God, I hope he believed every word I said.
CHAPTER FIVE
“And then what did they say?” Sabrina’s eyes are wide as she waits for my response, her bowl of rocky road ice cream mostly ignored while I happily gorge through mine.
Bree went home with me to grill me about what happened in the cafeteria. Morgan was supposed to come along, but she had been called to help out in her family’s convenience store across town.
Mom is still in the shop, so it's just Bree and me in my kitchen, eating leftover ice cream from the fridge. And yeah, talking about that little incident at lunch.
“They didn’t say anything else. Noah told them to leave me alone.” I shovel a spoonful of ice cream into my mouth.
“Do you think they listened?”
“No,” I say frankly. “I think as long as they see me hanging out with Noah, they will continue to taunt me.”
“Be thankful Laura wasn’t there. It could have gone worse.”
“Yeah, it could have.”
Spooning some ice cream, she asks, “And what about Lincoln?”
“What about him?”
“He was there, too. He heard and saw the whole thing. Now, he probably thinks you and Noah are dating.”
“I clarified the truth, remember?”
“And you think he believed you?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “But if Noah really wants to help me, he has to tell Lincoln we’re just friends. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
“Yeah. And maybe he’ll tell Laura to back off, too. You said so yourself. There’s a big possibility that he wants her back. Not setting things straight with her will only blow off his chance.” A frown creases Bree’s features. “But what if she tells him to stop hanging out with you? What will you do?”
“What will I do? Probably nothing.”
It’s not like I was the one who asked for it. Noah volunteered, didn’t he? And I’m not desperate to beg him to reconsider if he ever decides to withdraw.
“Don’t worry. If that happens, Morgan and I will take over.”
“Oh, please don’t.”
“Why not?”
I don’t respond.
My best friends mean well, but who’s to say it won’t end up in disaster? Bree tends to do things dramatically, while Morgan can be so bossy. The two of them working together? Not a good combo.
“Hello, girls. How’s your day?” Mom walks into the kitchen, carrying a loaded grocery bag. She changed her “make love, not war” shirt into a much more decent floral print one.
Praise Jesus.
“You’re early.”
“Kathy and I have plans tonight. We’re going to see Bon Jovi.”
“Cool,” Sabrina beams. “My mom loves them, too. Especially Bon Jovi himself.”
“I know,” Mom gushes as she organizes the groceries on the countertop. Then whispers conspiratorially to Bree. “Still a dreamboat, isn’t he? The way he moves on stage—ugh.” She bites her lip and closes her eyes.
“Mom!”
“What? He’s in my celebrity list.”
Bree almost chokes on the ice cream in her mouth.
I almost spit mine. “I didn’t have to know that.” Gross. “Did Dad even know?”
She waves a hand. “Oh, your dad knew about it.”
“And he was okay with it?”
“Sweetie, Pamela Anderson was in his list. Of course, he was okay with it.”
I gag. “I didn’t have to know that, either.”
Bree frowns a little. “I think Axl Rose is in my mom’s.”
“Seriously?” I gag some more. “You talk to your mom about that stuff?”
She just shrugs. “I came across it one time so I asked her.”
“Oh Riley, honey, don’t be such a prude.” Mom clucks her tongue.
I gape. She did not just say that.
Bree, the traitor, laughs then high-fives Mom.
Great. Now they’re ganging up on me.
Mom gives me a thoughtful look. “Oh, that's right. We haven't had the birds and the bees talk yet.” To my absolute horror, she pulls up a chair across from us and sits down.
This can’t be happening right now.
“You and Noah—”
“There’s no me and Noah!” I thought she believed me this morning.
“Your relationship may be new right now,” she goes on like I didn’t say anything. “But soon, you’ll have some urges.”
Bree makes a choking sound next to me.
And for the second time today, my neck grows hot. “Mom, please.”
Why does she keep on embarrassing me?
“You know your Dad and I met in high school.”
I do know that. Mom loves to tell me stories about her and Dad's high school days. And I love listening to them most of the time. I miss him, and I love that it feels like I get to see and feel him in Mom's stories. They keep the memories of him alive.
But something tells me this particular story is not going to head in the same direction. I'm going to hate every second of it.
“We were young and in love. And when two people are in love, well”—she clears her throat— “they consummate their relationship.”
“Okay.” I get up from my chair in a heartbeat. “Going up to my room now. Bree, let’s go.”
Sabrina looks a little shell-shocked, but she quickly follows.
“Honey, it’s perfectly normal,” Mom calls after us.
She calls traumatizing her teenage kid and her teenage kid’s best friend perfectly normal? I think I’m going to need a brain bleach.
******
Hours later, I stand on the doorway and watch Mom walk out of the house and get into Kathy’s car, waving at me just before they drive off.
I wave back, still a little peeved at her attempt at “birds and the bees” talk this afternoon. That’s not something I want to go through again, thank you very much.
Closing the door behind me, I glance around. I just finished doing homework, and it’s still a little early to sleep. So what’s left for me to do?
Hmmm. How about a Teen Wolf marathon on Netflix? I love that show. It doesn’t hurt to see some shirtless werewolves in action, anyway.
