"Come on, Casey, please!" Jeremy begs, looking up at me with puppy dog eyes. Shaking my head defiantly, I start to speak, but Jeremy cuts me off as soon as I even open my mouth. "Plllllleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasseeeeeee," he drawls out childishly.
Stubbornly, I ignore his attempts to persuade me. "No. I won't do it, Jeremy," I state firmly, staring him down.
"Come on, Casey, live a little!" he demands, though still keeping his voice quiet because we are, in fact, in the school hallway.
"Jer-" I stop abruptly as another teacher walks past. "Er, Mr..." My mind suddenly blanks. Crap, what's Jeremy's last name? "Gym Teacher..." I substitute, hoping it'll do. Holding my breath, I wait for the teacher to be out of hearing distance, although he probably already heard my name substitution. Luckily, all I get is a funny look.
As soon as the teacher disappears up the stairs, Jeremy laughs. "Mr. Gym Teacher? Really? You couldn't have done any better than that?" he snorts, patting me on the head.
Annoyed, I swat at his hand. "I was under pressure, okay? I don't know how Holly does it all the time..."
"It's okay; I understand, Mrs. Average Student." Jeremy grins at me, and, as much as I hate to admit it, Jeremy has a great smile.
"Meh."
Jeremy chuckles once more before continuing our prior conversation. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand!" he announces, persistently.
"'The matter at hand?'" I mock, raising my eyebrows at his choice of words.
"Yes! The matter at hand!" Jeremy confirms, using his hands to support his statement for added affect. "But the matter at hand is no longer a matter because I have come up with a compromise!"
"And what would that compromise be? I come with you as long as I promise to take you lingerie shopping later?"
Jeremy flushes, scowling at me. "I don't shop for lingerie!" he protests, face reddening even more.
"Yes you do," I contradict, secretly pleased that my plan is working.
"No I don't!"
"Actually, I'm pretty sure you do."
"Well you're wrong."
"No you're wrong."
"You're wrong about me being wrong!" Jeremy claims, much too louder than necessary.
After glancing around to make sure nobody had heard, I respond, "So that means I'm still right about you shopping for lingerie." A smirk plays at my lips.
"No you're no-" Suddenly, Jeremy stops talking.
Panic bubbles up inside of me as I glance around nervously, trying to scout out any passing people. Relief comes as I find nobody around. Confused, I turn back to Jeremy. He's almost... glaring at me. No, scratch that; he is glaring at me.
"What?" I ask, brushing my hair out of my face, conscious of how closely Jeremy's scrutinizing me.
"You... you tried to..." he pauses, throwing his head back followed by a hand to his forehead, blond hair flying back along with it, "d-distract me!" I sigh in relief. Nothing's really wrong; it's only Jeremy being Jeremy. "How could you?" he wails. "After all we've been through?"
"Jeremy," I say, waiting for his attention. "I distracted you, not killed your lover." He’s so dramatic sometimes, I think to myself, exasperated.
