the back seat. "Sorry I missed lunch today. I heard from Roachie that it was quite a show."
Roachie would be Jim Roach, one of Jason's best buds. I spread my hands out in Vanna White fashion to show off Courtney's handiwork. "This is nothing compared to what she did in physiology class."
Jason raises an eyebrow. "Do I even want to hear this?"
"Oh yeah," I say, almost with a laugh. "We got our fetal pigs and were supposed to come up with a game plan for the dissection and everything, right? Well, Courtney takes the poor pickled little thing and holds it like it's a puppet or something and says, 'Nooooo, I don't want no crazy beeyotch touching me!' Can you believe that?"
"Did you pop her one?"
This time I do laugh. "I wish. Fortunately, Ms. Pritchard saw what she was doing and gave her the stink eye. After that, we worked on the to-do list the teacher gave us. Do you know how hard it is to sit with someone you're supposed to be teamed up with if she won't even carry on a decent, normal convo with you?"
"I'm sorry, Kendall." Jason hugs me again, crushing me to him with his protectiveness. "I'm sorry I can't do anything other than stand up for you."
Jason's definitely the shielding type. Alpha male, all the way. He does this for his sister, Taylor, because their dad left them and moved away to Alaska to be a park ranger. I can see why Jason wants to take care of Taylor so much; their mom is sort of reliving her twenties, and it's left Jason as the unofficial head of the household. A lot to ask of a seventeen-year-old guy who just wants to play basketball, run track, and hang with his girlfriend. I admire the hell out of him for all he's doing to keep his family knit together.
"You don't need to fight my battles for me," I say. "Even though Courtney is your ex and I'm sure most of her hatred stems from the fact that we're together." The tears well in my eyes again, blurring the image of Jason before me. God, when did I become such a weak female? I lean against the driver's side of the Jeep, not wanting anyone to see me. I'd be totally ripped if Courtney or any of her flock witnessed me close to tears. I don't ever want that little bitch to know she's gotten to me.
"Hey, y'all." I hear a familiar voice from behind us.
Jason moves in front of me, then relaxes and waves. "Yo, Nichols, Price."
Celia Nichols bounds up with Clay Price in tow. He's a cutie pie in his own right, and he and Celia make the most adorable couple. They're both nerdy and geeky in a completely endearing way.
"What's up?" Clay asks.
"Oh, you know," I say, steadying my voice. Sure, Celia's my best friend, but I know she'd read me the riot act for getting upset over Courtney. "I've barely seen you today, Celia. How ya doin'?"
"I'm hangin' in like a hair in a biscuit," she says, her grin stretching from ear to ear.
I can't help but screw up my face. "A what? Eww..."
Clay hugs her to him and ruffles her bobbed black hair.
Jason squints into the glaring sun. "What are y'all so happy about?"
"I just saw Principal Trumbell talking to Courtney in the office," Celia reports. "He had a finger in her face. I think he was giving her what for about the applesauce incident."
I dab my knuckle in the corner of my eye to make sure my mascara hasn't run. Phew! Good to go. "I don't want to talk about Courtney anymore."
Celia agrees. "She's not worth your breath. Besides, I got an e-mail today from this guy in Riverdale and he wants us to do an investigation of his barn the Friday after this. Says something's spooking his cows. I was thinking we could try out the new trifield meter that I got from Ghost-Mart.com, as well as the K2 meter that's been showing promise as a divination device, using lights for yes and no answers—"
"No way," Jason says, looking at Celia and then at me. "You promised, Kendall."
I bite my bottom lip. "No ghost hunting that weekend, Celia. We're going to the football game that Friday night with our boyfriends, and then we're going to the bowling alley like normal high school juniors."
Jason grunts his approval next to me.
Celia seems disappointed. "But ... I just got this new meter