Read Online Young Annabelle Series: Young Annabelle, the Truth About James, What My Heart Wants by Sarah Tork - Free Book Online

green eyes as they stared at me in confusion. He didn’t understand. He was used to everyone being happy for him, like Donna
    I wasn’t. And I wasn’t about to pretend to be. 
    So I just shrugged.
    “I’m a baseball player,” He exclaimed, as if explaining everything.
    What the hell d id that have to do with anything?
    If you play ball, you don’t have to work?
    If that’s the case, sign me up!
    “So?” I snapped in a voice that screamed ‘I don’t care!’
    “I’m on the team now for Royal Heights. They started practice a week ago. I’ve missed out an entire week.” His explanation made no sense and his tone said I had made him uneasy. He wasn’t used to people not giving a shit about how ‘lucky’ he was.
    “Again, so ?”
    He looked angry for a second, but his expression quickly melted into something else – something seductive.
    Uh oh! I know that look… Prepare the shields, captain!
    “Fireball… If you aren’t good, I won’t let you come to my practices,” James threatened. His voice would have melted any girl – just not me. I stare d back in disbelief, he was so cocky.
    “I’m good,” I shrugged, “but maybe ask Donna there if she’d like to watch you practice, I’m sure she’d jump at the chance.”
    His lip twitched and something changed in his eyes, as if he were seeing me in a new light.
    “Maybe I will.”
    “Then maybe you should,” I snapped back. My lips tightened at the thought of Donna cheering for him on the sidelines.
    Whatever!
    “What was that, Fireball? Do I detect a bit of sadness in your tone?” He took a step closer, making me blush and look away.
    “No!” I tried too hard to sound convincing.
    Keep staring at the wall.
    Do not look him in the face, or he’ll know you’re full of shit.
    “Don’t worry, I won’t be far,” he whispered softly.
    The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I slowly turned back. My eyes met his soft, silky ones. But despite his beautiful eyes, his words still annoyed me. I was sick and tired of people not taking me seriously.
    Time to show him what’s up!
    “I have to get back to work.” I didn’t want to fluff his ego any further, the text conversation last night must have gone to his head.
    “Hey James!” Donna shouted. “Come back here!”
    James’ eyes peered into mine, trying to decipher some code in what I’d just said.
    ‘I have to go to work’ seemed pretty self-explanatory to me.
    Silence hovered over us until he gave in and returned to Donna.
    Whatever!
    “Later, Annabelle,” He muttered, not bothering to look back.
    Pretending I no longer existed, James returned to his intellectually stimulating conversation with Donna. I rolled my eyes and returned to my bucket.
    I had a job to do, toilets needed scrubbing.
     
    *~*~*
     
    “Please?”
    “No!” I told my mother as she pouted from across the table at Luigi’s, an Italian restaurant twenty minutes from our house. It was odd that my family was in high-carb central, especially with my parents hounding me about my weight so much.
    But things changed a few hours ago…
    At noon, my shift was cut short. It had stopped raining but the dark clouds still looked threatening. I skipped lunch in the change room, even though I was starving and upset. I wanted to get home before the storm started again.
    As I climbed up the hill with my bike, my mind flashed back to yesterday when James pushed my bike up the hill. My stomach twisted strangely, feeling like someone was repeatedly poking me.
    I was irritated and I knew why – but I didn’t understand it.
    When a guy acted like an asshole….. his name should have been immediately struck from the list of potentials. Not that there were any to begin with, but still. I was trying to cross him off, erase him, but nothing worked. I kept going over our conversation and my stomach kept aching. By the time I made it to the top of the hill, I was a nervous wreck. I hopped on to my bike and raced home.
    A few drops landed