hell, bro,” I grit out, gripping my hair like I’m going to pull it out. “She sets my insides on fire.”
“I know, dude,” Cole laughs. “I’ve seen the way you look at her. The way you hunt her down.”
I snap my head up and look at him.
“What?”
“J, I’ve been your best friend since forever and kingdom come,” he starts. “I’ve seen the way you looked at her at parties and the way she would quickly run out the door and leave the moment she saw you. Or that one time you went to the Mathletes finals and sat in the very back, just to see her.”
“How the fuck do you know that?” I demand, shocked.
“It was after the pool incident with Aiden and Liam.”
“Fuck,” I whisper. “So, you followed me.”
I should’ve known he’d do that.
I can see the slight guilt in his eyes, but I now he’s not sorry for doing it.
“I fucking did.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” I say sarcastically.
“You’re welcome boy. But I saw you. I saw the way you looked at her, the way you watched her every move and the way she seemed to know when you’re around her.” Cole turns to walk over to his car but then he looks at me one last time.
“So what?”
“So, you’ve been obsessed with her so much that fate had to mix and conspire to fuck with you. Don’t let that trip you up or make you think she’s bad for you. Though, I think big John and our new step-mommy would have a coronary knowing that the kids are fucking.”
And with that, he throws his head back and starts laughing.
19
MIA
As someone who’s generally used to being the center of everyone’s obsession, arriving at school Monday morning was the most painful thing that could ever happen to me. Mostly because all eyes were on me, but this time around for a completely different reason.
Each step I take is analyzed, to the point where they begin to follow me from the moment I step out of my car. I look around discreetly, not really catching anyone’s gaze, but I feel it on me, like sticky, icky glue.
I know there’s talk about what happened Saturday night and I sure as hell know that there’s video evidence circulating somewhere. That’s the fucked up shit about high school. If you get caught on camera, you’ll never live that shit down.
A group of stuck up sophomores stand in the middle of the quad that leads to the front doors of Clintwood, two of the girls are frowning at me, while the rest wave enthusiastically.
I frown and keep going. Is there something in my hair? Not likely because I actually took an hour in my new bathroom with a vanity mirror, the drawers stocked with every beauty product I’ve ever mentioned to my aunt.
Yup, John does get bedroom points. Not that I’m interested in finding out about that shit.
The good thing is Julian wasn’t home the entire weekend. Not since the secret stairs, eavesdropping, naked incident. Not that I was looking for him.
I pass a group of nerds who are in my AP classes, and they nod too, their eyes following me. It feels like every single eyeball in this school is doing just that, eyeballing me.
Does that mean I have to bow my head, walk with my shoulders drooped like salty teardrops just because of what happened on Saturday? Nope.
I hold my head up high, bad posture is a major turn off for me, and to be honest, faking confidence has always been my thing.
But when I cross the quad, my high heels and stocking combo and the rest of my appearance currently undergoing an intense scrutiny—judge away you miserable bitches, I made sure to take extra time to get ready this morning for all of you—a round of applause and cheers starts ringing from behind me.
Confused, I look around and notice some juniors clapping and hollering at me, and then seniors join in, whistling and cheering like I finally won a medal for being the biggest fraud for the past few years or like I had set up our principle for a date with a man who can finally handle her and give her an overdue orgasm.
“There she is!” Dante and Brantley walk up to me, huge smiles on their faces.
“Here I am,” I murmur, the hairs at the back of my neck standing up on end like I’ve just been struck by lightning.
“Shit, Mia!” Brantley starts, his voice scratchy with a high