After popping a bag of popcorn in the microwave, I make myself comfortable in front of the TV in the living room. I’m halfway through the first episode when someone buzzes at the door.
Did Mom forget something? But she never buzzes.
Pausing the TV, I rise from the couch and pad to the front door. When I open it, I’m surprised to see Noah.
He’s wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and faded jeans, his hair looking like it’s been slept on.
I blink at him. “What are you doing here?” Did he say he was coming over? I don’t remember him telling me that earlier today.
“What are you wearing?” His voice is filled with amusement as he drops his gaze to my pajama bottoms.
“Leave SpongeBob alone,” I scowl.
Smirking, he holds his hands up and walks inside without waiting for my invite.
“What are you doing here, Pritchett?” I sigh, repeating my question, and follow after him.
“I’m bored—Ooh, popcorn.” He plops down on the couch and grabs my popcorn bowl.
Does this boy have any shame left in his body?
I sit down on the other end of the couch and cross my legs up, facing him. “And you don’t have any friends to bother?”
“You are my friend,” he says on a mouthful of popcorn.
My brows shoot up. “Really?”
“Well”—he shrugs—“I’d like to think that we’re friends now. I’m helping you with Linc, after all.”
“What have you done exactly? For a supposed wingman, you’re not very good,” I retort, making air quotes on the wingman part. “You drove me to school this morning, saying we needed to strategize. But we didn’t actually do any strategizing, did we? You just demanded I sit with you and your friends at lunch. And so I did. But then
what happened? I got bullied by Laura’s friends instead. You didn’t even help in setting things straight with them. Now, they’re targeting me. You practically threw me to the wolves.”
He lifts a brow. “That’s a little stretch, don’t you think?”
I growl. “Whatever. I’m not sitting with you in the cafeteria again.”
“Okay, okay. Geez, I’m sorry, all right?” He shoots me a sheepish look. “And don’t worry about the girls. I already told them to leave you alone. They won’t bother you anymore.”
I snort. As if they’d stop just because he said so. I’m not stupid. Girls like Lindsay and Tabitha can be vicious when they set their sights on someone. Since I’m that someone, I’m basically screwed.
Great job, Pritchett.
“Hey, what are you watching?”
“Teen Wolf.”
“Pfft. That’s boring.” He reaches for the remote on the coffee table and stops what I was just watching to scroll through Netflix. He settles on Stranger Things. “Now, that’s more like it.”
“Don’t you have Netflix at home?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then why don’t you go watch that show in your own home and leave me to my own preference?” I grab the remote from him and put it back to Teen Wolf.
He pouts like a five-year-old. "You're no fun, Ellison. You know that, right?"
“Shut up. I’m loads of fun.” Out of spite, I snatch the bowl of popcorn just as he’s about to take some.
“Prove it. Come to the party with me on Saturday.”
“I don’t have to prove anything to you.” I pop some popcorn into my mouth, trying hard not to stick out my tongue at him.
Noah shakes his head. “Like I said, no fun.”
Ugh. This boy. “I probably have some homework to do then.”
“Seriously? It’s the weekend. Besides, Linc will be there. Don’t you want to spend some time with the guy of your dreams?” He waggles his eyebrows as if to say, you know you want to.
Of course, I want to. But I don’t know if I want to spend time with Lincoln at a party. Can we even talk through the loud music? There will be so many distractions there. How will we be able to...bond?
Besides, I can’t even talk to him without stuttering and looking like a complete idiot. It’s not as if I’ll be able to magically act confident in front of him in like two days.
But if I really want him to notice me, I have to at least try. Who knows, maybe the party will be a good start.
“Come on, girl. Live a little.”
I take a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”
His face brightens up. “Great. I’ll pick you at around seven. Be ready by then.”
That’s good enough. I’ll have until afternoon to help out in the shop. I’m always there during the weekends to help Mom.
“Trust me”—he pats my knee and grabs the bowl back, shoving some popcorn into his mouth—“it’s gonna be great.”
I doubt it. But what the heck, right?
CHAPTER SIX
“Hey, guys!” I approach the table where my best friends are sitting, putting my lunch tray next to Morgan’s. But before it touches the surface, an arm drapes around my shoulders and a hand grabs hold of my tray.
Judging by the cool cologne invading my senses, it’s Noah. Should I be disturbed that I’m now familiar with his scent?
“Lost your way, Ellison?” His voice comes to my ear in the next second, making me jolt a little.
Sabrina glares at him. “Seriously?”
I give her a faint smile. “I guess I’m sitting with them again.”
She rolls her eyes. “Go have fun with your new friends.”
Great. I’ve pissed Bree off.
But that’s not all. Because Morgan has a parting message for us, too. “How long are you planning to keep that up?”
“If I end up with zero friends at the end of this, it’s your fault,” I whisper to Noah as he walks me to his table.
“Stop being dramatic and put on your most charming smile. Linc is staring.”
Sure enough, Lincoln is watching us approach the table. Julian is saying something to him, but he’s not paying attention. His eyes are focused on me instead.
Stomach fluttering with nervousness, I try to paste on my most charming smile as Noah instructed, all teeth on full display.
