Hayden dropped a crumpled paper in my hand. “I forgot. It’s your class schedule.”

I took it from him and looked over the schedule. It mirrored the one I’d had in Allentown. I clutched it to my chest and followed Hayden across the campus. Out of habit, I kept my eyes glued to the ground.

“You don’t have to do that here,” he said softly.

Flushing to what I was sure was an attractive shade of purple, I peeked at him through my lashes.

His eyes met mine. “You’re going to do fine, Ember. I don’t think you’re going to run around and start throwing people into chokeholds.”

Unable to help myself, I laughed at the mental image. “No. I guess not.”

A wide, stunning smile appeared on his face. And there were two dimples. Impossible as it was, my cheeks grew warmer. “You should do that more often,” he said.

“Do what?”

“Laugh.”

I pressed my lips together and managed a weak nod. As soon as we crossed the entrance, the familiar smell of aftershave and too much perfume choked me. All around, people talked, laughed, greeted one another. Girls giggled with boys, and a few threw insults around. No one really paid any attention to me.

“I’ve got math in the other wing.” He leaned over my shoulder, studying my schedule. “Your English class is down the hall and then to your right. It’s room 104. Come on.”

The old habit of staring at the floor was hard to overcome, but I managed to keep my head held high as I carefully navigated the crowded hallways.

“Here you go.” Hayden propped himself against a locker. “I have lunch with you and bio in the afternoon.”

“Okay.” I swallowed, suddenly wondering how Olivia was doing. Then I thought of Adam. My throat closed up.

He leaned forward. “I’ll see you at lunch, okay? You’ll do fine.”

Then he was gone.

Somehow, I found my way into the classroom. Taking a seat in the back, I discreetly studied everyone while I scribbled in my notebook and pretended I wasn’t the new girl.

A clapping sound drew my attention. “All right kiddos, turn around. Time to get back to good old Holden Caulfield,” announced a youngish teacher from the front of the classroom. “I know you guys have missed him over the weekend.”

One of the guys up front snorted. “I wouldn’t say we actually missed him.”

A couple of kids laughed.

The teacher’s smile was easy and friendly. “Now, come on. Everyone wants to catch kids as they fall off a cliff.” His dark eyes drifted over the classroom, stopping on me, and his easy smile faltered. “Oh, we have a new student today.”

With all those eyes on me, I slid down in my seat.

“Oh, yes. Ember McWilliams. My name is Theodore Greensburg. Please don’t call me Theodore. I hate that. Also, the principal frowns on the first-name thing. So you can call me Mr. Theo.” He winked. “Come on, class; let’s give her a big old welcome.”