It had the same vibes as the dog-ate-the-homework excuse.

I was planning to interrogate the two men when about their whereabouts when Lana was not around.

The two males caught up with us. Brennan started a conversation with Lana as they walked in front. Stone lingered near me like my second shadow.

When I stopped at my locker to exchange my textbooks, the giant stopped too.

I switched around my supplies for my next class as the large veiny hand belonging to Stone reached into my locker and pulled out one of my books.

He held it up to his face so he could read the title and then he turned it around to inspect the blurb.

Glaring up at him and my out-of-reach book, I voiced "Why do you always do that?"

Stone ignored my question and instead asked his own "Does this book not end on a cliff-hanger?"

My head tilted as a taunting smile made its way onto my face "How do you know that? Have you read it?"

Ignoring my question again, he looked down at me and asked, "Why do you like it?"

"Because imagining your own end can be sometimes better than the real thing. Reality is a disappointment compared to fantasy."

He cocked his head as a foreign expression flicked across his rough-looking features.

"Give me my book, Lurch." I demanded up at him with a glare "Or I will knee you in the gut and take it for myself."

He chuckled "Even then I would still be much taller than you."

His remark about my height had me eager to prove him wrong and get back my paperback so I stepped on his toes.

The reaction was not one of pain as I put my whole weight onto his left foot. It was one of pure amusement as he peered down at me.

"That does not even hurt you, does it?" I realised with a sigh.

Stone shook his head as his lip twitched up.

I had spent a whole month with this man, and I had still never seen him smile.

I put my other foot on his free one until I was entirely on him. My feet on top of his meant that my whole body was pressed against him. I tried reaching up for the book again but failed.

During my mission to get my book back, my chest brushed against his upper stomach.

The contact made his raised arm with the book falter and lower.

I took the opportunity of his weakened moment and grabbed the book from him. I victoriously shook it in front of his face before I backed away and put the book back in the locker.

The lunch line was long by the time we got to the cafeteria. Lana was already waiting in the line when Stone and I sat down with Brennan at the table.

I figured this was the best time to ask them a few questions.