Her Tuesday night visit to the Games Room was a highlight of the week. Ellie and her best friend Flora were great fun, and Jessica fell into an easy friendship with both of them. Amy, too, often accompanied her and was always trying to get her to expand it to Saturday nights as well, especially as there was usually a party of some sort in one of the Common Rooms on a Saturday night. But so far, Jessica had resisted the parties. It was like a private punishment for herself. She had spent too many years ignoring her studies in favour of partying and now she was making up for it. She forced herself to spend Saturday nights studying.
She was starting to settle in and find her way around. Her friendship with Reed was developing nicely too. The only wick in her routine was Bianca. For some reason Bianca had decided to hate her, which made life extremely difficult when they shared a room.
Jessica had a feeling that Bianca’s anger had to do with Byron, on whom Bianca had a massive crush. She thought back to the first time she had mentioned him in her presence.
She had just come back from her first Friday night tutoring with him, and Amy called to her from the sofa in the Common Room as she went past.
“Hey, Jess. How was music tonight? Did he behave himself?”
Jessica sat down on the arm of the sofa, unwilling to make herself comfortable because Bianca was there looking moody.
“Yeah, usual Byron. It’s hard to keep his mind on anything except breasts for very long, but we managed.”
“Byron? You spent the evening with Benito Byron?” Bianca was suddenly all ears.
“You know him?” Jessica asked.
“Not as well as she’d like to,” Amy snickered.
“Back off, Amy. You know nothing about it,” Bianca said furiously.
“He’s tutoring me in music, that’s all.” Jessica’s eyes widened at Bianca’s reaction. “And Reed is tutoring me in science and maths, and Ellie Parkhurst is helping me with history. It’s hardly a big deal.”
“Eustace Reed is tutoring you too?” Bianca looked at Jessica with real dislike for the first time. “You must be thick as pig fat to need all that extra help.”
“Maybe,” Jessica said, trying to control her temper. “But at least I don’t have a face like a pizza, otherwise I’d be forced to come to you for lessons on how to hide it, wouldn’t I?”
There was a slight gasp from Amy and Prisha as the implication of Bianca’s spots and the mountain of foundation she wore to disguise them became obvious.
Bianca snarled something incomprehensible at her and stormed off. Prisha quickly followed her.
“Oh dear,” Jessica sighed. “I shouldn’t have said that. I just couldn’t help myself.”
“I don’t know, it was quite satisfying to see her being taken down for once,” Amy said with a flick of her finger.
“Amy!” Jessica admonished. “That’s not like you.”
“I know.” Amy grinned ruefully. “But she was pretty catty about my hair yesterday; it annoyed me.”
“I know she deserves it,” Jessica agreed. “But don’t let me go for her. I’m determined to be sweetness and light to everyone, no matter how aggravating.”
“A lot of people would think you were great for standing up to her.”
Jessica shook her head. “I just don’t care about being popular anymore. I just want to keep my head down and concentrate on music. You won’t believe this, or maybe you will, but I was a bit of a bully in my last school. The stupid thing is that I didn’t even see it at the time, I thought my taunting people was funny, and that everyone was laughing along with me; now I realize they were just scared I would turn on them next. It wasn’t until I was expelled that they all started to come forward and tell the school that I’d been a bully. My parents were totally mortified, and it’s on my permanent record. It’s no wonder no school wants me. So I’ve sworn to be well-behaved.”
“Sorry.” Amy touched her arm. “I didn’t realise. I wonder why she was so mad though, even before you made that comment about her skin.”
“A touch of the green-eyed monster, I think. Clearly she has a crush on Byron.”
“Yeah, that must be it,” Amy agreed.
After that Bianca’s hostility increased week by week, but Jessica didn’t care. She had a mystery man she could complain to. She and The Eagle moved on from just email and swapped phone numbers as well. They so far resisted actually talking to each other by phone, but every night Jessica pulled her bed covers over her head and the two of them sent text messages back and forth while the rest of the school slept.
