Queen of Nothing

6. Let Me Make It Up To You

"And did you hear?" 

"Yeah, she just shut her down-" 

"No one's ever shown Mahi up like that. Serves her right." 

The group of sophomore girls were clustered around my locker, in a huddle. I cleared my throat, 

"Is there something the matter, ladies?" 

They immediately straightened up, a healthy amount of fear in their eyes. 

Laura, their little ringleader spoke up, "No, um. We were just talking about how totally unfair it was that Lily undercut you like that. Like really messed up." 

"Yeah," Noura piped up, "We're totally on your side." 

"Didn't seem like it when you voted to keep her on council," I snapped, "or do you only kiss my ass when it's time to misappropriate funds for your class's spirit week?" 

Noura turned white as a sheet. 

"Didn't think so," I muttered, "now get away from my locker before I re-evaluating whether being class rep is serving you right. Thoughts?" 

She shook her head, and they scattered at once, like guppies. I rolled my eyes at the nuisance, walking towards the teacher's lounge. Student body council members were permitted to spend breaks there, and I frankly needed a moment away from the gossip.

I'd barely breached the front door, when an arm shot out, grabbing me away. I yelped, 

"What the-"

But the hand clamped on my face, dragging me into a janitor's closet. Panic began to rise in my chest, until I turned around to see none other than Cole. 

I smacked him in the chest, "Are you serious?" 

His eyes shined with mirth, and he reached for me, ostensibly for a kiss. I waited till his lips were a hair's breadth away from mine before spinning out of his reach. 

"C'mon babe," he whined, "It's been so long!" 

"You're a pig," I hissed, before making a move to leave. He blocked the door with his body and I tried to squeeze around him, until he held onto my hands with his. "Cole, I'm serious, let me go. I don't want to deal with you today." 

He had the nerve to look like I had actually wounded, "Don't be like that." 

"Be like what? Mad that you made out with another girl at your party on Friday night? Or should I be upset over how you practically ignored me this entire weekend? Or...ooh--wait, I got it! Giving Lily fucking Turner a ride to school, knowing that it would drive me up the walls? Take your pick, Cole, because I am so sick and tired of your bullshit." 

He looked amused, "I have a lot to apologize for, huh?" 

"Yeah," I fumed, feeling the anger seep out of me slowly. It was near impossible to be mad at him, not when he had the dimples out on display. I wish it wasn't this easy to tug at me, to persuade me to put my weapons down. 

He drew me in closer, 

"Let me make it up to you." Before planting a kiss on my lips. And then another. And then we were fully making out in a damned broom closet, but I couldn't help it. 

Even when I was upset, I couldn't resist. He was a phenomenal kisser, and knew me far more than I cared to admit. He knew where to touch me to get me to melt, to want him, to fall for his lies. That was the fault with us. We hated one another, were terrible together. But there was so much familiarity there, that I found myself completely forgetting about Tilly, Lily, and all other problems that ended in -ly.