“What are you planning to do to me?” I asked anxiously.
He shrugged. His gaze slipping down over me. “Haven’t decided yet.”
“I could tell you to piss off.”
I should.
The idea of being alone with him and dealing with his constant taunting and dark innuendos made my gut tighten.
His head snapped straight sternly. “Then you’d be failing to uphold your end of the bet. I’ve never known you to break your word.”
His gaze turned deeply contemptuous. “But you have changed a lot...”
He’s angry at me?
He turned his back and picked up his guitar again. “And not for the better.”
Oh! How dare you!
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I demanded.
“You used to be sweet and kind and nice to everyone.”
“I still am!”
“Not to me.”
“You’re a bully!” I defended. Realizing my voice was rising.
“Ah, ah.” He paused strumming his guitar to wave a finger at me. “Best calm your voice before mama Jessica hears.”
“Eric!” I stomped in frustration.
“What?” He blinked innocently.
“You are a bully.” I said in a quieter voice.
“Only to you.” He dismissed. Going back to strumming.
“Why?”
“Because…You’re you.”
“Can’t you go find someone else to torment?”
“Why would I want to do that? Besides, isn’t it testament to what I’m saying that to alleviate your own suffering, you’d wish it on another.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
He stopped, flattening his hand over the strings to bring them to a dead stop. Tilting his head at me.
“Do you ever know what you mean?”
“Yes! What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Was a simple question. Why do you get so defensive?”
“Because it’s you asking.” I said dryly. “Why are you so awful?”
“It amuses me.” He said blandly. “Why are you so dreadful to me?”
“What?” I paused and eyed the ground. “I’m-I’m not.”
“You absolutely are. You smile and laugh and chat with everyone at school but me.”
“Ha!” I pointed at him. “So you admit I am still sweet and kind.”
“No. You certainly aren’t to me. I didn’t specify who I was talking about so I’m not wrong.”
“You are.”
“So, you think you’re sweet to me?”
I glowered at him. Jaw tightening.
“Because I assure you,” He dropped a fist atop the side of his guitar and propped his chin on it. “I’d let you get real sweet with me…”
“You’re impossible.”
“Oh, no. I’m completely possible Sweetheart…Why don’t you give me a try.”
“Screw that.” I turned to walk from his room.
“That’s precisely what I mean.” There was amusement in his voice.
I stopped, my back going ramrod straight before huffing. Making fists at my side as I stalked toward his bedroom door.
“No?” He called after me. “Maybe next week then.”
I stepped through the door and peeked back around it. “You’re utterly despicable.”
He grunted in faint amusement. Dropping his head back to watch his fingers strumming strings.
As if my arguments had been little more than a minor inconvenience.
Does anything get under his damn skin?
***
The next day seemed to be taking forever.
I’d been diligently avoiding any interaction with Eric. Which meant sitting in the back of three of my classes.
Because he’s everywhere. I couldn’t even remember when he’d come to those classes.
He’d only been in one when the year started.
“What’s on your mind.” Emilia skipped up next to me. Teetering forward on her toes to ask. “Somebody…hot?”
“Not in the least.” I grumbled.
“Oh, I know that tone.” She frowned. “Why ya thinkin’ bout Eric?”
“Because…” I groaned. Shoulders slumping dramatically. “He’s in English Class, History and Algebra II, and then he’s there when I go home.”
I plopped my forehead against the cool metal shelf of my locker and let my arms dangle limply in frustration.
“He’s there.”
“Yes!”
“No. I mean he’s there.”
“Yes, he’s always there.”
“No, Allie. I mean he’s right behind you.” She chewed one cheek. And looked at me in a way that told me she was mortified for me.
I backed up, thinking I could whirl, sidestep him and get out of the corner and to my next class.
Without dealing with him.
But when I stepped, he was far closer than I anticipated. My back slapped into the expanse of hard chest. I grunted in objection.
“I know.” He remarked near my ear. “Like backing into a stone wall, huh?”
Looking defeated I turned to glower at him. “Not nearly.”
“My abs are like rocks.” He lifted his t-shirt and slapped them. Causing no ripple at all. “Here. Feel ‘em.”
“No. Not a chance.” I tried to step around him, but he cut me off. I tried the other direction. Same thing.
I groaned prominently. “What do you want, Eric?”
“Ooh.” He pursed his lips in over emphasis. “Isn’t that a fun question?”
“No.” I shook my head adamantly. “Do not answer that.”
He shrugged. “Then what would you like me to answer?”
“Why are you at my locker?”
“Because you’re here.” He said simply. “And you’ve been dodging me all day.”
“No, I haven’t!” I reflexively denied.
He blinked at me.
“Fine…” I groaned. “Can’t a girl have some time alone.”
“Depends on what she’s going to do with it.”
“I punched him in the shoulder and shoved past him.”
“Ooh. She likes it rough!” He shouted down the hall after me.
***
Emilia jogged to catch up to me. “Why don’t you just do him and get it over with?”
“Why on Earth would I do that?”
“Because people can cut the sexual tension between you with a knife.”
“There’s no sexual tension.” I gave her a black look.
“Yep, and you got no booty either.” She reached around behind me to whack my ass cheek playfully. Making it a point that she was being blatantly sarcastic.
“Smack her again!” Someone cheered from behind us.
We were too far away to clearly recognize the muffled voice. Still, I didn’t have to look to know.
He’s still watching us walk away.
“Kill me.” I muttered.
“With kindness!” Emilia oozed. “Just let him have a go. He might leave you alone then.”
“Yes, and hell might freeze over.”
Comments (0)
See all