Chapter Seven
One wet Saturday afternoon in early October, Amy and Jessica decided to go down to the library. As Amy chose a work station to set up at, Jessica wandered over to the physics section to see if a book that Reed had recommended was on the shelves.
She ran her finger along the spines trying to find the relevant book, and followed the titles alphabetically round a dark corner. Tucked away in a totally empty part of the library she discovered an alcove table, with an intimate reading lamp to warm it, and Reed, with a stack of comics.
She slid into one of the chairs at the table with raised eyebrows. “Comic books, Reed? Isn’t that living up to the stereotype a bit?”
Reed groaned. “Well, there’s another secret out of the bag! I come here to read them because my roommates tease me, and there’s hardly ever anyone in this section of the library.”
Jessica picked one up curiously. “I’ve never really read one of these kind of comics.” She noted the girl on the front wore a purple spandex cat-suit and had an extremely large cleavage. The shadowy figure of a man behind her was clearly bare-chested and sporting a powerful-looking machine gun. “I don’t get the impression it’s going to be anything like the comics I read when I was, like, eight years old?”
Reed turned red and snatched it out of her fingers. “No. These are way cooler. Not that I’m dissing a good old-fashioned kids’ comic, but no, these are a bit more adult.”
“Adult?” Jessica smirked at the cat lady’s assets. “They look like they are aimed directly at teenage boys to me.”
“Not at all,” Reed shook his head seriously. “While the reader market is predominately male for real comics, they are read primarily by men in their twenties and thirties.”
“So, you pick them up when you’re a teenager for the girls on the covers and then stay hooked for the next fifteen years?” Jessica teased.
“It isn’t the girls. Or not just the girls,” he amended with a grin. “It’s the graphics and the art that’s really amazing, plus there is a whole world inside comic books that interacts with the other comics in the genre and creates characters and storylines that cross over and become totally engrossing.”
“But it is kind of a geek thing,” Jessica said.
Reed shrugged. “I suppose so. Perhaps the reason that so many geeks like them is not the girls but actually the male characters. They are usually men with issues, some of them even geeks themselves like Peter Parker, but they have interesting dark sides or alternate personas. They pursue justice, and often wear a mask to remain anonymous. But it’s like when they have the mask on, they are free to be cool, and not just be what their friends expect them to be.” He smiled at her. “And then, when they are superheroes, they can get the girl.”
Jessica eyed him thoughtfully. “Fair enough; it sounds deeper than it looks. I get it. What I don’t get is the mask. Why can’t they openly be the hero, why do they have to pretend to be someone else?”
Reed looked down at his hands. “It’s hard to change someone’s perception of you. Especially if you aren’t really a superhero in disguise.”
Jessica leaned across the table and forced him to make eye contact. “I haven’t known you that long, Reed, but you’re definitely good-looking by any girl’s standards. If you would just have a bit more confidence, then maybe the other girls would notice you more?”
Reed gave a short laugh. “You can’t fake confidence, Jess! You either
have it or you don’t. You have it. You just know instinctively that you’re attractive and funny, and people react to it. You have no idea how hard it is when you know you aren’t any of those things. I can’t just suddenly pretend that I am!”
“Why not? You are attractive and funny. Why can’t you see that? Because no one else has yet? I see it. So what would it take for you to realize it? And, maybe, the best way to do it would be to act like you are – and then people will realize you are, and then bam, you’ll realize it too!”
Reed shook his head in amusement. “You’re just being nice. I just can’t act confident. I get even worse with girls I like.”
“You’re fine with me,” Jess said, furrowing her brow, “and you totally fancy me.”
Reed choked on his tongue for a moment. “I don’t!” he said, turning even more red.
