Right Kiss Wrong Guy

by Natalie Decker

  The last one: “This is the last gram I’ll send to you I’m sorry for upsetting you,” SA.

  I lift a brow and then glance around the room. I take two of the love-grams and toss them in the trash. The last three I keep. When I return to my desk Jared is staring at me. “What?” I ask.

  “Nothing.” He returns his attention to his notebook and I look at the board. Mr. Chivers uncaps his marker and begins writing “Students who know the material” and beside it “Students who need to read chapters 4 & 5 tonight.”

  I sigh. “Looks like you’re not reading tonight,” Jared says.

  “What?”

  He points to the board and I see my name as someone who knows the material and his as not. I blink a few times then shake my head.

  “Mr. Black, Miss Valentine I need you two to see me after class.”

  I swallow hard.

  The bell rings and I slowly put my things in my bag then shuffle toward Mr. Chivers desk.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Jared

  I knew I shouldn’t have switched our Spanish tests. Now, Juliet who’s got the most confused expression on her face is going to know what I did for her. I couldn’t watch her fail a pop quiz especially one I know she would have aced if she weren’t so distracted by what this day meant to her.

  So, I wrote her name on my test and mine for hers. Not a big deal. Mr. Chivers waits for us to make our ways to his desk and says, “I don’t know what is going on here but clearly one of you really cares about the other not losing their class spot. Yes, I’m aware of you two being neck and neck in academics.”

  I pretend I have no idea what he’s talking about. “Are either of you going to say anything about this?” Mr. Chivers asks.

  Juliet and I both remain silent. Mr. Chivers raises a brow. “Really? Nothing. Fine. I know you switched tests. I know your handwriting Jared just like I know yours, Juliet. This is me telling you that you both need to read over the material tonight and write a paper why I shouldn’t turn you into the office for helping a student cheat?”

  I glance over at Juliet. Her skin pales and she says, “It was all my fault, sir. I promise not to coerce Jared into doing something like that again.”

  “Wonderful. You two may leave now,” Mr. Chivers says.

  Juliet bolts from the room before I even have time to stop her. I follow but she is hulling. She obviously doesn’t want to be around me right now.

  I reach my locker grab up my gear and head to the weight room. Guys are already in there changing. Some from baseball, lacrosse, track, and soccer. I grab a seat on the bench near Tyler and Austin. Chase is on the other end of the bench glaring at me. “I thought I told you to leave her alone!” he screams.

  “Whoa! Dude, settle. This isn’t an episode of pissy teen zone,” Tyler says as he puts his hands-on Chase’s chest blocking him from coming any closer to me.

  Normally I’d react, throw down, something. Today, I’d actually let Chase kick my ass.

  “He started it! I told him to leave my best friend alone. She’s been through enough. I had to hear how you switched your tests to save her but ended up getting her in trouble anyway. Way to go moron.”

  “Aww,” Tyler glances back at me then shakes his head. “Wait. What? You switched your tests. Are you insane? Your dad is going to eat you alive.”

  I shrug. “It doesn’t matter. We both have to read the material and we have to write a paper. I got her in more trouble instead of saving her from getting a terrible grade. Now we both get a shit grade. Yay me.” I change into my things. “If it helps, I won’t bother her anymore. In fact, first thing tomorrow I’ll request a new lab partner in chem and seat changes in my other classes.” Because obviously whatever I do makes things worse. If that’s not a sign to leave her be I’m not sure what is.

  Chase nods but Tyler just gaps at me like I’m a lunatic. Austin slaps my shoulder suddenly, “Ready to bust these reps.”

  “Yeah.”

  We walk into the weight room and of course, the first person I see in there is her. Juliet is standing over by the leg presses. I indulge in this small moment then I break my stare and head to the area we’re working out in.

  “Grab a bench, boys. We’re going to do dips,” my dad hollers.

  Some groans break out. I do as my dad says because no amount of moaning and grumbling will change his mind. I place my hands on the bench and extend my legs out. Lifting my gaze to find a focus spot on the wall but that’s a mistake.

