I flick him off me. “My bag’s heavy.”
Kai raises his hands in defense, wearing a mocking expression. “Geez, sor-ry.”
I turn away, just in time to glimpse Tabitha’s smirk as she looks at Kai.
I hurry my steps along the hall. Whatever. Kai can keep giving his attention to his girlfriend. At least he’ll be distracting one Miss Perfect off my radar.
I shelter myself with my open locker door. Last Monday, Camila waved around an unsavory picture of my mother. With Tabitha bringing it up yesterday at the cafe, I can only imagine what else the Miss Perfects have up their sleeves.
The bell rings and I make my way to math class. I get in earlier than usual, allowing me to get to my desk before the Miss Perfects arrive. I settle in and open my textbook to where we last left off in class. I pull out a pen and open my notebook. My heart flutters as my eyes wander the page.
Scribbled across the page in Milo’s handwriting are the words, “You got this!”
I cup a hand over my enlarged grin. Oh my gosh, this is so stinking cute. He must’ve done this last night when we were hanging in his bedroom. Sometime after that toe-curling make-out session.
The cuteness gets the better of me, and I sneak my phone out of my pocket. I snap a photo of the message and type a text to Milo.“Found it. Thanks xoxo.”
I’ve never writtenxoxoin my life and am feeling sickly sweet.
“Miss West,” Mr. Pritchard calls, walking up the aisle between desks. “Writing something you want to share with the class?”
I quickly click out of the message chain with Milo and slip my phone into my pocket. “No, sir.”
He curls his fingers into his palm. “Hand it over, Miss West. You can pick it up at the end of class.”
As laughter simmers around me, my stomach plummets as I reach into my pocket for my phone. I ensure it’s locked and hand it over.
“Sorry,” I mumble.
Mr. Pritchard’s expression softens. “How did you do with the extra set of problems I gave you?”
I hand over my work. “It’s all here. I finished them.”
He smiles and nods as he takes my work. “Excellent.”
As the laughter dies down, the cackling from Camila and Yvette is unmistakable. I don’t give them the benefit of looking their way, but it makes no difference. They’ll say whatever they want because Mr. Pritchard won’t stop them. I hold the edges of my desk, bracing myself for imminent obnoxious remarks.
Camila clears her throat, and then… nothing.
“Cammy?” Yvette asks, shifting in her seat.
Still nothing,
It gets the better of me. I turn a quarter-inch to spy on the girls in my peripheral vision. Yvette stares at Camila, turning in her chair as if ready to pounce. Camila flicks her long chestnut hair over her shoulder and watches the blackboard as if her favorite movie is playing.
Yvette rears back. She flicks her eyes my way and then faces front.
What the heck? Why didn’t they attack? Being singled-out by Mr. Pritchard is usually a launching pad for verbal jabs.
I scratch my head, watching Camila paying attention to Mr. Pritchard’s lecture. Could it be because Tabitha’s dating Kai? I was pretty sure Kai hadn’t hung out with Tabitha’s friends. Is it possible he said something to get them to leave me alone?
But that also doesn’t make sense. Tabitha still made little digs at me when Kai was around.
I pick up a pen, rapidly clicking the top. I don’t buy it. They must be lulling me into a false sense of security. Then they’ll get me in the hall. They don’t know me well if they think I’ll relax before the bell rings.
For the entirety of class, I’m on edge. Thankfully, I have to hang back at the end of class to collect my phone. I’m stiff as a board, waiting by Mr. Pritchard's desk. Camila and Yvette walk out together, arms linked, as they giggle and flick their hair.
A small exhale of relief pours out of me, but I’m careful to stay alert.
