A Sensitive Arrangement

Chapter 2

"I have a plan!" Olivia exclaimed, running up to my locker as I fished my chemistry book out.

"That might be my least favorite sentence in the English language when it comes out of your mouth." I told her. Her plans were normally extravagant and rarely turned out how she expected them to.

"My plans are brilliant." She defended herself. "But this one's the best."

"Go on." I replied, humoring her.

"So, Nick asked me out on a date this Saturday."

"Great plan." I rolled my eyes, giving her a thumbs up before turning back to my locker and rearranging the books.

"No, that's not the plan part." She waved her hand, as if brushing the notion off. "His cousin is coming to town for Christmas, and so I suggested that the four of us have a double date."

"That's a horrible plan." I said, not even bothering to look at her.

"It's a great plan. Julian gets in on Friday, he'll be forced to face the fact that you have grown into a stone cold fox, and he needs to get his act in gear before he loses you."

"He can't lose me, that's the whole point of-- you know what never mind." I sigh, finally turning to face her as I closed my locker.

"So you'll come?" She looked so hopeful. I almost hated to crush that hope. Almost.

"Why would I come?"

"Because it'll be fun and it will make my brother jealous."

"I don't think either of those statements are true." I grumbled. Julian had absolutely nothing to be jealous of.

"Because I want you to then." She looked at me, pleading with her eyes. Even I couldn't say no to her when she did that.

"Fine, but only because someone needs to chaperone." I told her. Nick was trouble with a capital t and everyone knew it. He was one of the most entitled jerks in a school full of them. It didn't seem to stop Olivia from being completely smitten with him though.

"You won't regret it." She squealed, skipping off to her next class. Somehow, I highly doubted that.

Unfortunately, I had Chemistry next. It was not one of my favorite subjects. Give me any other science: biology, astronomy, physics, and I was fine. But there was something about chemistry that I just never really got. To make it worse, we were all paired with new lab partners. And of course I got stuck with Nick.

"So you're coming out with me and Livie on Saturday?" He grunted. He wasn't the most articulate person. But he was good at throwing a football, and that seemed to qualify him for catch of the year in Olivia's book.

"It seems like it." I replied, trying to ignore his new ridiculous nickname for her.

"Good. Joe will like you. You're sweet, he likes sweet."

"Have I ever been sweet to you?" I snapped. I didn't usually mind being called sweet, normally I'd take it as a compliment. I just didn't like it when he did it.

"No, but you're sweet to everyone else. You just don't like me because I'm stealing your best friend away."

"I don't think that's the reason I don't like you."

"I do. In fact I know it is." He glared at me. It was clear we would never be friends. Saturday was going to be miserable.

"Great, so do you happen to know the answer to this next problem?" I asked, pointing to our worksheet.

"Does it look like I know the answer to any of these problems?"

"No, no it does not.

"Smart too. He'll love you." He smirked. It got under my skin.