  Directly in my eyesight, a pair of sexy long legs that haunt my dreams every night. I shouldn’t focus on them, but I do. The whistle blows, and I start my dips. Everything is fine until Juliet bends over to change the weight on the machine she’s about to reuse. My concentration falters causing my hands to slip and my butt slams on the ground.

  My father blows his whistle and shoots me a haughty look. I’m so dead.

  “What the hell was that?” He asks.

  “I slipped.”

  “I don’t give a shit. Get back up there and do it again. Correctly this time. Don’t be lazy!”

  I usually shake off a screw-up, but her eyes are on me. There is no coming back from this. She keeps catching me in these awful encounters. The few incidents at school before she dated Mark, at my house, and now here in training. She smiles but I stop gazing at her. Distractions will ruin me and she’s a terrible one.

  “Again.” My father blows his whistle and we’re doing our dips. I keep my focus on the tops of my tennis shoes.

  I continue throughout the training keeping my attention on anything other than Juliet. Tyler nudges me before we switch for sled. “What?” I ask.

  “What happened? The girl you’re madly in love with is in here bending, sweating, and lifting and you haven’t checked her out one time. Yesterday I would have had to clean a puddle of your drool off the floor beside the sweaty machines we’re using.”

  I shake my head. “Let it go.”

  “I can’t. I have this obligation as your best friend to bust your balls when you’re being an idiot. And right now, my friend, you’re being an idiot. What is going on?”

  “I just realized that she’s never going to go for someone like me.”

  I’m fully expecting him to rag on me, but he doesn’t. He just says, “All right, man. Get in there let’s get this shit done.”

  I nod.

  “Hey, Jared,” Rachel says as I come out of the school sweaty and not really giving a crap about how bad I might smell. I just want to get home, shower, and forget about this entire day.

  “Hey, Rach. What’s up?”

  She smiles and closes the distance between us. “Well, I was wondering … would you take me to the Valentine’s Day dance?”

  Before I can answer a throat clears and Rachel and I both shift to the noise. Juliet rocks on her heels and stares up at me. “What the hell, Juliet? Can’t you see we’re talking?” Rachel snaps.

  “I see. I just need to ask Jared about our Trig. We have that other partner sheet to do and I was wondering if we could do it at my house.”

  “No. I um … I’m going to ask for a different partner. I think it’s for the best, don’t you?” I say.

  Juliet blinks. “Oh, okay. Have a good night.” She shoves past me and Rachel. I should go after her. Every cell in my body is telling me to but I can’t. She doesn’t want someone like me.

  Once she’s halfway down the sidewalk I turn to Rachel. “I can’t. Sorry.”

  “It’s her, isn’t it?” Rachel asks with a sadness in her tone.

  “What?”

  She laughs. “Don’t play stupid. You like Juliet, don’t you?”

  “It doesn’t matter. She’s into someone else.”

  “She’s not as smart as I thought she was then,” Rachel says.

  Rachel and I part ways and I head to my mom’s car. I’m not even out of the parking lot before my phone is blowing up.

  “Hello?” I say because I didn’t bother looking at the caller ID. />
  “Justin needs you to go pick him up and you two are to head straight home. We’ve got a lot of work to cover,” my dad says.

  “Okay. Where is he?”

  “By the mall.”

  Right. Justin gets to have some kind of life while I have to be a prisoner in mine. I hang up and drive toward the mall.

  It takes me fifteen minutes to get there. I hop out, instead of waiting out front and go inside. The last time I’ve been in a mall was two summers ago, and I was on a double date with Laura Bryant and Tyler was seeing some girl from Westerville. It was the worst date of my life because all the girl wanted to do was talk about our football season.

  Smells from the food court draw me in. As I move closer, I see her again. It’s like seeing a ghost. Juliet’s everywhere. I swear I’m trying to leave her be but she’s in the mall. Like a creeper, I watch her make her way to the bookstore.

