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Why, oh why, does he have to look like that?
Low blow, Life, low blow.
Oddly enough, I get the feeling that he’s never taken the time to lookat me before. He sees me every day at school, yes. Sees my face in the crowd. Sees me around the lunch table somewhere in his herd of groupies. But does he look at me?
Nah.
Not like this.
Not like he’s discovering something new.
He seems like he’s debating on whether this “new” thing is good or bad. When his half-grin evolves into a full-blown smirk, I know he made up his mind, but I don’t have the means to translate the verdict in his eyes.
“What did you say your name was again?” He squints, an indicator of some serious brain racking.
My blood starts boiling.
The asshole took my first kiss and he can’t even place me!
“Aveena?” I say, hoping it will ring a bell.
He continues to assess me as though he can’t quite put his finger on it.
“I know you, don’t I?”
I scoff out a laugh.
Is this guy for real?
“We go to the same school? Not to mention hang out with the same people every day?”
He shakes his head. “No, that’s not it. I know you from somewhere. That’s what you meant earlier, right?”
I chastise myself for opening my big mouth. I should’ve left well enough alone.
“You said you remembered me as a bully,” he clarifies. “Did we use to hang out or something?”
I consider denying it out of self-respect. I can’t lie, I’m a tad offended that he didn’t connect the dots sooner. I get that we were eight, but even Finn brought it up once. If Finn Richards, the biggest airhead I know, not to mention a guy who, unlike Xavier, didn’t steal my first kiss, remembers me, why the hell can’t he?
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I spin to leave.
“No fucking way.” It clicks in his mind. “Little Vee?”
Here he is.
“You’re that girl Finn and I used to…” He doesn’t complete his sentence, but I know all too well what he was going to say.
“Annoy? Tease? Torture? Why, yes, that would be me. Did you seriously just figure that out? A bit slow, are we?” I snark.
My outburst only seems to amuse him.
“Look, in my defense, your mom only ever called you ‘Vee.’ I thought it was short for Vicky or Vivian or something. And it was ten years ago. I can’t even remember what I had for dinner last night.”
“Whatever.” I shrug.
“Shit, I’ve got to say, Vee.” He gives me a once-over. “Puberty did you a solid.”
My cheeks combust.
