by CJ Adler
I mentally cringe in disgust.
“You're looking lovely on this fine evening,” he retorts, suave, running a hand through his golden hair.
He's as smooth as peanut butter. He's slick.
Emma doesn't answer, barely hiding her blush yet keeping her glare focused on Xavier. I'm forced to watch this ongoing silence and ogling between the two right up until the point that I decide I've had just about enough.
“Okay!” I raise my voice and cough loudly to get their attention. “I'm sorry to break this dark, deep, bizarre silence, but, Emma, who the hell is this moronic loser standing before us?”
Xavier's gaze leaves Emma as his eyes flicker over to me as if only noticing me now. “Who is she?” he questions in a deep, smooth voice.
“Hey, hey, hey, buddy!” I reprimand in irritation. “I asked Ems who you were first. Wait your turn!”
Emma's attention snaps back to me as if suddenly remembering that I'm still here. “This is Xavier Thorman, JT's racing rival,” she introduces me to him. She then turns back to him before gesturing over to me. “And this is Aqueela, Jay Taylor's girl.”
Xavier seems stunned at the answer as he ponders over her words. “JT has a girlfriend? Since when? Never thought I'd see the day.”
He's onto me! Act fast!
“Since none of your business pretty, British boy!” I narrow my eyes at him threateningly, hoping he'll back off.
He raises both eyebrows in amusement. “Oooh, feisty are we?” He smirks arrogantly before turning to Emma. “JT never brings anyone other than himself to the tracks. What is she doing here?”
I don't give Emma a chance to speak as I talk over her answer, “The real question is what are you still doing here? Go back to your homeland, British boy! America is taken!”
Xavier glances back my way, puzzled, as if trying to work something out. It must click because he begins to grin cheekily. He turns to Emma yet again. “She the psychotic one?”
Stupid, Grey! Imma kill him!
Emma nods.
“Hey!” I raise my fist at him. “I'm not psychotic! Grey is just a dumb, stupid head!”
“Yeah and I'm not hot as hell,” he replies back in sarcasm. I shrug. “Hey, you said it, not me.”
He glares at me for that one. “'Stupid' and 'dumb' have the same definition in that sentence,” he corrects me, trying to cover up his shame.
“True, but 'hot' and 'you' so don't,” I say with a cunning grin intact, batting my eyes innocently as if I didn't just insult him.
“What are you implying?” he asks, annoyed.
“What are you? Stupid and dumb? I'm saying you're ugly,” I retort rudely, ignoring his furious glare.
“Jeez,” Emma remarks, speechless. “Savage.”
I shift and salute her in response. “Well, this was fun, but I should probably go find Jay now. Tell 'second place' I say hi and that we're going to have a little chat about how to treat his sister.”
Before I get the chance to go, a hand laces itself around my wrist and clamps down on it, preventing me from moving. “Wait a second, Sweetheart, I've barely gotten to know you, and if you are Jay's girl then you are most definitely worth knowing.”
“Meep, meep, meep, that's all I hear,” I say and pull a tongue out at him.
“Now unhand me, you fiend!” I rip my arm out of his clutches.
“Emma!” a voice calls at the same time.
We all turn to see that it's Landon, 'green eyes', and he sounds anything but happy.
“Check you all later. The brother awaits.” Emma doesn't wait another
second before sprinting away from us and toward her brother, leaving me alone with British boy.
“And then there were two,” a voice whispers in my ear.
I turn, only to find Xavier abnormally close. I step away and pull a face at him. “Why are you still here, you looney tune?! Go away.”
“What you say we both get out of here, gorgeous?” he suggests flirtatiously.
I suddenly realize what he's doing. He obviously has a thing with Emma so he'd only flirt with me if he were trying to throw Jay off his game, seeing as he thinks we're an item.
“Okay,” I agree in ease.
He doesn't seem surprised. He's so confident and self-assured that the possibility of me rejecting his offer never crossed his thick skull. He smirks in delight, convinced that I sold Jay out, just like that, that is until I start walking away from him.
