Mia's Heart (The Paradise Diaries) (3 page)

I
glance down at myself. I have the blue plaid skirt on, the black knee socks and
the white button-up shirt on like I should.  But I’ve unbuttoned the top
several buttons of my shirt and a black camisole peeks out.  It’s my
homage to the rest of my wardrobe.  Black, black, black.  It fits my
mood most of the time.

I
even dye my hair jet black.  Usually, much to my parents’ chagrin, I add
colorful streaks to it.  Right now, as I told Reece, I have bright blue
streaks.  I figure I might as well coordinate with my school uniform.

I
nod.  “It’s just a little thing.” 

A
little tiny way to be an individual.  But even a little of that kind of
effort is considered too much around here.

Kolettis
Academy does not exactly encourage individuality.  It was founded by
Antonio Kolettis, a Prime Minister from a few hundred years back, as the first
private school in Valese.
 
It is
the
private school now.
Only the very rich, the very influential or the very powerful can get their
kids in. 

It’s
ironic that I spend my days day-dreaming about getting
out.

But
then, I’m contrary like that.  Or so my parents say.

Gavin
nods.  “Just a little thing,” he agrees.  “Just a little thing that
Kanaris might send you home for.”

He
does have a point.  The headmaster, Constantine Kanaris, does not deviate
from the rules.  Not for any reason, not at any time.  It’s
exhausting.  But it’s a little bit fun to play with.  He can’t expel
me.  My father is the MoD of our entire country. 

But
that doesn’t mean that Kanaris won’t send me home to change.  He’s done it
before, many times.  He only
wishes
that the policy had some
specifications about hair color.  But it doesn’t.  So I can color my
head like the rainbow if I choose to. 

Take
that, asshole.

Gavin
holds out his arm.  “Come on,” he urges me. “You can’t stay out here all
day.”

I
stare up at him.  “I can’t?” I ask.  “Are you sure?”

He
grins.  And entire countries could be leveled with that charming grin, I
am sure. And once again I ponder why I’m not attracted to him.  It’s
probably because I’ve seen him in diapers. That tends to squash sex
appeal. 

“You
can’t,” he reiterates cheerfully. 

I
sigh.

Then
sigh again for good measure, just to make sure he heard me. Then I grab my bag,
slam my car door shut and finally take Gavin’s arm.

“Okay,
fine,” I tell him.  “Let’s get it over with.”

He
stares down at me, his dark gaze twinkling.  “Well, when you put it so
charmingly, how can I resist?”

I
roll my eyes and he laughs.  It’s the story of our lives. I’m the sarcastic
one with the dry wit, he’s the endlessly happy one. 

One
foot in front of the other.

That’s
what I tell myself as we wind our way through the throngs of chattering kids
and into the halls of our school.

One
foot in front of the other and then before I know it, the day will be over and
I’ll be back home. Which will be miserable too, but not as miserable as school.

I
hate my life.

It’s
official.

“So,
have you heard from Dante?” Gavin asks me as we stand in line to receive our
locker numbers. 

I
shake my head.  “Not this week.  But I got an email from Reece this
morning.  They don’t start school until next week.  Luckies.”

“I
don’t know if they’re so lucky,” Gavin says as he drops me off at my
locker.  “Apparently, Kansas is hotter than Hades right now. And
dusty.  I got an email from Dante a couple of weeks ago.  He said
he’s never seen so much dust outside of a desert.”

“I
would feel sorry for him, but… I don’t,” I say firmly.  “He chose to go
there.  He could be here with us.  It was his own decision.”

Gavin
looks at me with amusement.  “I don’t think he’s feeling sorry for
himself,” he tells me. “He’s pretty happy.  I think he’d be happy anywhere
Reece is, though.”

I
know that’s right.  If anyone was made for each other, even while being complete
and total opposites, it is Dante and Reece.  I can’t help but wonder how
smooth, polished Dante Giliberti is fitting into a rural Midwestern American
school.  But then I put the thoughts aside.  Dante can handle any
situation. He was bred for it.  I’m sure he’s totally fine. 

Me,
on the other hand…

I
look around.

I’m
surrounded, completely and totally, by kids that I can’t stand. 

Heaven
help me. 

I
put my stuff into my locker except for my Trig book and slam it closed. 
Whoever gave me Trig for my first class of the day, before I’ve even had an
ounce of caffeine, ought to be shot. 

Right
after they are drawn and quartered.

With
those charming thoughts in my head, I make my way toward class and slide into a
seat by the window. 

One
thing about Kolettis Academy, is that it is very, very nice.  We have
state of the art equipment, top notch teachers and the very best of everything,
all situated in an ancient, beautiful building.  We still use the original
stone school building, although the interior has been fully remodeled several
times throughout the years.  The windows are large and allow me to fully
see outside, to get a perfect view of the beauty that I am missing this
morning.  I can see the sea from here, I hear the sea gulls flying overhead
and I can hear the water.  It makes me sigh.  Because I’m not there.

I’m
here. 

In
prison.

“Miss
Giannis?”

Uh-oh. 
Mr. Priftis’ tone leads me to believe that it’s not the first time he’s called
for me.

“Yes?”

I
turn my attention to him.

“Are
you awake, Miss Giannis?”

Luckily,
Mr. Priftis seems amused.  I nod quickly. 

“Yes,
sir.”

“Very
well,” he smiles.  “I need you to share your textbook with Mr. McKeyen
until I am able to order him one.”

