Hex Hall

I will not have a crush on Archer Cross, I will not have a crush on Archer Cross, I will not . . .

“I was trying to be nice,” she insisted, but I could hear the laughter in her voice.

“Well, don’t,” I retorted. “I like my friends mean and hateful.”

Yeah, I was a regular laugh riot. Maybe because making jokes meant that I didn’t burst into tears.

“She was right,” he murmured.

“About what?” I said, and my voice didn’t even sound like mine. It was low and breathy.

“I did want to spend the ball with you.”

“Nope,” I finally said, striving for a light tone. “I’ve always had a thing for the nerdy type. Arrogant pretty boys don’t really ring my bell.”

“So you think I’m pretty?”

“Shut up.”

“You’re just not used to meeting women who don’t fall all over your ass like you’re in a boy band or something,”

The way he looked at me like I was actually interesting to talk to. The way his eyes lit up when he laughed at my jokes. Hell, the fact that he laughed at my jokes.

I couldn’t help but sneak sideways glances at him and notice that, homicidal tendencies and evil girlfriends aside, he was still hot.

Jenna had tried to cheer me up that morning, saying, “At least you have it with a hot guy.”

“Archer isn’t hot anymore,” I’d fired back. “He tried to kill me, and his girlfriend is Satan.”

“I’m experiencing some teenage angst, Mrs. Casnoff,” I answered. “I need to, like, write in my journal or something.”