  I slip my phone from my pocket and text my brother Justin.

  Me: “I’m here. Going to get a book. Meet me in the court in 30 mins.”

  Justin: “All right.”

  I enter the bookstore and scan the store for Juliet. I spot her messy dark hair bun bobbing around a corner toward the back displays. Making a beeline to that section, I dart behind one shelf from where she is and peer over her area. Books surround her in a circle. Some in piles possible series, others are single novels. She picks up one book from the stacked piles and studies it then she looks left and before her head turns right I jump back behind the safety of the shelf shielding me from her.

  I count to ten then peek over the edge again. The camera on my phone aimed in her direction. I snap a few photos then tuck my phone in my pocket. Her shoulders rise then fall like she’s shrugging at the array of books circling her. I’d give anything to be in her mind right now.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Juliet

  Why do I care? I sniffle as I look at the books I pulled off the shelf. Some people like to change their appearance when they feel like crap. Some people like to buy clothes. Me? Books and video games are my thing. I buy a bunch and then go on an all-out binge. I could read or play games for days especially when I feel like absolute crap.

  Glancing at the selection around me, I sigh. I don’t know what I want to buy let alone start reading first. A creepy sensation fills me like someone is watching me. I look about the open space around me, but no one seems to notice me.

  I shake off the feeling and pay attention to the series I collected from the shelves. I’ve been on a huge Austen kick lately and I’ve been dying to read Persuasion so that’s in my will buy pile. I frown at the other books in the pending to buy pile I created. All of them are some sappy romance.

  I lift one of the books and a group of giggling girls come over into my section. One of them is being so loud and almost borderline obnoxious. “He’s like the hottest thing I’ve seen in here ever. Wonder if he works here?”

  “I’d come here every day if he did,” her friend says.

  I shoot them both a murderous glare.

  They don’t seem to care because they continue to giggle and harp about some hot guy working probably somewhere in the mall. Their other friend who trails behind smiles at me. “That’s a good series.” She points to a stack of books in my maybe I’ll purchase pile.

  “Yeah? Thanks.”

  “No problem.” She wonders off and I lift it up then place the first two in my pile. I can’t get all of them today and there are four books total. Oh well, I’ll just pick them up Friday after work.

  I place the books that I will not be getting today back where I found them and then go straight to the counter. As I’m handing over the books to the cashier, I notice a familiar person leaving the store. Oh, dear God, what is he doing here? Did he see me crying? Did Jared think it was because of him? I hope not. Even if my sadness has a lot to do with him and my anger.

  I wanted an explanation as to why he would switch our tests. I also wanted to know if he wanted to work on Trig at my house because there was no way in hell I’d set foot in his. Not with his father there who would probably blame me for his son’s sudden lapse in judgment.

  It doesn’t matter. Whatever the reason because now Jared wants nothing to do with me. I should be grateful it’s what I wanted right? So why does my heart hurt? Why do I cry every time I picture his face as he told me he was ditching me? Ugh. To make it hurt more he did it all in front of Rachel.

  “That’ll be $28.65,” the cashier says.

  I smile and give her a few bills then wait for my change.

  “Yo Juliet!” I hear as I shuffle through the food court.

  I turn and instantly regret acknowledging the person. “Justin,” I say.

  “What kind of books you got in the bag?”

  I pull my books close to my chest and he laughs. “Relax. Just a question. Have you seen my brother? He said he was popping into the bookstore for something and he was supposed to meet me here. As you can see that idiot isn’t here.”

  I shake my head. “I saw him leaving the bookstore as I was checking out. I’m sorry.”

  “He didn’t talk to you?”

  “Uh no. I don’t think he saw me.” I hope he didn’t see me. Even if he did after what happened after school I’m pretty sure I’ll be the last person he wants to talk to.

  Justin nods. “All right.”

  I start to walk away but I turn around. “Do you want me to wait with you until he shows up?”