“Wait! Where are you going?!” he shouts frantically after me, perplexed.
“I'm getting out of here, except, I'm going this way and you can go that way,”
I say, pointing to the furthest corner away from me. “That way, we're both getting out of here just like you said, just not together nor in the same direction.”
He grabs my upper arm and pulls me to a stop. “I don't think so, Kitten.”
“Stop harassing the psychopath, idiot.”
“Grey!” I squeal excitedly, turning in Xavier's grip to see him. I blow out a breath of relief when his hideous face comes into view. I don't have to get my hands dirty anymore. I was just about to punch this guy's even more hideous face in.
Grey ignores me and sends Xavier a look of warning instead. Xavier backs off as a result and releases me, saying nothing as he shoots a sharp glare Grey's way.
Ah, the benefits of watching rivalry. I'm glad I'm mature enough not to be involved in such petty matters.
“Stay away from her, Thorman,” Grey threatens him before grabbing ahold of my hand, dragging me after him, all the while defending my honor.
“That's right!” I yell after Xavier. “Stay away from me! You're just lucky that Grey came or you'd be ten feet under! You're just lucky that I have so much self restraint or you'd be female by now! And go back home already, Earth is full!”
I keep yelling rants at Xavier, even after he's long gone. I'm sure, with my voice, he's still able to hear everything I'm saying. Apparently, Grey can seeing as he's blocking his ear with one hand while dragging me roughly to Jay with the other hand.
“Look who I found terrorizing the city again,” Grey remarks casually as he lets go of me, purposely shoving me right into Jay who catches me and steadies me just in time.
I ignore Grey and keep at it. “I will destroy you and your shiny hair too!
Then the mother ship will never be able to locate you!”
“What is she going on about now?” Jay asks Grey as he turns me around in his arms so that I'm facing him.
“Who the hell ever knows? I had to endure this the whole way back from Xavier,” Grey answers, shrugging in indifference.
Jay releases me and immediately stiffens in his stance. “Xavier's here?”
“Yeah.” I nod.
Jay frowns. “Did he say anything to you?” I blink up at Jay, confused by his question. Of course, the idiot spoke to me. “Let me rephrase that, did he hurt you in any way?”
I shake my head. “No, but I would have hurt him had Grey not swooped in like some angelic princess.”
“Can you not put it like that?! And call me a princess again and just see what happens. I dare you,” Grey threatens in a low, dangerous voice.
“Woah, tough guy. Ease up,” I tease. “Fact of the matter is that you saved me, which means, by default, you care somewhat about me, making us somewhat friends. Admit it, Grey, I'm growing on you. You like me. You luuurrvve me even,” I chime, flashing him a bubbly smile as I hold my arms up in front of him for a hug.
“Don't even try, Lawson,” he mutters, pushing me away before I get the chance.
“Aww, come on, Grey, bring it in. Come here, you angelic son of a gun!
You know you can't resist a hug from your fiancée.” I wink at him teasingly as I step forward to hug him. “You saved me which means you must like me a little. You saved me. You saved me! You saved me! Grey saved me! Grey saved me! You saved—”
“He was hitting on you and grabbing you all over. Obviously, I had to step in. I wou
ld have done it for anyone else too. Contrary to popular belief, I can be respectful when required. So, let's get this straight, I helped you because I'm a nice person and not because I like you in any way. I still hate your guts. We'll never be friends,” he carefully elaborates, boring me to death in the process.
'Nice person' Oog's big stinky foot!
“So said Jay and look at us now,” I say as I stand on my tippy-toes and wrap an arm around Jay's neck, pulling him down to my height. “We're practically married.” Jay scoffs before removing me off of him. “No, we're not, not even close.”
Max catches my eye and mouths 'denial' before winking at me reassuringly.
***
“He won!” I scream loudly and breathlessly, watching his Gallardo cross the finish line.
“My ears!” Max complains just as loudly.
Bells slaps a hand over both of our mouths.
I clap my hands enthusiastically, slapping her hand away as I chant Jay's name loudly, jumping up and down in excitement. Next time, I'm bringing banners with his name on and maybe a t-shirt with his face printed on it.
