Bow Down To Your King

Chapter 17

ZEKE POV

Point Total: 0

Julia didn't give me any attention, not so much as a wink, in our American Lit class. It was like I was invisible, disposable.

Typical.

I rolled my eyes at the back of her head and pretended not to care, not even a little when she walked out of the room without saying a word. Sure, Professor Anderson and I kinda, sorta had a thing. One time. But there was no way Julia could have known that.

Not so soon.

So why did she kiss me and then give me the cold shoulder?

That was the mystery.

While I was busy trying to figure it out, Jared caught up to me in the hall. He was in rare form, laughing, at what? Wait, he's pointing at me.

"Can I help you?" I asked, using my best customer service voice, perfected after years of working the church potluck line.

Jared clapped his hand on my shoulder and I fought the urge to push him off of me. I wasn't usually violent, but something about being made fun of for something I wasn't even aware of really sets a man off.

"Julia is playing the field," Jared snickered as if that wasn't the worst possible news to deliver at three p.m. on a Tuesday.

Liar.

"What are you talking about?"

"I just heard from Trent, who heard from Astrid, who eavesdropped through Piper's door that Julia has a date with Dorian."

I froze.

Dorian?

The pretentious poet turned football star?

You've got to be kidding.

"It's just a rumor then?"

Jared shook his head, "It's happening. This Friday."

"Did the eavesdropper tell you that?"

How would Piper even know what dates Julia was going on anyway?

They didn't talk, except in the cafeteria.

I faced Jared, the smug son of a bitch, and questioned him for more information.

Where is this date?

The garden?

Dorian's bedroom?

Is she excited?

Is that why she didn't talk to me in class today?

Jared stared at me, amused by my suffering. "Jesus, man. You're taking this a little seriously, don't you think? You'll still get the points even if he gets there first."

I frowned. "Julia isn't like that."

"Like what? The kind of girl that will make out with you in the boning garden and then run off with Shakespeare 2.0?"

"Yeah," I said, unconvinced.

"Prove it then. If you're so close I'm sure you can talk her out of it."

Right. Because women love when you try to control them.

"That's awful advice."

Jared shrugged, "Better than doing nothing. Gotta get to business, with Julia." The way he said her name, wiggling his eyebrows, made me want to punch him in the throat.