Espion | Book One

Sixteen.

"She's so full of herself."

The words floated around Jessi's head and bounced right off him. He pushed his hands into his pockets, leaning against the lockers as he stared at the object of the conversation. Anna was putting things in her locker, listening to her friend talk nonstop.

"You think everyone is full of themselves, Angela." Dan slammed his locker door shut and turned to Angela. He deadpanned.

Angela rolled her eyes. She flicked her perfect blond curl to the side of her head and crossed her arms, her blue eyes resting on Anna once again. She's been talking about her ever since a few days ago. That one hour lunch session they shared together only served to deepen Angela's animosity towards the new girl. Jessi, once again, just ignored her. Angela hated anything that outshined her, whether it was with attention, or looks, or academics. If Angela Staton was not on top, to her, she was not Angela Staton. So, she couldn't afford to lose the top spot.

"She is worse than all of them," Angela snarled. "Just look at her, acting as if she's all that."

Dan looked at Anna with a frown. "She looks normal to me. I think she's kind of cool."

At that, Angela laughed. "Don't tell me you're actually fooled by her?"

"I don't think she's trying to fool anyone."

"Yeah, well, just you wait. I'll figure her out soon enough."

Get in line, Jessi thought.

Anna closed her locker door then went to sit beside Mina at the back of the class, Jessi's eyes following her every move. Jessi, Dan and Angela stood to the back of the chemistry lab, leaning against the lockers. He had noticed that they shared all the same class. At first, he thought it was just a coincident. But now, as he stood waiting for the teacher's arrival to the last class of the day, on the last school day of the week, he was beginning to think this was more than a coincident. This was fate at its finest.

For the past few days, they haven't spoken much. Dan had taken a liking to Anna's friend, Mina, and so the two groups were always around each other, much to Angela's annoyance. But they didn't get to talk, one on one, like they did before. He found himself itching to get her alone. But each time he tried, she either blew him off, or something else got in the way of it. He began thinking she didn't want to be alone with him anymore, but he couldn't be entirely sure; not with those eyes on him.

She liked watching him. Jessi wasn't a very observant boy but he knew that much. Every class, every time they were around each other, she watched him. She was always solemn with it too and when he was looked at her, catching her in the act, she hadn't bashfully looked away. She just kept on staring, as if she didn't care that he caught her.

Angela was the observant one of the group. Jessi knew she saw Anna's staring, just as he knew she didn't like it one bit. She never failed to mention it once she wasn't around.

"Stop staring at her like that," her voice broke through.

Jessi blinked and looked at her. "What?"

She was glaring at him. He was beginning to think that was the only expression she had. "You heard me. Stop staring at her like that."

"Why?"

"I don't like it."

Jessi almost groaned aloud. As much as he like Angela, he never – ever – wanted to leave the platonic nature of their relationship behind. She, on the other hand, was more than eager to, and she made it very obvious to anyone around her. Just as how Angela Staton was a girl who wanted to be on top, she was a girl who wanted a guy on top. Jessime Beaumont was that guy.