  “Um … You don’t have to, but can I borrow your phone for a second? Mine just died.”

  I hand over my cell.

  His thumbs tap the screen at a rapid pace then I hear the chimes of a message being received.

  “He should be here in a little bit.” He hands my phone back.

  “Okay. Did you want me to wait?”

  He waggles his eyebrows at me. “I guess you can keep me company. Want a slushy or something? My treat,” Justin says.

  “I’m good. Thanks though.”

  “Suit yourself.” He shrugs then darts off to one of the vendors.

  I sit at one of the empty tables and take out the Austen books from my bag. As I’m getting into the storyline the table is jostled. I peek over the brim of my book and Justin is smirking with a huge red slushy in his hand. “Our dad has us on a strict diet. This drink is apparently really bad for you, but you know what? I’m going to enjoy every sip of it. So, this is the kind of stuff you’re into. That looks boring.”

  “I read everything but yes, my favorites tend to be in the classics. It’s not boring to me.”

  “Interesting. Dork-one likes the classics too.”

  “Dork-one?” I ask.

  Justin grins. “Yeah. My brother. The un-fun one.”

  I set my book down and prop my hands under my chin. “Why do you think he’s un-fun?”

  “Uh, you go to school with him. Surely you can see how much of a robot he is. Love him to death but he doesn’t exactly get out. I think he tries too hard to keep on our dad’s good side.”

  “As opposed to you?”

  Justin nods. “Look, I see it like this. I can work my butt off, but if I’m not having fun, and I don’t love it, then what’s the point? People who get into college or pro sports never say, ‘Well, Chuck, my dad forced me to come here. I actually have no intention of playing or giving my one hundred percent because I actually hate the hell out of this sport.’ Do you?”

  “I never saw that, no.”

  “Exactly. There is a storm brewing between him and my dad, and I’m going to feel sorry for whoever witnesses it.” He takes another sip of his drink.

  I open my mouth to say something but a deep voice interrupts. “What’s going on here?” I glance up at Jared.

  “I’m sorry. I was leaving. Bye Justin. Jared.” I nod and stumble out of my seat.

  “Dude. She was keeping me company while I waited for you. Why are you being such a jerk?” Justin says as I shove my book back in my bag. I refuse to look up at J
ared again or over at his brother.

  Jared snaps. “Don’t worry about it. Why are you drinking that? Dad is going to flip out.”

  “Only if you tell him! Jeez. Juliet hold up.”

  Justin grabs my hand which stops me from leaving. I need to go. Being around Jared while he’s like this, looking as if he’d rather throw me inside a magical cabinet that would cause me to disappear is rather uncomfortable. My heart is pounding like crazy. I feel the tears welling up again and I can’t let anyone especially not Jared, of all people, see me cry. No. I refuse to let Jared and his brother see what Jared’s behavior and his crap is doing to me. I glance up at the skyline ceiling and blink a few times before I paste a fake smile on my face.

  “Yeah?” I say.

  “Remember what I said about the storm brewing? There’s always a calm that follows.” Then Justin winks and lets go of my hand.

  What in the heck does that even mean? I don’t stick around to ask because honestly Jared’s deathly glare just makes my need to escape that more pronounced. It isn’t until I reach the comforts of my Wrangler that I let the tears break free.

  What is wrong with me? A few days ago, I couldn’t stand him. Now … crap. I pull out my phone and call the only person I trust with boy issues like this.

  “Layla’s phone, she stepped out to get something from the kitchen. What’s up Juliet?” Tyler says in a cheery tone.

  “I need … I … Need … Her,” I sob.

  “Shit! Hold on, I’m getting her. Answer me this did someone hurt you? Are you in a safe place?”

  “Another one of your stupid friends did this to me.”

  “Ah, son of … where are you?” he asks.

  “At the mall. Why?”

  “Wait, the mall? I’m confused. You said it was one of my friends, but Jared doesn’t go to the mall.”

  I swipe away the rush of tears falling. “He is today!”

  “What did he do?”