Crossings: A Sovereign Guardians Novel Read Online Free PDF Page B

home and started working instead of going to college."
    His right hand reached out and landed beside mine. Before I knew what he was doing, his thumb was caressing the top of my hands which were clasped together on the top of the table.
    "Don't sweat it, babe. I don't."
    I resisted the urge to scream. My resolve to be nice to him was slipping, and it had been less than a minute since I'd silently promised myself I would do better.
    This was not good.
    I sat up straighter and moved my hands to my lap, forcing Keller to lean back to his side of the table.
    "What?" he shrugged his shoulders. "Is it that babe really doesn't work for you? You're a hard nut to crack, Pagan . Most girls would love to hear words of endearment from me."
    I wasn't sure if he was joking or not but from the adoring look plastered on Faith's face, I knew he probably wasn't.
    "Aren't you eating anything?" I nodded toward the empty space in front of him and the obvious lack of food, desperately trying to steer the subject away from me.
    "Sugar, when I'm around you I can barely think, much less eat. Looking at you is all the sweet treat I need."
    My sudden burst of laughter surprised all three of us.
    Keller’s last remark was so ridiculous that it was funny, and he knew it.
    "Finally," he grinned back, "she smiles for me."
    Faith beamed at the two of us.
    "Isn't this going to be fun? I'm so glad I got separated from all my other friends at lunch. If that hadn't happened I know I'd never have met y'all, and I just know next fall starting senior year is going to be crazy interesting with you two around."
    Faith sat back on her seat still smiling and then looked around the cafeteria, obviously searching for someone.
    "He's running late," Keller said to Faith, and she nodded her head. "He had to run some kind of errand for Mr. Warren before he could come to lunch. I heard the teacher ask him to deliver some stuff to the science lab."
    "Who's running late?" I asked, curious.
    "Faith's other project," Keller explained. Then with that lopsided grin I was beginning to both love and hate, he added, "Honey, you don’t think we’re the only two strays she's picked up this year, do you?"
    I realized Faith had said there had been several new people to move to Jasper, so it made sense Keller and I weren't the only newbies at the school. I wondered if the other transfer student would be anything like Keller, or if he'd be someone I might actually be able to like.
    Keller had stopped talking and was twirling his ring again. The first time I'd seen him, he was wearing the same piece of jewelry. None of the boys I'd known ever wore jewelry except for their class rings, and that was mainly reserved for the seniors.
    His ring didn't look like any class ring I'd ever seen, although I hadn't gotten a very good look at it during the funeral. This time I could clearly see there was a design on the silver band, a series of knots engraved into the silver. I wondered if the pattern meant anything special. It reminded me of something I'd seen before, but I couldn't place where. It was probably some common symbol, or maybe something I'd seen on the internet or tattooed on someone, like one of those arm bands so many people were getting done.
    If Keller and I were friends, I would just ask him about it. But as things were between the two of us, I planned to tolerate him only because I now felt a little sorry for him, and I didn't want to upset Faith or Gran. Anything between us beyond simple civility would be out of the question. He simply rubbed me the wrong way. I'd had enough turmoil in my life. I certainly didn't need to invite more into it. Asking personal questions, even casual ones at this point, would look like I was interested in him.
    Which I wasn't.
    I definitely wasn't.
    Misunderstanding my frown, Keller said, "Don't worry, honey. You'll get to meet our new addition to the lunch table in five, four, three, two...one."
    At that exact moment Faith's voice greeted our newest