Heat of the Moment Read Online Free PDF

tension in my shoulders. “What is it?”
    She glances at Derrick. “Um, I want . . . can we talk in private?”
    I almost laugh out loud. Funny that she’s so worried about privacy now. I want to tell her no, but I have a feeling she’s not going to give up.
    â€œI’ll be right back,” I say to Derrick.
    I walk a few feet away and cross my arms over my chest. “What is it?” I ask her. “Make it quick, we’re about to board.”
    She nods, then fiddles with her hair. “I just wanted to know if you’re going to do what the email says.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œAre you taking it seriously? You know, about learning to trust? Because I’m thinking . . . I’m thinking that I’m going to be really, um, trying to do what mine says.” She shakes her head. “In fact, I’ve kind of been waiting for a chance to do it.”
    I remember her email. The one she sent to herself.
    Before graduation, I will . . . tell the truth .
    I know exactly what she meant, too. While my email was ambiguous, hers was very specific. It was about Liam, the guy she’s had a crush on for forever. She was going to tell him she was in love with him.
    For a second, my heart softens, and I want to tell herthat we were just kids, that we just wrote things down without really thinking about them, without really knowing the repercussions. That if she’s going to tell Liam that she loves him, she really needs to think about what that’s going to do to their friendship, if it’s worth the fact that things might change or that she might lose him.
    But then I remember what she did to me, what she almost cost me.
    And I feel my heart harden.
    â€œYeah, Aven,” I say, sarcastically. “I’m really going to work on learning to trust. Because remember what happened when I trusted you? It didn’t work out so well, remember?”
    She looks like she’s been slapped. “Lyla,” she says. “I never wanted—”
    â€œSave it,” I say. “I didn’t want to hear it then, and I don’t want to hear it now.”
    I turn away and walk back toward Derrick.
    â€œEverything okay?” he asks.
    â€œYeah,” I say, even though my stomach is rolling. “I’ll feel better when we’re in Florida.”
    And when Aven Shepard is out of my sight.
    When we get on the plane, Derrick changes seats with me so that I can have the one closest to the window. He takes my hand and pulls me close. I lean my head against his shoulder and breathe in his scent. Beckett and Aven start to fade intothe back of my mind, and for the first time all morning, my heart rate slows to normal and I start to feel like myself.
    â€œI’m so glad we’re going on this trip together,” I murmur.
    â€œMe too,” he says. His voice sounds more enthusiastic than usual. If we’re being completely honest, Derrick didn’t even really want to go to Florida. He wanted to go on some dumb baseball trip, which didn’t make sense because he’s not even on the baseball team. Derrick plays lacrosse. But all his friends play baseball, and they were going to Myrtle Beach to play in some tournament, and Derrick wanted to go too, which was so stupid because what the hell was he going to do down there while all his friends were playing baseball?
    â€œWhat room number are you?” he asks.
    â€œI don’t know.”
    He reaches into his duffel and pulls out a sheaf of papers. “We got these on the bus,” he says. “Room 145. I’m rooming with Beckett Cross and Liam Marsh.”
    Beckett. At the sound of his name, my stomach does a somersault. “You’re rooming with Beckett?”
    â€œYeah. He’s a cool guy. Liam too. They’re definitely the types that would let us have the room to ourselves for a little bit.”
    â€œBeckett’s not going on the trip,” I say automatically.