personal and for unfinished work." I stuttered fretfully.

"Books you're writing?" I saw the smile spread onto his face as he glanced up at me. It was a dangerous predatory smile that I recognized.

"Phaidra Beirman in the flesh." Damn nerves. The tremble in my tone was obvious as the words tumbled from my mouth.

"Do you have any idea how often I hear about your books?" The stranger took a step forward.

"I don't really care." Reaching out, I snagged my notepad back even though it was too late.

"You've written children's books, romance, supernatural, mystery, comedy, and now smut."

"Erotic romance." Correcting people that called it smut was reflexive. Even the defensive tone was assertive and a bit brusque in nature. I was protective of my books.

"All I'm saying is I'm a little surprised to see that I go the same school as the girl that writes all of this. It's quite funny how she's one of the last people someone would expect." I flushed and bristled a little at the same time as I felt him give me a once over. Goosebumps popped up all over the place and I was glad he couldn't see my reaction under my long sleeved blouse and jeans. Staring at people and sizing them up was stuff I did, not something that was done to me. This attention was new ground and unwanted.

"That's fine by me. It's the perfect cover." In fact, I find it amusing if not a little typical that how I spoke scared me.

"Does anyone know you hide here to work on your books?"

"You're the first person to talk to me since winter break of last year. Let alone see me."

"You speak as if you're a ghost."

"Did you see me when you snuck in here to hide from Nell behind that bookcase?"

"You saw that?"

"Someone unknown entered my library in a state of panic and terror, yes, I saw."

"I thought I felt someone ogling at me," He smirked impishly.

"Don't start boring me already, Abel Gane. You're acting predictably for your type." I needed to shut up. Why was I talking? Of all things I could be doing...like running away from this guy, why was I talking to him as if I spoke to everyone like this?

"You said it again. What's my type?" I had piqued his interest and Hillsoft was after him.

"You just slept with the most popular girl in school on your fist day. A girl that's dating my ex-boyfriend that you didn't even know the name of until I told you. You slept with her and now you're running away from her. You were quite good at that as if you were used to it, which might mean that you've gotten into a habit of fucking and running. You getting smug about me watching you and twisting into making it sound like I was checking you out only makes you fit the profile of every other pretty playboy with no brai-" I covered my mouth to stop my yammering. I had cussed out loud while rambling. The color drained from my face for a moment before it colored with slight anger at Abel. This was his fault. His character made me sick and I always hated reading about them. Now I was being biased and speaking to him the way I spoke to his type in my books and my mind.