Captivate Me (Book One: The Captivated Series) Read Online Free Page A

one night we could
stay out past our weekend curfew of ten o’clock. It was also the
one function we were allowed to wear our regular clothes to.
I loved Friday
nights. Besides, seeing the boys in their uniforms all sweaty and
pumping with adrenaline didn’t hurt. I swallowed my food and
flashed him a smile. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
    “Good.” He yawned the word.
    “What’s the matter?” I smirked with a
hitched brow. “Tired? Stay up too late?”
    He smirked back. “I did. Couldn’t
sleep for some reason.”
    Ronnie cleared his throat and jabbed
Dawson with his elbow. “Hey, Dawson,” he said pointedly, his
smiling eyes never leaving his tray as he ate, “guess what I saw
last night?”
    Dawson tore himself away from Sarah
and gave an evil grin, flashing his eyes at Levi and me for a slice
of a second. “What’s that, Ron?” he replied, almost as if they’d
rehearsed the exchange. I flushed crimson, and Levi watched their
exchange with a set jaw and a look of humored annoyance.
    “I saw the funniest thing through our
window when I got up to pee – a guy and a girl in the courtyard
after midnight.”
    Dawson’s jaw dropped in mock horror.
“You don’t say! Well, that would be breaking the rules.”
    Now everyone’s attention
was on us, and I blushed brighter. Gah!
    “I’d say so,” Ronnie continued. “I
hope it was worth all the kissing!”
    Levi jabbed his shoulder. “Shut up,
dude! We didn’t kiss.”
    Everyone at the table started
whispering and laughing, even Anna. And on the outside looking in,
I’m sure it was funny, but I really just wanted to die. Ronnie
threw his head back in laughter, and I tossed a chiding look at
Dawson, which only made him roar with laughter too. Levi embraced
me in a side hug. “Ignore them,” he said. “Their moms fed them
paint chips as kids.”
    When Ronnie composed himself, he
leaned into us. “But really, guys. How did you not get
caught?”
    “I’m sure we will one day,” Levi
replied. “But until then…”
    “Did you go get her or something? How
did you make it onto the girls’ floor without getting
caught?”
    Levi clasped his shoulder with a
playful shake. “One of these days, Ronnie, you’ll be as awesome as
me.”
    Ronnie jabbed him back,
and they started mock fighting, laughing and throwing good-natured
insults. I chuckled at their exchange, forgetting how I was just
embarrassed beyond belief. Oh, Levi… so carefree and sweet. Maybe I
should quit worrying about labels – ‘captivated’ or ‘not
captivated’ – and enjoy being around him… or being with him. The idea made
my heart flutter, but I still felt that strange feeling in the pit
of my stomach. Doubt?
    The bell rang, derailing my thoughts.
Levi stood and swept our trays up to empty them. “I’ll remember
this tonight, Ron,” he teased. “I’m on the burgundy team,
remember?”
    Dawson scoffed as he and Sarah started
off to their next class. “Burgundy’s going down
tonight!”
    “You wish!” Levi yelled after
him.
    After disposing of our trays, the rest
of us migrated toward the double doors, and Anna pulled out her
schedule. “Chemistry,” she said aloud. “Wing C, Room
307.”
    “Coach Carter’s class,” Ronnie said.
“I’m going there too.”
    “You should help her, Ron,” Levi
insisted, grabbing my hand. He wasn’t going to let me get
away.
    “Sure,” he said with a shrug, and Anna
couldn’t contain the smile that split her face in two.
    * * *
    “I’m proud of ya,” Levi said,
squeezing my hand tighter as we walked to my next class, “it was
nice what you did for the newbie, taking her under your wing like
that.”
    “I couldn’t not take her under my
wing… you should have seen how sad she looked today.”
    “That’s what I mean. You didn’t have
to do it, but you did. And you know, when you start initiating
newbies, you aren’t a newbie anymore!”
    “Good…” I said, bumping into him, “can
you ask Ronnie and them to quit calling me