Bittersweet (Redemption #3) - Jessica Prince Page 0,34
longer her ally. She was looking at me like I was the enemy.
“You’re being ridiculous. Get over yourself, Rina.” I took a step to the side, ready to pass her, only to freeze solid when the tray I was holding was knocked out of my hands, sending my lunch scattering all over the floor at my feet.
My head swiveled slowly toward Rina, my lips parted and eyes wide with shock as she took a step closer. At the crash of my lunch tray, the cafeteria had gone completely silent, everyone turning to stare at our showdown.
“I said back off,” she repeated, her words coming out in a low, menacing warning.
I’d never been in a fight in my life, and Rina was banking on that. But in that moment, any loyalty I’d felt toward her shriveled up and turned to dust. She’d just sparked to life a part of me that neither of us knew existed. I wasn’t afraid of or intimidated by her, and as my fingers curled in and clenched tight, I suddenly felt the overwhelming desire to drive my fist into her face.
I took a step closer, closing more of the distance between us. “Or what?” I asked, my tone making her eyes go wide. She’d expected me to back down. Well, she had another think coming. I was no one’s doormat or punching bag.
“Walk away.”
At the new voice, Rina’s head turned and her expression instantly changed. Gone was the mean girl looking for a fight. A flirty smile stretched her slimy lips while she batted her overly made up eyes. “Oh, hey Jensen. I was just—”
He cut her off, coming to a stop right beside me, so close his arm brushed mine, causing goosebumps to spring to life. “I said walk away.”
Surprise infused her features. “But—”
“Now,” he said with a snarl so furious it made me jump, pulling my focus from Rina for the first time. When I looked over at him a shiver worked its way down my spine. In that moment, he looked like he would gladly rip someone’s head off with his bare hands, and I imagined that was the same look he had right before he got into a fight.
“Jensen,” I whispered, reaching out to touch his arm even though the look in his eyes scared the crap out of me. “Let’s just go.”
He didn’t move or pull his gaze from Rina. “Since you didn’t get the message, I’ll spell it out for you. There’s not a chance in hell I’d ever fuck you. Even if I wasn’t into Shane, I still wouldn’t fuck you. You’re desperate, and that’s a major turnoff. But none of that matters because I am into Shane, so even if she shoots me down, you’d never have a chance because you’d never compare to her.”
“That’s enough,” I said, my voice stronger and louder. “I’m done with this. I want to go.”
Jensen finally turned to me, and as soon as he did, the storm clouds in his eyes began to break apart. With an indiscernible nod, he grabbed my hand and started toward the cafeteria doors.
I glanced back at Rina one last time to see her chin was wobbling and her eyes had gone glassy with unshed tears. There was a small part of me that wanted to feel bad for her, but the rest of me thought she’d brought it on herself. She’d let a boy who hadn’t shown a single ounce of interest in her come between us, proving she didn’t deserve my friendship. I’d had too many people walk away from me in my life, so I was used to turning those feelings off. It was the only way to prevent pain that came with crushing disappointment. In that moment, I did just that; I turned my feelings for Rina off, making her less than a memory.
Jensen kept my hand firmly wrapped in his as he led me down the hall toward the exit.
“Where are we going?” I asked, pulling on his grip.
“I’m taking you to lunch,” he answered casually, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
I tugged harder to no avail. “Jensen, we can’t leave campus for lunch.”
He turned his head and hit me with that damn smirk that made my knees wobbly. “Seniors can.”
“But I’m not a senior.”
“Relax, sunshine,” he said, giving me a wink that made my lips tremble with the urge to smile. “Live a little. I’ll get you back before your next class.”