I stare at the phone message. “Anything sent through text is meaningless.”
She types away with a goofy grin plastered on. “Are you telling him to kiss your butt?” I ask.
“No.”
“Why?”
She looks up at me. “Because I like him.”
“Whatever. I’m out.” I get up taking my ice cream with me and go. What in the hell is wrong with everyone lately?
Chapter Thirty-Six
Jared
As I’m finishing my homework my dad strolls into my room. “This weekend. You and I are going to Virginia Tech.”
He’s joking. He has to be joking. I’m not going to be stuck in a car with him for what, five hours. “That’s awesome Dad really, but I uh … don’t want to go.”
“This is your future. If we visit and show interest in schools, we’ll get more offers. It’s a strategy. It doesn’t hurt to look and get a feel for places.”
I have no intention of going there. In fact, I want to be out west. Not east. Not driving distance so captain ass-clown can criticize my every decision and force me to do everything he wants. “When did my future become only what you want?” I ask.
“What did you say to me boy?”
“I said, when did my future only become what you want? When have you ever asked me what I want to do for the rest of my life?”
He jerks back. “Well, that’s a pointless question because I know you want to be in the NFL.”
“No, Dad. You want me to be in the NFL. You want Justin to be in the NFL. But I want to do other things like be a mechanical engineer and build machines people will use forever.”
“This is that Valentine girl’s fault isn’t it? What she doesn’t think playing football is good enough or something, so she filled your head with other ideas?”
I rub my forehead and glower. “This has nothing to do with her. She doesn’t even talk to me right now. She hates me.”
My dad frowns. “I’m sorry. But she’s just a girl. There will be others and when I say that I mean in college.”
“Dad you don’t get it. I really like her a lot, but she hates me.”
He takes a seat at my desk. “I know I’m hard on you and your brother. I know I push. You’ve got talent, Jared. You’re smart as hell too. If she doesn’t like you then she’s not worth it.” He stands up and walks toward my door. He clears his throat as his hand rests on the knob. “Think about visiting the college a little more. Let me know by Wednesday what you decide.”
“All right.”
He exits, and I glance down at my math homework. I need to convince Juliet that there was never anything between Kimber and me. If I don’t succeed, then I will officially call it quits. I need try though.
I grab my phone and dial a number off my contacts.
“Hello?”
“Chase.”
“Black, what do you want? I’m in the middle of … Juls. What the hell?”
“What?” I ask and pull back my phone and then press it to my ear again.
“Hold on. I need to call you back.”
“No. Chase. I need---” he hangs up. Shit!
I dial Austin’s number. “S’up man?”
“Hey. Do you have Adaline Frost’s number?”
“Why do you need to talk to her?”
“I need to ask her for a favor.”
“Tell me what it is and maybe I’ll give you the number.”
What the hell? “Why are you being so difficult?”
“I’m not! I just don’t want you to talk to her.” he snaps.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t.”
“Whatever man. I just wanted to know if she could help me get into Juliet’s locker. And what her favorite movie was?”
“Why do you need to know what Adaline’s favorite movie is?”
I growl in the receiver. “Not Adaline! Juliet. I want to know what Juliet’s favorite movie is!”
I hear Austin sigh. “Sorry. I was … it’s nothing. I’m texting her number to you now.”
“Thanks. Are you okay?”
“I’ll be okay. Just gotta sort my shit out.”
My phone buzzes letting me know that a text came in. “All right, man.”
“Cool.”
We hang up and I text Adaline.
Me: It’s Jared. Need a favor.
Adaline: Where’d u get my #?
Me: Austin.
Adaline: Gr8 now he’s handing out my #.
Me: I had 2 beg 4 it.
Adaline: Whtevs. Whts the fav?
Me: I really like ur BFF Juliet. What’s her fav movie? Also, can u get me access 2 her locker?
Adaline: R U OUT OF UR MIND? Y the Hell would I help u?
Me: I promise 2 never hurt her. If I do this & she still rejects me fine. At least I tried. I need a chance 2 try.
My phone buzzes in my hand. I swipe the answer icon. “Yeah?”
“Ugh. You answer the phone like an Ape. Before I agree to this you have to tell me something,” Addy says.
“What is it?”
“Are you using her as a side piece?”
“No. I would kill anyone who would do that.”
“Good answer. And you’re lucky I did my research and asked. I need to protect her from jerks. Otherwise, I’d be a shitty friend.”
“I know. I’m not offended. Will you help me out then?”
“If you hurt her I will gladly go to jail for murdering you. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, I got it. Jeez. Why does everyone say that to me?”
“I don’t know who else said it to you but it’s good to know I’ll have a partner in crime. Her favorite movies are Flipped and Love, Rosie.”
“Uh … okay. So those are her two favorite movies?”
“Yep and her favorite books. And you’re in luck she was actually looking to get them both on Blu-ray since her copies got all wrecked from watching them so much.”
“Anything else I should know?”
“She can’t resist Twizzlers. It’s her go to study candy and she basically eats it in stock during exam week. You have a quarter exam coming up, right?”