But instead of smiling back, Lincoln is giving me a funny look.
Noah chuckles lightly. “Are you trying to charm him or scare him?”
My cheek heats up. But I make sure to tone down my smile, making a mental note to practice in front of the mirror later to learn how to show a perfect one.
Noah deposits me right next to Lincoln—making the butterflies inside me to go at it again—and he sits on my other side.
Wait. Where’s Laura? Lindsay? Tabitha? They always sit here.
I nudge Noah who’s mid-bite on his chicken sandwich and whisper. “Where’s your girlfriend and her posse?”
“Ex-girlfriend.”
“Whatever. So where are they?”
“They’re sitting somewhere else.”
“Where?” I glance around the cafeteria but I can’t see them anywhere. “They’re not here.”
He shrugs. “Who cares? As long as they’re not bothering you.”
That makes me stiffen. “Wait. Did you send them away? Great. Now, they’d think you didn’t want them here because of me.”
“Well, duh. I told them they were making you uncomfortable.”
I shoot him a furious look. “Why did you even say that? They’d think it was my idea to get rid of them. That I made you do it. Now, they’re really thinking that we’re dating.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, Ellison. But you’re not my type.”
“You’re not mine either,” I hiss. What an ass.
Giving him one last glare, I turn back to my lunch. Why did he have to make it sound like it was the most ridiculous thing ever?
Of course, it’s never going to happen. And not just because I’m not his type. Please. I’ve never been attracted to him. He’s just Noah—my classmate and the next door neighbor I don’t really talk to.
Besides, it’s always been Lincoln for me. No one else will do.
Most definitely not Noah. He’s really so not my type.
“Everything okay?” Lincoln says.
It takes a moment for me to realize he’s talking to me. I clear my throat. “Yeah. You?”
I mentally facepalm myself in the next second. Yeah, you? Why am I so lame?
“Everything’s great,” he chuckles. Then turns serious. “So, you and Noah—”
“Aren’t dating. At all,” I hurry on before he can finish. I let out an awkward laugh. “Just clearing things up.”
“Right. You’re working on a secret project.”
“Yep.” I nod eagerly. “Top secret.”
But inwardly, I’m freaking out over the fact that I’m having a real conversation with Lincoln Evans for the first time ever. And without acting like an idiot at that.
I take in a deep calming breath. I can’t mess up this time. But a flowery scent hits my nose, tickling it.
Is that Lincoln’s perfume? Huh. He should use Noah’s. His cologne smells better—the kind you’d love to breathe in all day.
I quickly dismiss the thought. Lincoln’s perfume is great. Nothing wrong with it. I’m not just used to it.
And I definitely don’t love to sniff Noah’s.
“Can you at least give me a clue? Is it school-related?”
Wait. What are we talking about again? Ah, yes, the secret project.
I’m about to say yes but decide against it in the last moment. “Um, no. It’s something his mom asked us to do.”
“Oh, family-related?”
“Something like that.”
We both grow silent and my mind races for a new topic to cover. I want to keep talking to him. “So, are you going to the party tomorrow?”
“I kinda d
on’t have a choice. These guys won’t let me hear the end of it.” His lips curl into a small smirk. Sigh. So cute. “How about you?”
“It won’t hurt to come, I guess.” I shrug, leaving out the fact that I’m coming with Noah.
He doesn’t have to know that.
“Cool. I’ll see you there.”
“Can’t wait.” I grin, sounding too eager. Crap! I quickly amend the slip-up. “To go to the party, I mean.”
We stop talking after that but my smile stays on until the end of lunch period. For the first time since Noah made his proposition to me, I’m seeing hope. Like maybe his silly idea will work.
Now, I’m fully onboard. I’m still apprehensive of his ex-girlfriend, but I’m willing to deal with Laura and her posse if it means getting Lincoln in the end.
I truly can’t wait.
******
The English teacher didn’t feel like lecturing so she had us take out our copies of The Scarlet Letter and instructed us to spend the rest of the period reading it.
So here I am, eyes on the book trying to concentrate. But I haven’t been able to leave chapter one since I started.
Because my head is in the clouds. Basically, it’s back in the cafeteria—back with Lincoln. We talked and I didn’t stutter. Not even once. That was a big freaking deal for me.
And gah, he looked so cute with his hair slicked back. Then that smile… How I managed to concentrate in our conversation is beyond me.
I’m still trying to absorb the words in the same chapter when something hits my head.
“Ow,” I mutter, looking down to see a crumpled paper on the floor. Glancing up to find the culprit, my gaze meets Noah’s across the room.
He’s gesturing with his hands, but I’m too pissed to care.
I’m still mad at him for making that “you’re not my type” comment. Like who the heck does he think he is?
“Jerk.” I scowl at him, then focus my eyes back on the book.
But then he does it again. Why can’t he leave me alone?
“What?” I mouth angrily.
Noah makes the annoying gesture again.
And that’s when I see the phone in his hand.
As if on cue, my phone vibrates in my bag. Why is he texting me?
Scowling at him, I fish it out. There are several messages and all of them came from him.
Say Anything Page 4
