Dancing in Circles (Circles Trilogy) by Victoria Adams

and for that I apologize. What I said was hypothetical not personal." She poked him in the chest. "You didn't have to overreact."
    "Overreact?" His eyes darkened. "Have ya ever been called trash?"
    She raised one eyebrow and shot him a scornful stare.
    "I have and it hurts." His voice lowered as his body drooped. "I'm so tired of being put down. I don't deserve half the labels I'm stuck with."
    "I'm sorry, Robert." She raised a hand to her mouth. "I never thought—"
    "Just put it on your list of differences." His sarcastic tone matched the snarl on his face.
    "If we're going to be friends, we have to learn to communicate. Both of us have to overcome some basic mistrusts about each other." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Next time, don't run, talk to me." Her eyes were wide as she gazed at him.
    He glanced about the hallway, checked his watch then nodded. "I'll try."
    "I'll walk to class with you."
    "No. We'll both be late. I've still got to get my books and stuff."
    "See you in class." Julie winked, smiled and walked towards English.
    "Stay away from her."
    Robert spun around.
    Francine stood, with her arms crossed and an ice-cold glare glued on her face. "She may not want to call you trash, but I will. I know who and what you are." She poked him in the chest with her pen. "And you are trash."
    "What do ya know?" His lip curled.
    "You're Shore."
    He snorted. "News flash. Everybody knows that."
    "You're Shoresmen."
    "Still not worried."
    "You're the leader of the Shoresmen."
    A frigid shiver shot through Robert.
    She stepped closer. "You've got a criminal record."
    He stood frozen to the floor.
    "And she knows something you don't. I'm Miss Francine Paulin. I believe you knew my older brother, Jeffery."
    He flinched as if a fist had been driven into his stomach.
    Francine smiled at her victorious demoralization of him. "Do you think she's going to stay friends with you after I tell her about you and Jeffery?"
    "Ya wouldn't." Robert forced the threatening tone out of his voice.
    "Oh. Yes. I. Would." She turned and walked away, high heels clicking in the silent hallway.
    He slammed his locker door, opened it, then slammed it again, picked up his helmet and stormed out of the building.
    ***  
    Ok, so yesterday was a bummer. And I really shouldn'ta drunk so much. He pulled on the school entrance door. It squeaked. Shit. Would someone fix this damn door?
    He trudged down the hall. How the fuck do I spend the rest of the year avoiding Julie? Shit. I liked being with her. Standing in front of his locker, he spun the dial on his lock. Why are schools so damn noisy? Shit, my head hurts. He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.
    A finger tapped his shoulder. He turned. A rush of pleasure was squashed by a pang of regret as he glanced at Julie. She frowned. "You look awful?" She reached out to touch him, but pulled her hand away. "Does your head still hurt?"
    "Yea."
    "Go see a doctor. You could have a concussion or something. Steph hit you pretty hard with that beer bottle."
    "I don't have a concussion. I have a hangover."
    "What?" Her voice rose two octaves.
    "Ssh! Geez." He closed his eyes and waited for the pain to lessen.
    "Why didn't you come to class yesterday?"
    "Felt like gettin' drunk so I partied." It sounded like a good idea yesterday, but today not so good.
    Julie's brow wrinkled. "At nine in the morning?"
    He turned and tried his locker combination for the second time. "What's it to ya?"
    "What's the matter?" She pulled his arm "Have I missed something? Why are you being so—?"
    He jerked his arm free. "Can I get in my locker?"
    "What's the matter with you?"
    "Nothin', my head hurts." And this stupid conversation is so not helping .
    "If you hadn't—"
    He spun around. His eyes darkened. "Don't preach to me, Julie. I do what I want when I want, and I answer to no one."
    Julie blinked, turned on her heel and left.
    Robert slammed his locker door. The sound reverberated through his head. As he cringed, the first bell