“We do in Chem and one in History.”
“Cherry. She hates the strawberry kind.”
I pull my notebook to me and start scribbling things down.
“If you really want to win her over, you should think about getting her some books.”
Already done that. I had to strike a deal with my brother to sign the damn cards for me, but he agreed. Only cost me twenty bucks and three trips to the mall. I wanted to be there to see the look on her face when they got delivered but I had to help my mom with grocery shopping. I don’t want to let on to Adaline that I already got her a bunch of books. Not yet at least.
“Oh,” I say.
“I’m not sure how much you want to spend but I do know she has been waiting months for this new video game to come out. I saw a commercial for it yesterday and it should release this week.”
“Are you talking about Rein of Blood?”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
Adaline and I talk about other things I could get Juliet, but the last on the list might be my most challenged piece. I can do it. At least I hope I can.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Juliet
Chase is so distraught. He keeps putting things where I’m more than certain they aren’t supposed to go. From orders on the picture frame shelf to special films in the cash register.
“Hey, why don’t I help you with this?” I ask.
He jerks his arms full of stuff away from me. “I got this! I’ve been doing this for years. I don’t need your help!”
I flinch. “I was only offering.”
“You can’t fix this! There is a hole the size of Jupiter in my chest.”
I’ve never seen Chase so out of it. He’s usually the one who holds me together when I feel like my world is falling apart. He let me cry when Mark ripped my heart out. He offered to kick h
is ass. I turned him down but sometimes I wish I didn’t.
“Please stop shoving me away,” I plead.
“We can’t be friends anymore,” he whispers.
“Don’t say that Chase! We’ve been best friends since we were in Kindergarten.”
He glares at me. “And you’ve been friends with her forever too! I’m not going to sit around and pretend everything is fine. I can’t do that. I can’t be near her and act as if she’s my sister because I don’t think of her like that. She told me she thinks of me as the brother she never had. Do you know how much worse that is than being put in the friend-zone?”
I didn’t. I could imagine though and the thought wasn’t appealing at all.
“I’ll leave if you want me to. But we’re still friends I don’t care what you say when you’re acting like this.” I take a step toward the door hoping he would stop me, but he doesn’t so I take that as a sign that he needs a lot of space right now.
At home, I feel as if the whole world flipped and landed on me. Lunch is going to suck tomorrow. No, school in general a place I usually enjoy because I love learning is going to suck tomorrow. I hate that my friends are fighting. I hate that there may be no one who can kiss like Jared Black. And God do I so hate that I keep thinking about those lips.
Layla is out with Tyler. My mom is out on a date with Evan. This means I’m left to my own devices. I enter the kitchen and search inside the fridge for something to eat. Of course, there isn’t anything.
I mark on the post it’s on the fridge door “Go grocery shopping” then I head out the door. I hop in my Wrangler and drive to the Pizzeria.
Eating alone never used to bother me, but it does right now. I think it’s because I didn’t bring any of my books with me to read. I play with the salt and pepper shakers which I always found strange. Who puts salt on their pizza? I wouldn’t ask this if the Pizzeria served veggies, but they only have salad, Stromboli, and pizza. They don’t serve fries.
I slide the shakers to the edge of the table without it falling. That’s the goal get it as close to the edge as possible without tipping it. I overshoot the pepper. Before I can react properly a hand swoops out and catches it. I look up at my savior then scowl.
“Hey Juliet, what are you doing here?” Mark asks.
“I’m eating.” Why else would I be sitting in a booth? I bit back my snarky comment.
He plops down across from me. I don’t know what gives him the gull to think he can just sit wherever he pleases. I certainly don’t want him here. I give him a look that says so, but he doesn’t seem fazed at all. He smiles and plays with the shakers.
“Mark, what are you doing?” I snap as he slides the salt toward the edge.
“Sitting here. Talking.”
“I didn’t invite you.”
He looks around then lands his gaze on me. “Are you on a date?”
I cross my arms. “What if I am?” I ask as I lean back.
“Don’t you think you’re moving a little fast? We’ve been broken up for only a month and a few weeks.”
Is he kidding right now? I wish this butter knife was sharper. I’d take it and jam it right into his hand or I’d cut off his stupid lips. I place my feet on the center bar under the table and push. The table moves pinning him against the booth seat. “Juliet,” he croaks. He struggles to move the table back, but I hold him there.
“Don’t talk to me ever again. If you see me anywhere I mean it, anywhere, keep walking.”
“I really think you should give this a shot again.”
I stand up. “You disgust me!” I head to the counter. “Can I get my order to go?”
“Sure thing,” the waitress says.
Mark sidles up beside me. I know it’s him because he reeks of the cologne that at one-time I basked in. Right this instance it makes me want to hurl chunks everywhere. Why for the life of me can he not leave me alone?
“You hate me. I get it. Thing is … Selena decided she didn’t want to be my date to the Valentine’s day dance. I already have everything ordered so will you go with me?”
