My Heart be Damned Read Online Free PDF Page A

Whatever, Amerie , because you know it’s true. And you know I’ll never get him, and he’ll never want me.” She shook her head dramatically. “See you at school tomorrow.”
    I let her walk away from me. Sometimes Mercy liked to make a dramatic exit, and this was one of those times. She’d text me tonight, apologize for being a drama queen and everything would be cool.
    “Is she okay?” Sam asked, walking up beside me.
    I smiled at him, glad he had the forethought to stay back during our conversation. “She’ll be fine. She’s just emotional.”
    “Because she likes that Chuck guy?”
    I threw my hands up, exasperated. “How come I’m the last one to know this? They’re only my best friends...”
    “Sometimes,” Sam said, folding his arms, “it takes someone on the outside to see what’s really going on in the inside.”
    It made total sense. “You’re kinda smart.”
    “You’re kinda beautiful.”
    Silence descended upon us as I stared down at the pavement, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. What did I say back?
    “Thanks, Sam. That’s nice of you to say.”
    “I’m not kidding. You’re gorgeous, and athletic, and pretty ambitious from what I can tell. I’d love to get to know you better.” My face fell. Mercy had been right all along – Sam was coming onto me. Sam noticed my expression. “I mean, as friends of course.”
    “I’d like to get to know you as a friend too.”
    He shoved his hands in the pockets of his black coat and shuffled from foot to foot.
    “So, erm , you wanna lift home? I drive...”
    I shook my head. No one would ever see where I lived now. Not even Mercy or Chuck.
    “Nah, I’m okay with getting the Tube. I should probably find Chuck too, and warn him against talking about his conquest to Mercy tomorrow. But thanks for the offer.”
    “You get the Tube? Wow that must be a journey.”
    “It’s cool. I’m used to it.” We fell into an awkward silence, one I was desperate to break. “Okay, well, see you tomorrow?”
    He nodded, a little too enthusiastically. “Yeah. Definitely.”
    I started walking away first, and then he took off in the opposite direction. Over my shoulder, I watched as he approached a black Mercedes and climbed inside. He wasn’t lying about being rich.
    I glanced around the car park again. The night was still young. Not many people had left yet. The area was pretty much deserted, and the quietest I had ever seen the industrial district. Though, if I knew Chuck, and I did – very well – then he’d be in an alley around here somewhere with his lady of the night - as Mercy and I liked to refer to his conquests.
    Focusing, I strained my ears, listening out for his voice.
    “...Didn’t know she was your girlfriend, man. Back off.”
    I froze, and my whole body tensed. Chuck was in trouble; I had always known his love of pretty girls was going to bite him in the ass one day.
    I took off into a run towards where Chuck’s voice had come from, panic rushing through my body. What if something happened and I was too late? What if I had to stop something from happening and Chuck saw what I could actually do?
    The girl Chuck had been flirting with was closest to me. In front of her were three guys, all circled around Chuck, who had his back pressed against the wall of The Hut. This didn’t look like a friendly chat.
    Blondie spotted me and made a beeline for me. “The Hut’s that way.” She pointed in the direction of where I’d come from earlier. “You don’t wanna be here right now.”
    She clamped a firm hand down on my shoulder, a hand I guessed that was meant to both intimidate me, and turn me in her desired direction. I yanked her hand away and bent it back toward her shoulder. Times like this were when I actually liked being a Hunter. I was definitely hard to intimidate, and even harder to beat in a fight.
    “Touch me again, and I’ll break every bone in your body. Got it?” I hissed.
    She nodded; her eyes went wide with pain.