As soon as Jay steps out the car, I'm already sprinting to him after deliberately knocking Max over by mistake.
“Classy. Real classy, Aqueela!” Max yells after me, annoyed.
“Jay! You did it! You won! Again!” I shout as I bound over to him, immediately throwing my arms around him on impulse. “I've never been more proud of you!”
I feel him stiffen beneath me for a second as he processes it all, his mind still reeling on the race he just won. Just as I'm about to pull away, his arms materialize around me as he hugs me back just as tightly, chuckling into my shoulder. “Thanks.”
“Break it up you two! My eyes!” Max whines as he and Bells reunite with us.
He never stops complaining!
“Couldn't agree more.”
We all turn around to see Xavier.
“Ah, great,” I yawn, bored. “It's the British boy.”
Bells takes once look at his appearance before whispering to me. “Wowza! He's quite the looker.”
Like I've said before, boy-crazed Bells can't whisper to save her life. We all hear.
Max tenses as Bell's words register in his head. He scowls in Xavier's direction, catching me by surprise. He is supposed to be the friendly one among us, which brings me to the conclusion, Max really likes Bells, more so than I first realized.
Xavier raises an amused eyebrow in Bells direction as he takes in her appearance. I can tell by that little smirk of his that he likes what he sees. Of course, he does. It's Bells.
“Why thank you, Princess,” Xavier replies smoothly. “You're quite the looker yourself. I almost dropped dead upon seeing such rare, radiant beauty.”
Bell blushes like a bumbling idiot, falling for his charm.
“Degenerate,” I cough loudly in Xavier's direction.
Xavier hears my comment, his head snapping in my direction as he scowls at me. “What's your problem, Kitten?”
“Your mere existence,” I answer bluntly as Jay begins chuckling from beside me. “And call me 'Kitten' one more time and the claws will really come out.”
“Don't call her Kitten',” Jay remarks angrily a few seconds later.
“I'll do what I like,” Xavier replies cockily. “Just because she's your girl doesn't mean she's not an individual.”
Jay raises both eyebrows at this, confused. “My girl?”
Uh-oh!
I nudge Jay in the ribs. I need him to play along or Xavier will never let me live this down.
“Right, right, my girlfriend,” Jay confirms, sending me a glower when
Xavier isn't looking.
He's the one who wanted to be my fake fiancé!
“She's just with you because you win every time,” Xavier states in envy.
I almost laugh at this. As if. He just met me and he has already pegged me down as one of those girls who are only with a guy because they're reigning victor.
“I know I win every time but don't rub it in for yourself, it's gonna sting,” Jay retorts from a place of anger.
“I'm with Jay because I like him, you pig-headed, arrogant, extraterrestrial being!” I argue.
“And you'll like me more when I win the championships,” Xavier states in a matter-of-fact way before winking at me.
I fake gag, uninterested.
“You stay away from her,” Jay warns, curling his hands into fists. Is he really buying this?
“You can win and I still won't even give you a first glance,” I tell Xavier, standing my ground.
Xavier shrugs carelessly. “We'll see, Kitten.”
I roll my eyes, unimpressed.
“Keep your girl close because soon she'll be running up to embrace me when I beat you at the championships,” he says to Jay before blowing me a kiss.
I snort and cross my arms over my chest. “Yeah. Okay.”
Jay says nothing more is if the idiot is just not worth the waste of breath.
Sensing that we're done, Xavier turns to Bell instead. “It was lovely meeting you…uh…” he purposely falters, “your name escapes me,” he confesses, acting coy.
Bells giggles as a result. “Bella Bensten.”
“Don't give him your name, you nitwit!” I hiss. “Now he's going to search you up and stalk you!”
Bells and Xavier both ignore me as Xavier continues on with his not-so- subtle flirting. “Well, it was lovely meeting you…Bella.” Her name rolls of off his lips like honey.
I watch on in horror as Xavier plants a kiss on her hand before waltzing off in Emma's direction.