“Did you get knocked out before you entered the Pizzeria?” He looks at me like I’m crazy and lost my ever-loving mind. “Because only brain trauma of any sort would give you the notion to ask me something so stupid it’s practically unreal.”
“You’re pretty Juliet. Why shouldn’t I at least take a pretty girl to the dance?” I square around and ram my knee right into his package.
As he drops to the ground I yell, “That’s why!” My order is up just in time, I pay, snatch it and leave. Yep. Screw you Mark and anyone else like you.
I didn’t want to go home and eat in an empty house. I didn’t want to sit in the parking lot and eat my food in case Mark came outside. Lord knows I don’t need that again. Ugh! I decide on the BookHut. It’s like a library and a Park combined. Best place ever!
Every corner of the play area of the Park is little secret cubbies inside filled with books. My top favorites are the mini jungle gym area. Under the monkey bars where it forms like almost a globe shape is a little reading nook. There’s a fake window and door, to get inside one must crawl through the back part of the jungle gym. Inside the little nook is a single covered shelf with books. When I was little I used to sit in there for hours and read. I’m too big for it now.
My other favorite spot is what I would call a plastic tree house. Okay, it’s not even in a tree it’s just off the ground and has a slide you can go down to get back out quickly. There is a room off the slide entrance, and it’s big enough where I can sit down, close a door, eat, and read. As long as I don’t stand up, I can fit.
It’s been a while since I’ve been at this place. I slide myself and my pizza into the small room. I gander at the shelf and pull out a book and start reading. The best part about the BookHut beside the lovely quiet this time at night, it’s that all the books are free to take. Seriously if I wanted to grab one and read it at home I could. I sneak in here though and fill the shelves with books.
As I become immersed in the character’s world, I realize this is what made life easier. My books. If I buried my nose in them and didn’t try dating I had less heartache and drama in my life. But then I felt I was lacking something. I had to listen to my mom telling me some crap about missing out on first kisses and being swept up in moments that lasted a lifetime. If she would have just left me be I would have never felt betrayal. I would have never had so much hate balled up in me.
I grab a slice of cheesy pizza and bit right into it. Even though I felt fulfilled mostly in the past and a little more at the idea of having a boyfriend, does this mean I’ll be lacking? Or will I want someone other than the characters in my books to entertain me?
Why is everything so complicated?
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Jared
Juliet brushes up against me as we’re heading down the hall to the same class. “Hi,” I say.
She blinks. “Hey.”
“You’re talking to me?”
She shrugs. “I am not as mad today.”
“I guess that’s a small achievement.”
She’s carrying the Blu-ray’s I sent her this morning.
“What are those?”
“Movies. My favorite … You wouldn’t happen to be behind this would you?”
I laugh. “Me. I didn’t even know those were your favorite movies.” It’s a white lie. I didn’t know until I talked to Adaline.
“Have you seen them?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t been able to watch movies much.” I let her enter class before me. She turns around and starts walking backward while she happily talks about the movies.
Bobby Dorn stands up and almost smacks into her, but I reach out and move Juliet before the collision happens. This causes her to falter in her story and she blushes. She tucks a piece of hair gently behind her ear and whispers, “Um, I should get back to my seat.”
Crap. That’s the end of our conversation. She’s shutti
ng me out again. Damn Bobby!
“Okay.” I steer myself in the opposite direction of her desk and reluctantly take a seat.
An announcement comes on. “Two more weeks and the Valentine’s Day Dance is here. Get your tickets in the main office.” Some peppy voice says through the intercom system.
“Who are you going with?” Whitney giggles to Gabby.
“Well, I’m thinking Dennis is going to ask me this week. He seems to be taking my hints,” Gabby says.
I bite back my remark. I overheard Dennis in the locker room telling anyone who would listen that he’s taking Mary Parker. She’s a senior and captain of the softball team. Way hotter than Gabby too.
Whitney looks back at me. “Who are you going with?”
“Me? No one.”
“You haven’t asked Kimber yet?” Gabby gasps.
“No.” I don’t plan on it either.
Whitney looks aghast. “Why not?”
“Why would I?” I ask completely forgetting that everyone in this damn school thinks I’m dating Kimber because of her Facebook posts. I deleted my account the day after she posted she’s “in a relationship” then when someone asked who? Her response was my freaking name, yep I was done.
Gabby sneers. “You’re dating her.”
“No. I’m really not. Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.”
Whitney gasps. “But you like, kissed in the halls.”
Now I’m annoyed because no matter what I say here it will come out wrong and I will be labeled the asshole. I don’t respond to this.
English class couldn’t end any faster in my book. It’s not that I don’t like the class, I really enjoy it. I just want to have another chance to talk to Juliet.
“Can you tell me one similarity from Pride and Prejudice to today?” Mrs. Griffen says.
Juliet raises her hand. “Yes, Juliet.”
Her hand drops and her eyes lock with mine. “Pressure. What’s expected of us? I don’t think that will ever change. Parents’ usually want you to be one way. Peers expect you to be another way. It’s exhausting.”
Right Kiss Wrong Guy Page 19