Through the Lens (Click Duet #1) (Bay Area Duet Series) by Persephone Autumn (best book club books .txt) 📕

at the waist as she tries to catch her breath. Her skin is pale as cream, her onyx hair as bold of a contrast as her bloodred lips. She reminds me of a modern-day, punk rock version of Snow White, except with shorter hair. And I immediately like everything about her.

When her breath catches enough, she stands and wanders through the rows of desks, picking an available seat two over from me. I try not to stare at her, but can’t help how she has caught my eye. Surely, she has caught the eye of many others as well. And not just because of her entrance. Everything about her is bewitching.

I avert my gaze when the teacher introduces himself and begins going over some of the basic school rules and hands out paperwork for our parents, the code of conduct, and our class schedules. Typical first day of school stuff. I scan over my class schedule, check I was assigned all the appropriate classes, and then wonder what classes the raven-haired girl has. Hopeful we will have at least one or more classes together.

The bell sounds and I sidle up beside her, trying to spark a conversation.

“Hey,” I say with a wave. “I’m Gavin. Crazy morning?”

She glances over at me, confused. “Hi,” she mumbles. “Cora. And yes.”

Maybe she isn’t a morning person? Or maybe she is not having the best morning. Whatever.

“Sorry to hear. Anything I can do to help?” Why not offer, right? No harm, no foul.

“Gavin, is it?” I nod. “Thanks, but I’m good,” she says with a brush-off.

But I don’t back down so easily. Something about her begs me to keep trying. “Well, let me know,” I offer with a smile.

When she walks away, I check to see which class I head to first and make my way to the science wing. Honestly, who thinks it is a good idea for people to learn science this early in the morning?

Slap.

My geometry book closes too loud in the room and several sets of eyes stare at me like I am their next meal. Sorry. Why does everyone seem so touchy today? Just brush it off, man. No one likes the first day of school. Actually, no one cares for school on any day. But no one needs to bite my head off.

I shoulder my backpack and head to the cafeteria. After I load up a tray of random crap food, I head out to the tables in the sun. The summer heat still blazes, but I would rather be outside than in the dank cafeteria. The cafeteria feels claustrophobic and I question the cleanliness.

When I step out and search for a good place to sit, I spot her. The raven-haired girl with bright red lips. Cora. She sits under a tree, eating a sandwich and reading a book. Before I realize what I am doing, I trudge over and stop in front of her. She ignores me for a few seconds, bookmarks her page, and finally looks up.

Shielding her eyes with her hands, she squints and tilts her head to the side. “Can I help you with something?”

“Mind if I sit with you?”

“Gavin… right?” I nod at her. “Well, Gavin, I’m kind of a loner.”

It is not a denial, only a statement meant to scare me away. But it won’t work on me. If anything, the attempt at a brush-off has me wanting to sit with her more. Cora… what a fascinating creature.

“We don’t have to talk. I’m just here for the tree,” I joke.

She shakes her head in disbelief, a subtle laugh under her breath as she gestures to the landscape beside her. “It’s not my tree.”

I squat down and manage to sit cross-legged without dropping anything from my tray. Thanks to whoever is looking out for me so I don’t embarrass myself in front of this girl.

We sit in companionable silence—me munching on the cafeteria’s mystery casserole and her eating a banana while reading Wuthering Heights. The book tattered and well-loved—cover curling and faded, multiple pages dog-eared.

Part of me wonders if she is reading the book for school or pleasure. My bet is on the latter considering the appearance of the novel. Can’t say I have ever read the book. I’m sure it is good, but reading isn’t much of a priority for me. Haven’t heard of anything noteworthy.

After finishing the semi-decent casserole, I finish off my bottled water. Although our silence under the tree has been enjoyable, I itch to talk with this girl. Spark some form of conversation. Get to know the girl with the bright red lips. But she doesn’t seem like the type of person who fills space with meaningless conversation. Part of me is intimidated by this. Another part of me enchanted. What do I say to someone like her?

So, I aim for obvious.

“Good book?” I ask, smacking myself upside the head internally.

Of course it is a good book, dumbass! Otherwise, it wouldn’t look like she has read it a hundred times. Idiot.

She finishes the sentence or paragraph she is reading and faces me, a slight hint of annoyance on her face. It both frightens and intrigues me. “Yes.” It is all she says before turning back to the book and ignoring me again.

Okay…

I stay under the tree with her for a few more minutes before rising to take my tray back to the cafeteria. After I dump the trash and deposit the tray in the bin, I turn to catch one more glimpse of her before heading to my next class. But the moment I look, she is no longer there. A strange sadness takes hold, but I brush it off.

“I’ll try again tomorrow,” I mumble to myself.

The art quad is located at the back of campus, on the farthest outskirts. As if sketching and paints and clays need their own world away from the books and projectors and regimented studies. As odd as it is to be isolated at the back of the school, I enjoy the