I turn to Bells with a frown, my hands on my hips. “What the hell was that?! Bashful Bells?”
She doesn't answer, still staring after Xavier.
I act on instinct and hit her on the face, snapping her out of it.
“Owe!” xhe yelps, rubbing her cheek. “Stop swooning!” I scold her.
“But he's so charming.” She pouts in longing.
Max pulls a face at this. “Charming my foot,” he mutters angrily. “I'm going home.”
Bells twists her head to face Max, remembering his presence for the first time since Xavier rocked up. “Already? Why?” She furrows her eyebrows in bewilderment, holding onto his upper arm as if pleading with him to stay seeing as he's her ride home.
Max doesn't say anything. He won't. He adores Bells too much.
I pull Bells aside to talk to her in private. “Max likes you. You can't just stand and flirt with Xavier in front of Max. You're better than that. You better go with him now and apologize. Or else.
Bells nods, apologetic, as she and Max say their goodbyes before leaving together.
“Trouble in paradise?” Grey asks as he finally meets up with us. He came in third, just after Xavier. He's been speaking to Landon and Emma.
“Nah.” I wave my hand, brushing it off. “Bells is just being stupid.”
“Did I ask you?” Grey sasses, putting Bells and the rest of the cheerleaders to shame.
I shrug. “The real question is, do I care?”
Grey scowls as he takes a step toward me. “You better care, Lawson.”
Jay intervenes and yanks Grey away from me. “Stop fighting, you imbeciles.”
“Grey's just mad because he only came in third.” I laugh aloud, mocking him, paying back his rudeness with more quality rudeness. “What were you doing? Pit stop? Road trip? Sunday stroll?” I laugh again, pressing his buttons and getting under his skin.
“You better watch your back, Lawson,” he threatens me, not at all impressed with my insults.
“And you better watch your front…uh…” I trail off and turn to Jay, “what's Grey's surname?”
“Ferrot,” Jay answers.
“Wait? Like a gray ferret?” I question aloud and then begin laughing all the more. “And I thought P Long was funny. Grey Ferrot! Gah! Classic!”
Grey's right eye twitches in aggravation. “Should have drove her over,”
I hear him mutter to himself. “So many regrets.”
“Knock it off, Aqueela.” Jay elbows me, sensing that I'm pushing Grey a little too far.
I ignore him, turning back to Grey, “Yo, Ferrot, you better check yourself before you wreck yourself!”
“I hate you so much,” Grey states calmly, fury bubbling in his gray eyes.
“You keep telling yourself that, 'third place',” I retort playfully before Jay nudges me again.
After throwing it in Grey's face for at least another five minutes, he threatens me before venturing off to speak to 'sane' people.
Jay sees me rubbing at my eyes, taking it as a sign of my exhaustion, before suggesting that we head on home. I follow him to the car without protesting.
“Jay, you're not worried that I'll go to Xavier if he ever wins, right?” I ask, sensing his distress.
He starts the car, seemingly distracted. “Nah.”
'Cause that's a convincing answer.
He's quick to change the subject. “You've been fierce tonight. First Xavier, then Bells and then Grey. Jeez, you haven't let up.”
I don't answer, too tired.
He continues on cautiously as he takes on unexplored territory, “Aqueela, you have got to stop telling people that you're my girlfriend.”
“I refuse,” I yawn.
He sighs at this but says nothing further on the matter as he carefully pulls into his driveway. We get out and enter the house, equally as tired as the other.
“Hey, Jay?” I question as I flop face-down into my pink and blue blotchy couch.
“Mhmm?” he replies with a yawn as he takes a seat on the couch across from me.
“I need a physics tutor.”
“Then you should get one.”
I tap my chin in mock-thought. “But where to find someone brilliant in physics?”
“Dunno.”
“I really need one though.”
“That's nice,” he mumbles sleepily, barely paying me any attention.
“Not really,” I say quietly. “I'm failing.”
“Right. Right. Not nice. Got it.” He closes his eyes for a moment, at least I think it is for a moment until I hear his breathing deepen and slow.
He just fell asleep on me!