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“Turn them all down.” She snorted. “Funny guy.”
She hesitated a moment before adding, “At first, I thought Ethan and I might go, but then he wanted to ask someone, and the next thing I knew, it was getting closer, and now . . . Maddie said I scared off all the guys at school with the gym class incident.”
“Nah. That’s not true.”
She flashed me a look that said I was wrong, and I hated that for one second she actually thought no one wanted to ask her. Little did she know I’d been single handedly threatening half our class and spreading silly rumors to deter them from asking her out for years.
No way was I telling her that, though. I could picture her violent response now, and I happened to value my manhood, thank you very much.
“Seriously. I’m a guy,” I said. “Shouldn’t I know?”
“Well, the guys certainly weren’t beating my door down before. I highly doubt they will be now.”
“That doesn’t mean they don’t want to. You’re unattainable.”
“Little Miss Perfect, I know.” She sneered.
I shook my head. “No, that’s not what I meant.”
She paused, a snowflake in her hand, and looked at me like I was crazy. “What are you talking about?”
“You. You’re that girl at school that’s hard to catch. A lot of guys are just too afraid to try and get shot down.”
Literally. I’d told several of them some wild story about how her father threatened any boy that took her out with a sawed-off shotgun.
But she shook her head. “No way. That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it? You have one of the highest GPAs in our class, you were class president two years in a row, not to mention, involved in a lot of extracurriculars, you’re nice to nearly everyone, except for a couple Royals from last year. Heck, you’re even decent to Oliva and Tasha,” I whispered as they took a seat a few tables down. “And it totally shows because everyone likes you.” It was the truth and something I admired about her.
“Well, I don’t like everyone, and I’m certainly not friends with everyone. I hardly even go out, and I hate big school events.”
“Maybe. But I also know this ‘I hate everyone’ act is the furthest thing from the truth. Whether you want to admit it or not, deep down, you’re just afraid of rejection. But the geeks, the jocks, the surfers, the mean girls, the potheads, you name the group and they all like you. And I might be a dude, but even I know the fact that Tasha and Olivia even acknowledge you says something. They can be downright brutal to the other chicks.” I placed my snowflake on the tree, then grabbed another, avoiding her as her gaze burned holes in the side of my face. Any more and my brain would turn into a sponge.
“Trust me.” I met her eyes with mine and held her gaze. “Guys want to ask, but when it comes down to it, they’re too afraid. But not for the reasons you think. Not because you aren’t amazing.”
“You’re wrong.”
I arched a brow. “Oh, really?”
“With you, it’s not an act. I really do hate you.” She smiled sweetly, and I grunted. Because wasn’t that the truth?
Chapter 14
MIA
Mondaymorning,Islammedmy locker door closed when Lauren Brown sidled up next to me. Her blonde ponytail bobbing, eyes bright. “How was your time spent with Carson this weekend? Maddie told Jenna she saw you guys at Bake and Batter.”
Why did news always have to spread so fast at Lakeview? And since when was I the subject aboard the gossip train?
Oh, yeah. Probably since I tried to strangle a boy in gym class.
“Torturous,” I answered, which wasn’t quite accurate. Our meeting at Bake and Batter had been . . . interesting. Part of me was still in shock, actually. Because when he’d asked me whether I had a date to the dance, I’d been forced to tell them truth for fear he’d catch me in a lie and I’d look like an even bigger loser. And either I was going insane or Carson Brooks hadgiven me the most epic of compliments in response. He’d actually been . . . kinda nice.
Shocker, I know.
Lauren’s smile fell, and I laughed. “What? You look disappointed.”
She shrugged. “It’s just you guys have more chemistry than Mr. Gray’s science experiments.”
