Between You & Me

Chapter Seven

“Who do you like?” AJ asks me first hour the following Monday.

“Who said I liked anybody?” My voice is hard and cold, but that doesn’t seem to change anything.

“The whole school seems to be talking about the ‘mighty Lexi’ showing a soft side for some mysterious guy,” he smirks. “Who is it?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I glare at him.

“So there is somebody?”

“God, you sound like me when I’m interrogating one of my friends,” it’s like the time I asked Ash about who he likes. We seem to have dropped that conversation, though.

“Who is he?” He insists, taking a seat next to me, sliding his arm across me shoulder. “It isn’t me, is it?”

“Hell no! I’d rather die before I set eyes on you,” I roll my eyes, shaking his arm away. “I thought you said you weren’t going to bother me anymore.”

“I lied,” he shrugs with a mischievous smile. “I won’t give up until I figure out who he is, so I can beat the crap out of him.”

“How ironic is that?” Dakota’s voice sounds in her southern accent.

“You aren’t in this class,” I snarl through gritted teeth, accidentally snapping my pencil in half with my fist.

“Chillax, girlfriend. I got your back,” she smiles at me, taking the seat in front and turning to face the two of us. She winks at AJ, who quickly turns his gaze to me.

“I thought you had a boyfriend,” I tell her.

“Apparently he doesn’t like ‘compassionate’ girls like me. He’s more of an Elle fan,” she shrugs.

“Sucks. He was cute,” I lean back in my chair, talking as though AJ isn’t sitting next to me, letting all my words sink in.

“Yeah, well, I can’t date a guy who doesn’t like me back. He probably thought just ‘cuz I’m on that magazine I’m like those slutty cheerleaders. You think you know a guy,” she sighs.

“I know exactly what you mean,” I let my eyes fall on AJ, who rolls his eyes and stands up.

“I hate to miss out on your little girl gossip, but I’m going to sit elsewhere,” and with that, he spins on his heels and marches off to a group of guys behind us.

“Bell’s going to ring in about three, two, one…” Dakota’s timer seems to be correct, because what follows is the ear rattling, class-starting ring. “I’m gonna be late for class if I don’t get going.” She says, standing up.

“You’re already late,” I laugh.

“Yeah, well, sucks, huh?” She winks at me and starts off out the door as the teacher enters, starting the lesson right away.

Throughout the whole lesson, Carter and I exchange notes and write on each other’s notebooks, which is a thing we have going since he’s trying to write notes instead of type them and he requires my help. And this way it’s easier for us to study together since my handwriting is easier to read, so we sort of have to swap notebooks when we’re finished reading my half of the notes. Complicated, I know.

My glittering blue pen shimmers on the paper, reminding me of the spray paint back at home. Sighing, I sit back in my seat. I really wish I could have that spray can here, just to remind me of those days we would have fun and make sketches and paintings on the side of buildings. My stomach churns in homesickness, and Carter stops writing to ask if I’m all right. I must have a very upsetting look on my face to make him ask that.