Kissing the Shy Guy - Stephanie Street Page 0,14

was for me. I thought it was important to him, too.

Now, seeing him at school was painful and irritating when it had once been exciting and fun. It didn't help that we had three classes together. I could hardly turn around without bumping into him.

He'd been right about another thing, too. I was paying attention, more than I wanted to admit, and more than he deserved. But my curiosity had gotten the better of me. I had to know who it was, the girl he'd dumped me for.

It had only taken one day to figure it out. Her name was Laura. I didn't know her very well beyond working with her in choir and drama, but I'd been learning. She was a junior and moderately cute. I'd have put her in the 'annoying' category, but most drama kids were.

They were singing a duet together in the final concert of the school year. I already knew that, but hadn't paid much attention. I was now. Instead of working on my own solo for the concert, I'd focused on watching them as they rehearsed all gooey-eyed and disgustingly into each other. Josh had done nothing to hide his feelings even though he knew I was watching. The douche.

If it wasn't for Ms. Jackson and all the work she put into building a program worth being proud of, I'd be tempted to sabotage their performance. Instead, I'd have to think of something else.

I waited until after the Language Arts class Josh and I had together before confronting Josh about the home-wrecking hussy. "Laura? Really? You threw me over for that girl?"

Josh smirked. He knew I didn't like her. She was a huge pain in my butt. She thought she knew everything about singing and drama. Actually, she might know a thing or two about drama since she created it everywhere she went. I'd had my fill of her last semester when the drama club performed Oklahoma! just before Christmas.

It irked me to think she thought she'd won. Stealing my boyfriend. Mine! As if!

"Like you care?" he asked before turning away.

"You're right!" I shouted at his back, not caring who saw or heard. "I don't care. I should have dumped you a long time ago! I just never knew you were so spineless!"

Josh surprised me, spinning back around and getting up in my face. "Spineless? I dated you, didn't I? The ice queen of Lakewood High. You know what they call you behind your back, don't you?"

I knew exactly. And I didn't care. My upper lip curled in derision. "What do you think they'd call you if they knew you left me to fend for myself because your new girlfriend is jealous and insecure?"

His eyes flared with barely restrained anger that shocked me. Had he been more invested in our relationship than I realized? Had I hurt him? Was that why he'd turned to Laura?

It didn't matter. He should have said something. He should have talked to me not gone around behind my back. He definitely should not have abandoned me weeks before our performance.

"You think that's why I quit?" He scoffed. "I quit because you are impossible to work with. Nobody can live up to Jenna's standards, and I was sick of trying." He stood up straight, staring down his nose at me. "Good luck trying to win without me."

"Don't worry," I had to shout at his back again. "I plan on doing just that!"

"Whoa, girl. What was that all about?"

I turned to see my two best friends staring after Josh's retreating back. I was convinced Lydia Garcia and Bella Johnson were the only two people on the planet who understood me. I didn't know what I'd do without them.

"Josh broke up with me," I replied to Bella who'd asked the question.

Her eyes popped. "He did what? Now? In the hall?"

Lydia rolled her eyes, bored. "Who cares? You're better off without him. I never liked Josh in the first place."

Ignoring Lydia, I answered Bella's string of questions. "He broke up with me yesterday during our rehearsal. And he quit on me. I have to find another partner for the DIVA competition or completely change my program."

Both girls gasped.

"He didn't!" Bella's eyes were as wide as Chris Hemsworth's shoulders in the first Thor movie.

Even Lydia looked shocked. "Why did he do that?"

Instead of giving her a direct answer, I told her what I knew they'd both want to know. "He was cheating on me."

"No!" They gasped again.

Bella put her hand over her heart while