Just Like Cinderella

Just Like Cinderella [17]

Damn, girl, I'm gone for one day and your name is the hottest thing on everyone's lips." 

Josi looked up to find her best friend pulling out a chair beside her in their Human Biology class the next morning. Josi flashed her a smile. "Hey, Meg. You don't look sick at all," she observed.

Megan looked as radiant as ever in dark jeans and a blue long-sleeved crop, her manic curls packed into a neat bun Josi just knew she had struggled and struggled with. Her makeup was flawless and she looked like she did any other day.

Megan sighed. "Yeah, it was only a stomach bug and most of it passed over the weekend. I could only get away with missing school for a day, sadly, all thanks to my aunt. Disadvantages of having an aunt who's a doctor."

Josi chuckled.

Megan blinked then leveled her with a knowing look. "You won't change the subject. I walk into school today and there's only one topic that the whole school's debating, so imagine my surprise finding out what it's about. Some say you and Caleb Flynn are now besties, some others say it was only a one time thing, and the rest are saying you're his latest slut."

At that last part, Josi's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

"I need to know what's going on like five minutes ago."

Josi glanced at her watch to see they still had a bit of time before class began. She couldn't get out of this, all because she'd showed up early today to make up for yesterday. "They just saw me and Caleb talking after our Calculus class yesterday, and he gave me a ride after school; whatever their opinion, it's just speculation. Though I don't know who went so far as to call me his slut and why. Everything that happened between us was purely platonic." She didn't mention him finding her in the abandoned studio, them spending their lunch break and the last three periods there together, or how she'd stupidly assaulted him with a hug after he dropped her off.

She inwardly cringed as she remembered, thinking how good she was at making a fool of herself. Now he was probably wondering why he had gotten involved in a clingy nobody like her.

Why had she hugged him? she asked herself for the thousandth time, had spent most of yesterday once he was gone thinking about it. She'd decided she was just feeling sorry for herself, and he not only got her mind off everything but made her smile too. She'd been caught up in the moment was all. He had stayed with her for over two hours, fed her, walked her to the nurse's office and drove her to work.

"That's still a big deal," Megan replied to her last words. "As far as anyone knows, Caleb Flynn doesn't have any female friends. Don't know why, he just doesn't. He hangs out with the cheerleaders, mostly because of Kehlani, but it's clear as day he barely stands them most times. He barely stands most people. And he had practice yesterday. He probably got into trouble with Coach for turning up late when he had to drop you off."

Josi shot her a dirty look. "Are you trying to make me feel guilty?"

Megan scoffed. "No. I'm trying to get you to see that you like him and he does too, so you can tell him you're Ruby and you guys can just date."

Josi's glare was as hot as if she was shooting lasers at Megan. "I don't like Caleb like that, I am not Ruby, and me and Caleb are never happening. Anyway, he told me Coach wouldn't mind if he was a little late. He couldn't have lied." Because that would mean he did much more for her than she'd known.