My
heart lurches into my throat as I notice that Quinn, the one and the same, is
seated next to me.  He is all sprawled out, somehow fitting his large body
into the smallish desk.  How had I not noticed him arriving in this
classroom? It’s such a small room for such a big body.

My
startled gaze is snared by his and I find amusement there.
 Calm down
,
I tell myself. 
He can’t read your thoughts.
 

Or
can he?

The
amused expression on his face almost makes me think that he knows exactly how
flustered he is making me. 

“Miss
Giannis?”

Mr.
Priftis is less amused now and more concerned, his forehead wrinkled.

“Yes,”
I answer quickly. “Of course he can share my book.”

“Excellent,”
Mr. Priftis answers as he returns to his desk.  I turn to Quinn, Mr.
RodeoGodHimself. 

“If
you scoot your desk over, you’ll be able to see,” I tell him.

Quinn
extracts himself carefully from the desk and moves it, then sprawls out once
again, but this time right next to me.  I can smell him now, that freshly showered
man smell and my stomach quivers.

I’m
annoyed with myself. 

I
do not
react like this to a guy.  Not ever.

Quinn
grins lazily at me and my stomach quivers again.

GodBlessIt.
Freaking traitorous stomach.

And
I realize that he’s not wearing his hat.  Probably because it’s against
school rules to wear a hat on the premises. His hair is definitely sandy blond
and it curls up slightly at the nape of his neck.  It’s also slightly
unruly, but I suspect that’s a good reflection of his personality.  Unruly.
Rebellious.  Ornery. 

His
white button-up shirt is slightly loosened at the top and his navy blue tie is
not quite straight.  He’s wearing his boots and they are currently crossed
at his ankles. He manages to look casual and sexy in this sterile classroom
setting.  I decide it must be an art.

“I
like the stripes,” he tells me, his dark eyes twinkling.

I
stare at him for a moment until I realize that he means my hair. And before I
can stop myself, I self-consciously run my fingers through a blue tendril.

“Thank
you,” I answer.  I have no idea if he meant the compliment or if he was
just using it as a way to point out that he noticed. 

“You’re
very coordinated,” he adds, gesturing toward my school uniform.  I flush
now.  Because now he’s teasing me. 

I
roll my eyes at him.

“What?”
he asks innocently.  But I can tell from his grin that he is anything but
innocent. I flush again.

He
looks at me quizzically, but Mr. Priftis starts his lecture and I turn my
attention to him.  It’s difficult to ignore Quinn McSexy sitting next to
me, particularly when I can feel his soft breath on my arm at times. 

I
gulp.

He
smiles.

I
die.

He
winks.

He
should look completely out of place.  Because he
is
out of place
even though he’s wearing a uniform like everyone else, although his boots
completely add a note of uniqueness to his outfit. 

“Do
you own any other shoes?” I whisper to him.

He
stares down at me.

“Of
course. I own football cleats.”

“We
don’t play American football here,” I tell him.

He
looks chagrined. 

“I
know.  They didn’t tell me that before I came here though.”

I’m
sitting next to an American cliché.  A big, muscular, hometown football
hero, probably.

To
satisfy my curiosity, I ask, “Did you play quarterback?”

Because
that would be the ultimate cliché.

But
he shakes his head.

“No.
I play full-back.”

I
have no idea what that is, but I nod as though I do.

And
then the bell is ringing and I am grabbing my books, saved from having to
pretend that I know something about a topic that I actually know nothing about.

As
everyone bustles into the hall, Quinn is surrounded by people trying to talk to
him. He is new here; a curiosity, a distraction. 
New
always equals
interesting
, at least for awhile.  And I find myself feeling
jealous when I see a throng of other girls milling about him. 

I
saw him first.

I
can’t stop the uninvited territorial feeling from welling up inside of
me.  As if I know him and have a claim to him.  And then I shake it
away. He’s not mine.  That’s ridiculous.  He’s not anyone’s. 
He’s a stranger here, just trying to fit in and get through his senior year in
a strange and foreign place.

But
Quinn stands a head taller than most people and as he turns his head, his gaze
meets mine. And there is something there, a familiar pull, almost like he is
clinging to me from across the hall because he is surrounded by strangers and
he feels like he knows me. 

But
he doesn’t. 

And
I don’t know him.

So
I break his gaze and walk away.

And
I am surprised by how hard it is to do.

Chapter Four

From:
Reece Ellis >
[email protected]

To: 
Mia Giannis >
[email protected]

Subject: 
First day?

M,

So
how was your first day??  Did you see Quinn?  How is he fitting into
life on Caberra?   I bet he sticks out like a sore thumb. I can
sympathize, though. I was the same way. 

It’s
hot here. Really, really freaking hot.  Dante understands now why I call
it Hell’s Kitchen. School here starts next week, so Dante and I are school
shopping today.  I told him that he can’t wear slacks here to school if he
wants to fit in. But honestly, I can’t picture him in Levi’s, either.
 I’ll take pics though and send them to you so you can see.  It might
be hi-lar-ious. 

He
came over yesterday and helped us throw hay bales.  OMG.  Regardless
of what I tell him, he truly can fit in anywhere. My grandpa loves him.

I
love you bunches and I miss you.

XOXO,

Reecie

My
heart warms up as I read her message.  I love that girl.  She’s my
very first BFF and it doesn’t matter that she’s halfway across the world. But
Christmas seems like a lifetime away right now. 

I
sigh and close my laptop. 

I
miss them both so much I can hardly stand it.