Jessica patted his hand. “Yes, you do, Reed. I’m not dumb. I know the signs. And I’d totally jump you if I weren’t so hung up on my mystery man. I’ve definitely thought about it. But I also happen to like our friendship the way it is.” She paused, giving him time to process it. She hoped that he would at least gain a little confidence at the thought that she was admitting that she fancied him too. He did look pleased and she nodded encouragingly. “What about using me as a test subject? Try out some lines and I’ll tell you if they work. Maybe try some of your moves on me? You can tutor me in maths and science and I’ll tutor you in confidence and girls?”
“Yeah, that would be great. Do you really think you can?” Reed seemed unsure.
“No problem. I’ll teach you to talk to girls, and we’ll work on at least pretending to be confident. I bet I can even get you the girl of your dreams.”
Reed gave her a twisted smile and suddenly Jessica wondered if she was the girl of his dreams, and she’d just told him it wasn’t going to happen. Oh well, never say never. Her mystery man might turn out to be a weirdo, and buried deep in her heart she knew she had some feelings for Byron too. But Reed was definitely a contender; if only he really could be a little more confident. It was off-putting for him to be so nice. He needed to master being cooler.
“So where do we start?” Reed was already looking overeager.
“Hit me with your best chat-up line,” Jessica suggested.
“A ten ton polar bear,” Reed said
“Huh?”
“It was the only thing I could think of that might break the ice!” Reed laughed, but Jessica slapped her forehead.
“That is awful! Where on earth did you learn it, from some cheesy book?”
“My dad used it on my mum.”
“Okay… well, that’s a sweet story, and the line might have worked back in the nineteen eighties, but not now, no way.”
“So, what should I say?”
Jessica bit her lip. Actually she wasn’t sure. Confidence wasn’t really about good lines, it was about attitude. She tried to think how Byron had acted when they first met. He hadn’t said anything at first, he’d just given her a look that said it all.
“Hmmm. Well, let’s skip the first impression bit. After all, most of the girls here already know you. But we’ll come back around to chat-up lines, because you will need a few. But actually, now I think about it, women like a man who is a good listener. Perhaps we could turn you into the strong silent type. A dark horse kind of character. That might be a good way to reinvent you without you having to do anything too scary.”
Reed nodded enthusiastically. “That sounds much more in my skill set. So how do I go around being that?”
“Again, I think it’s all about attitude. Don’t look so eager, lean back in your chair, yeah, like that. Now give me a smouldering look.” Jessica tried hard not to laugh as Reed squinted at her like he needed new glasses.
“Uh, that might need some work. Try it more like this.” Jessica tipped her head back and dropped her eyes; looking at Reed through half lowered lids, she gave a very slight smile, as though he were interesting in an unusual way.
“Like this?” Reed tried to copy her and squinted even more, while baring his teeth.
Jessica fell about laughing.
“No, no. Okay, try looking at me like I’m a delicious cupcake that you want to eat. Now imagine that you know you will get into trouble if you eat the cake. No, don’t look worried. It’s supposed to be like a thrill, you have to decide if the cake is worth the trouble, and give it a calculating look, followed by a smile as you decide that you probably will eat it and consequences be damned.”
“That’s a lot to get into one look,” Reed said.
“Make it a long look. Take your time. Okay, ready?”
Reed nodded, looked away and then looked back at Jessica. He gave her a long look of interest, then a grin. “How was that?”
“Brilliant! But just a bit too keen at the end. Make your smile slower, like you still aren’t a hundred per cent sure. Yes, like that. Excellent, that will have them quivering in their seat.”
“Really? It’s that easy?” Reed raised his eyebrows disbelievingly.
“Strangely yes. That will actually take you quite a long way. It makes a girl feel singled out and intrigued. Though obviously you can only really use it on one, maybe two, girls in the room at any one time. You have to kind of ignore the others to make the girl you have noticed feel special. You have to look relaxed and in no hurry to talk to her though. You are just checking her out at this stage. Remember you are going to be the strong silent type. And this is basically how you are going to fake confidence.”
“Yes, but then what? If I spend the whole time sitting on the other side of the room looking at her, how does it move on to her being my girlfriend?”
