Guys like that only date cheerleaders

"Come on," Agnes said, taking my hand. "Let's go down to Lori's and look around. I'll help you pick out stuff for school."

Downtown Asheville was so not what I was expecting. I thought it would be full of rundown brick buildings, empty storefronts, maybe an occasional pickup truck. Instead, the town was immaculate with red brick sidewalks, lush green trees planted along the road, fresh paint in pretty pastels, and thriving businesses. Ella May drove the five of us into town in a big white cargo van that said, 'Shadowhall Home' on the side. I was glad to get away from the huge advertisement that basically told any of my future classmates that I was a troubled orphan.

Cat disappeared into a consignment shop called 'Beauty's Best' and Mary Ann followed Ella May to the grocery store, sticking close by her side the whole time. Agnes dragged me past a drug store, a photography studio, a clothing shop, and an arcade that Jace disappeared into, until we got to Lori's, a bigger store full of pretty things like candles, cards, and neck-laces.

"This is my favourite store in town." She pulled open the front door and a little bell jingled. A cute woman up front with pigtails and blue ribbons in her hair waved and said hello. "Hi Lori," Agnes called. "Lori used to be one of the head cheerleaders for the Asheville Demons. She's so pretty isn't she? This is always the first store I come to when we get some time in town."

It was going to take some time to get used to having someone like Agnes to talk to all the time. It had been a long time since I'd lived with anyone I cared to talk to for more than a few minutes.

"I like it," I said, running my hand across a row of purses and wallets on the table. "But what can I get here for school? It's not like I need a purse or anything."

Agnes led me over to the backpacks and school supplies. "Here, pick out anything you need. I'm gonna go over to the candles and look around for a few. You okay over here by yourself?"

I smiled. "Yeah, I think I've got it under control."

She practically bounced over to the other side of the store leaving me in the back section alone. I picked through the backpacks. The foster home I'd been in last had insisted I leave all of my school stuff with them since they paid for it. A lot of times, at a new place, I'd end up with someone's hand-me-downs or whatever, so getting to pick out brand new stuff for myself was a real luxury.

"I personally like the Hello Kitty one with the pink flowers." I looked up to see a tall blond guy leaning against the wall, watching me. He had a smirk on his face, and I wondered if he was making fun of me. He was cute, but in a different way from the boy I'd seen earlier at Shadowhall. That other guy, Jackson, was very rebel-without-a-course while this guy was all-American-pretty-boy.

I picked up the pink bag and held it out toward him, then closed one eye as if picturing him wearing it. "Yeah, I can see that. It brings out the natural rosiness of your cheeks."

He laughed and grabbed the bag from my hand, then placed it back on the rack. "Here," he said. "Most of the people around here wear out school colours. Blue, like this one."

"What if I'm not like most other people?"

"Ooh, a rebel. Nice," he said. A stray piece of hair fell across his forehead as he leaned down to get a different bag. His eyes were as blue as the summer sky. "What about black with blue stripes?"

"You're all about getting me to wear the school colours. What are you, some kind of backpack ambassador for the local team?"

His eyes sparkled when he laughed, what were my chances of meeting two guys like this in one day bet all the girls already had their pick of a crush.

"Sort of," he said. "I'm the quarterback of the Demons football team."

Well, that certainly explained the muscles and tall frame. I'd never even been in a gym before, but suddenly I decided I was in dire need. "Well, in that case, I'd better take your advice."

I chose a black back with blue lighting bolts embroidered on the outside and he placed his index finger on his lips and pretended to study it.

"It's a little girly man, but I suppose it will do." He smiled again, then held his hand out to me. "I'm Drake, by the way. Lori's my sister. Sometimes I come by and help her unload boxes on the weekends after church."

I panicked thinking he was just going to end up dissing me off as freak. "Casper."

"You just moved here?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said. My palms felt hot. Would he care that I lived at Shadowhall? I was sure everyone in town knew what kind of place it was, and I wasn't expecting it to earn me any popularity points. It was only a matter of time before he found out, but I certainly didn't want to offer up bonus information. "From Atlanta."

"Cool," he said. "We don't get a lot of new people here. It'll be nice to get some new blood."

I was about to ask him more about the Demons football team when Agnes bumped into me, sending candles flying.

"Sorry Casper, I wasn't watching where-" her voice cut out as she noticed Drake standing there. I bent down to help her pick up the candles she'd dropped.

"Do you two know each other?"

"Oh hey Drake," Agnes said, standing. Her pale skin was flushed pink and her breathing was uneven.

"You did an awesome job ar the game Friday night. I was there right up front cheering you on."

Drake's eyebrows came together slightl and he looked from me to Agnes, then back again. I knew that look. My heart fell.

"So you live at Shadowhall?" He asked.

I tried to act like it was no big deal. I pulled my shoulders back. "Yeah. Just moved in today."

He looked around as if he were trying to find a way out of this situation. "I gotta run," he said, backing away. "Nice to meet you. Oh, and Agnes, make sure you pay for that stuff, especially if you broke any of those candles."

As Drake rushed off toward the back room, I stood there, feeling like the victim of a drive-by. What had just happened? Was he really that stuck-up? I'd experienced the cold-shoulder treatment in the past when people found out I was an orphan or a foster kid, but never anything quite as blatant as Drake's nice guy- and – bolt.

"What was Drake talking to you about?" Agnes said.

I sighed and helped Agnes collect the rest of her candles and put them into my bag. "I don't know, backpacks, I guess."

"Isn't he gorgeous? He's the most popular senior boy in school. Good looking. Crazy rich. And even more important, completely single."

"He's also an imbecile," I mumbled.

Agnes looked around. "Be quiet," she whispered. "You shouldn't say things like that in his sister's store. Besides, he's not like that at all."

"We're you paying attention at all just now? He was over here talking away, then when you walked over and he realised I was from Shadowhall. He turned into a grade-A jerk and got the hell away from us. In my book, that makes him a stuck-up imbecile."

"I doubt he was talking to you properly anyway," she said. "Guys like that only talk to their kind and only date cheerleaders."

"In movies, maybe- and I'm not gay!"

Agnes looked at me curiously, as if I had no idea how the world really worked.