Pretending (Westshore Series #1)

Chapter Seventeen: Angel in a Room Full of Devils

I was so stressed about Halloween, at first it sounded fun to wear a slutty costume with Abby but now all I can think about is how I might look in it. I have gone on a run every day this week, I even include a Chloe Ting ab workout daily. I think that every teenage girl has succumbed to Chloe Ting's workouts at one point in their life.

I knew I was getting worse, I had lost more weight that I didn't need to lose and some of my jeans weren't fitting as well. I told myself I would gain it back after Halloween since it would be sweater season and it wouldn't matter as much. But as long as I have to wear skimpy outfits I would need to keep up my workout routine. 

In University Halloween wasn't just one night it was multiple. Tonight we were going to a Halloween party co-hosted by the soccer and cheer team at Amy's house and we obviously had to go because we were members. Both teams had a theme to follow, Devils and Angels. I was excited to see the soccer guys all dressed up. I would love to see Warner in a tutu.

I am on my way to the last class of the day and then it is time to get ready with Sarah and Abby for tonight. Classes are a struggle when they never used to be. I used to have no trouble focusing when I was eating a solid ten meals a day but now with my juice cleansing I can barely stay awake in class. 

As I go and sit at my seat near the front waiting for the lecture to start, I notice Emily walk in and she makes a beeline straight for me. Hopefully, she isn't armed after the tailgate incident. She seems like the type to bring a knife to class just for me.

"Where is your bodyguard?" She seems pleased that I am alone, but she knows Warner and I don't sit together.

I ignore her, hoping that like a fly she will just shoo but she leans on my desk and keeps going "I'm still on the cheer team and If I can't have Warner maybe I'll take Adam instead. Then you will know how it feels to have a guy stolen from you."

"Emily, could you please take about ten to twenty steps away from us? My restraining order against you is being filed but we might as well start now."

I smile knowing my bodyguard has made it to class just in time.

Warner leans over the desk and I can see he is testing if Emily has the guts to talk back to him. It's priceless seeing her face drop when Warner has so blatantly insulted her. Her mouth flops open and shuts like a fish's as she struggles to come up with another biting remark for me. It's nice to see her being bullied for a change. I almost feel a sense of gratitude toward Warner.

Before either of them can go any further the bell rings and the teacher walks in clutching his briefcase. Everyone settles into their seats and I expect Warner to go to his in the back but imagine my surprise when the chair next to me gets pulled out and he sits down next to me.

"You can't sit here," I exclaim, trying to keep my voice down while the teacher calls out the attendance.

"Do you have some sort of contagious disease?"

"No!" I say looking around to make sure nobody is listening in on our conversation.

"Then I can totally sit here."

"Okay but when Emily murders you in your sleep don't come crying to me," I say dryly flipping my textbook open and turning to the chapter we were currently studying. I can feel Warner's gaze burning the side of my head but I can't look him in the eyes just yet. I might have said the words casually but I did not want a Sierra 2.0 situation and Warner sitting next to me is fueling the fire.

"Don't let her get to you, Jules." He says softly, so softly that I am not sure if he actually said them.

"It's not exactly easy to do that," I say avoiding eye contact but I hear him sigh and drop his head on the table.