I woke up feeling both great and shitty at the same time. It was already evening, and something smelled good. Like really good.
Where the hell am I?
I turned my head and spotted Rowan holding a couple of food bags. We were parked in front of some fast-food place. Classy.
"Hungry?" he asked.
"What time is it?" I mumbled.
He checked his watch—some fancy thing that looked like it cost more than my soul.
"6:33."
"Shit. I was asleep that long? Why didn't you wake me up?"
Didn't we leave school around 8?
"I've been asleep for 10 freakin' hours?" No wonder I felt like a zombie with a massage.
"Eat," he said, shoving the bags into my lap.
Man of many words, this one.
I rolled my eyes but didn't argue. I was starving. And free food? Hell yeah. I wasn't proud.
"You're eating too, right?" I asked.
He nodded.
Good. Eating alone was depressing. Even with a walking muscle sculpture beside you.
I turned back to my food and started wolfing it down. Fries, half a burger—gone. By the time I was full, my stomach hurt a little from how fast I ate.
I side-eyed Rowan. Big appetite. Of course.
He looked exactly how you'd expect an Alpha to look—tall, broad, annoyingly handsome. Black hair that was messy in a way that worked way too well, and blue eyes that didn't need to try that hard to be intense.
Yeah. My mate was hot.
Lucky me, I guess.
Not that I was gonna swoon or anything. I'd been through enough crap to know looks didn't mean jack.
Still. I'd take a hot mate over an ugly one.
Not that it mattered.
"I'm done," I said, pushing the rest of the bags toward him.
He raised a brow. "You didn't even finish the hamburger."
"But I ate all the fries." I shrugged.
"That's not enough food."
"Small appetite."
Imagine having a big appetite while being broke. Pretty sure my stomach shrank just to keep me from starving to death.
"At least finish the hamburger," he said, gently.
I was stuffed, but he did pay for it…
The least I could do was finish it.
I couldn't finish it. I'd eaten maybe a third before I groaned, "If I eat any more, I'm gonna throw up."
I handed him the tiny piece left in my hand. He took it and popped it in his mouth like it was nothing.
"Where do you live?" And now he wants to drive me home. I hesitated. Just for a second. Free ride. Easy. But letting someone see where I lived? How nice.
As if. No way I'm letting Mr. Hot see my disaster of a house. I, too, possess shame.
"I'll direct you," I said with a smile.
Two left turns, one right, and we were in the general vicinity of my hellhole.
"Stop. I can walk from here," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt.
He glanced around before speaking. "Or I could drive you there."
"Okay, goodbye. Thanks for the food and the ride. But let's not make this a habit—you're a guy I met literally today."
I stepped out of the car and gently closed the door behind me.
"You also probably shouldn't skip your first day of school for a girl."
I turned on my heel and walked away.