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The restroom door slammed open, and I stiffened as feet tapped across the tile floor. One of the sinks turned on, the rush of trickling water not enough to cover the sound of a shaking sob. I stepped down from the toilet and peered through the gap in the stall.
It was Jessica. She was hunched over the sink, gripping the porcelain with her head bowed. Tears dripped down her cheeks in the mirror, her lips trembling as she drew them together and then exhaled slowly.
She composed herself. Straightened up, dabbed her reddened eyes with a tissue and delicately blew her nose. She sniffed again, and in the reflection, her eyes narrowed.
“Who the hell is smoking in here?” she snapped. Any hint of sadness was gone from her voice as she whirled around. Her green eyes were livid. Her posture made it clear she was ready to make someone’s life a living hell for daring to see her when she was vulnerable. I didn’t say a word as she stomped out of my sight, and one of the stall doors violently slammed open. “Who’s in here?”
With a sigh, before she could get to my stall, I stepped out.
For a moment, she looked confused. I carefully stubbed out my cigarette, not wanting to waste any of it before I tucked it away.
“What are you doing here?” Her gaze darted up and down my body, her eyes lingering in places they shouldn’t. I’d never understood why she looked at me like that. As if she was about to ask for something but couldn’t figure out how to do it.
“Avoiding your boyfriend,” I said, and she rolled her eyes.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” she said sharply, “anymore. He’s Veronica’s boytoy and she can have him, for all I care.” She walked back to the sink, pulling a makeup wipe from her purse and swiping the cloth beneath her eyes. “Were you sitting in here watching me? That’s so creepy, Manson.”
I wandered over to the sink next to her, washing my hands before I put a piece of gum into my mouth. Nothing like being around the hottest girl in school to make me suddenly self-conscious.
She couldn’t have been more my opposite with her pink acrylic nails and sparkling makeup. Like a ray of fiery sunshine that could either warm you comfortably, or burn you to a crisp.
“Well, I’m sorry about the breakup.”
“You’resorry?” She scoffed. “No, you’re not. Don’t give me that bullshit.”
Thank God. I sucked at fake sympathy anyway. It always sounded sadistic and I wasn’t trying to freak her out like that.
“Okay,” I said. “You’re right. I’m not sorry you broke up with your dickhead, dumbass boyfriend. I feel more like I should congratulate you on finally dropping two hundred and fifty pounds of dead weight, but it’s a little difficult to congratulate someone who’s crying.”
“I’m not crying.” She flicked mascara onto her lashes, opening her eyes wide. “Why should I? Kyle is missing out and I haveplentyof other options.”
She had her pick of the school. Who would turn her down? Vincent and Jason were constantly egging each other on to flirt with her, like it was a game to see which of them could score first. As ifeitherof them had a chance. Even Lucas, who swore he hated her guts, wouldn’t deny himself the opportunity to get with her. And I...
I wouldn’t turn her down. Hell, the thought of being with her like that...
It was ridiculous. I wasn’t one of her “options.” I didn’t qualify. Maybe if I traded part of my brain for a little more muscle, but even then, I wasn’t good enough for her.
There was a barrier between Jessica and everyone else, an impenetrable glass wall as if she were an exhibit in a museum, meant to be observed but never touched. That wall felt like a challenge, as if there was a trick to getting around it if I could just figure it out.
She reapplied her gloss and it shone on her lips, her mouth irresistibly drawing my eyes. She could say mercilessly heartless things and I’d forgive every one of them; she had before and she would again. What confused me was that no matter how cruel she was, no matter how often she acted disgusted by me, she didn’t avoid me.
It felt like it was the opposite. She could have requested that her locker be moved away from mine, but she hadn’t. She could tell me to fuck off at any time and I would. I wasn’ttryingto be a creep, despite her accusations.
“What happened to your head?” she said. I’d already forgotten the cut was even there, and I dabbed my fingers over it to check if it was still bleeding.
“That was the toll for getting into my locker,” I said. Her mouth twitched, as if in a vague attempt at sympathy. “So, who’s your lucky rebound? I assume you’re already plotting how to make Kyle’s life jealousy hell?”
She smirked as she leaned against the sink. “Of course I’m plotting. He needs to learn a lesson.”
The sound of the door opening made me flinch. I turned as a mousey brown-haired girl stepped into the bathroom and spotted us. I wasn’t sure who she was, but Jess snapped her fingers, getting the girl’s attention instantly.
“Restroom is occupied, honey,” she said, and the girl practically tripped getting back out the door. I shook my head as Jess went back to her makeup, still musing about her revenge. “Maybe I’ll date Alex. I know he’d go for it. He’s always trying to flirt with me when he thinks Kyle won’t notice. That would ruin his friendshipandmake him jealous.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re diabolical?” I said. Lucas would have an aneurysm if Jess ended up dating Alex. Frankly, for the sake of Lucas not ending up with a murder charge, I hoped she didn’t follow through with that method of revenge.
She thought about it for a moment. “No, they haven’t. But I like that. Diabolical...” Her smile widened, as if the idea tickled her. “It’s what he deserves.”
“And what about whatyoudeserve?”