“First of all, you don’t spend the whole time looking at her. Once she’s noticed your interest, try not to look at her for a while. Then with any luck you should sense her looking at you.”
“That doesn’t seem likely, unless she’s just checking to make sure I’ve stopped creeping her out by looking at her.” Reed grimaced.
“Oh, for goodness’ sake! Try having a bit more faith. You already have the looks, I’m just trying to teach you to fake the attitude to match. The girl will be quietly thrilled by the attention. She will not be able to help herself from looking over. And when she does, you need to repeat the look again.”
“Yes, but then what?” Reed asked again.
Jessica thought for a moment. “You’re the strong silent type, so...” She paused to consider the next action carefully, then nodded decisively. “So I think you need to go straight in with the kiss next. No talking.”
“You what?” Reed spluttered. “How the blazes do you suggest I pull that off? Any girl will laugh in my face if I just try to kiss her.”
“Not if she’s been properly primed by you. Also, you have to catch her alone if possible. Let’s just say that you have been giving a girl the eye and she seems interested.”
Reed snorted, and Jessica kicked him under the table before continuing, “So, hopefully she will find an excuse to hang back and talk to you. Maybe she sees you leaning against a wall in the hall or something, but otherwise just wait until she goes to the bathroom and then catch her on the way back.”
“And then?” Reed said.
“Then kiss her,” Jessica said triumphantly, as though it were obvious.
“Nope, sorry, I still don’t see how I get to that point.” Reed ran his fingers through his hair. It was a gesture that Jessica found very attractive.
“Fine,” she sighed as though it would be a hardship; “you can practice it on me.”
“Practice what on you?” Reed looked confused.
“Kissing. You can kiss me.”
Chapter Eight
Jessica laughed again at the look on Reed’s face. “What? I’m not suggesting we start rolling round on the floor here in the library – just practice your moves, that’s all.”
“Uh, right, my moves – and then we kiss?” Reed was looking terrified.
“You have kis
sed a girl before, haven’t you?” Jessica asked, suddenly unsure.
“Yes, of course. Well, just one, but lots of times. There’s a girl back home and every school holidays we, um, you know...”
“Do the horizontal mambo?” Jessica grinned.
“No, just fool around. Kissing and stuff.” Reed’s cheeks turned red.
“Oooh, I’m intrigued by the ‘and stuff’, but you can save that for the real thing. Now, stand up and go lean against the stacks there. Let’s assume you’ve given me the look and now you’re going in for the kiss.”
Reed stood stiffly where she suggested.
Jessica tutted, and walking over, she adjusted his stance. “There, more relaxed like that. Maybe even cross your arms if it feels comfortable? Good. Ready?”
Jessica went round the stack and reappeared on the other side. She walked slowly toward Reed and gave him a pretend shy look as she passed him.
He did nothing.
Jessica huffed. “You didn’t move!”
“I didn’t know how.” Reed shrugged.
“Hmm, okay, maybe you need to tell her to come to you. Very confidently, just say ‘Come here’ as I walk past you, got it? Then pull me into your arms if I do come.”
“If you do? Are you saying you might not?” Reed ran both hands nervously through his hair.
Jessica followed the movement with her eyes. “Oh, I certainly would, but sometimes you might read it wrong and strike out. You just have to take it on the chin.”
“Nothing new there,” Reed smiled. “Go on then, try again.”
Jessica walked round the stacks again. This time as she passed Reed he titled his chin at her. “Come here,” he said in a deeper voice than normal and crooked his finger at her.
Jessica moved closer, suddenly feeling slightly breathless.
Reed reached one arm around her and settled in on the small of her back, pulling her against him.
“Now?” he whispered, still uncertain.
“Yes,” Jessica breathed.
Then he kissed her.
Jessica reeled slightly. It was a proper full-on kiss, and she didn’t do anything to stop it. Instead she kissed him back.
Good @ Games (Book Four, The Flirting Games Series) Page 4
