You+Me

Chapter 6

Simone laughed a little too hard. So hard that the chocolate milk she drank came straight out of her nose.

I giggled behind my hand as her eyes widened and her hand flew up to catch the mess.

I reached into my backpack and tried to fish out my handy dandy package of tissues.

"Here," I said, still smiling.

She grabbed it eagerly and wiped off her hand and the front of her cashmere sweater. "Ugh. Remind me never to talk to you again. See what you made me do?"

I'd been telling her what my mother had said when we had had 'the sex talk' and Simone had mentioned what would happen if Nate had been there. She must have pictured his face or something because one minute she was fine and the next she was squirting out milk from her nose.

"I wasn't the one who said anything funny. You did that on your own."

Simone wiggled an eyebrow at me. "Hah. You think I'm funny then do you?"

I rolled my eyes in response. "You're a riot."

She snickered at my sarcastic statement. "Wanna know what else happened?"

"Sure."

"Dad didn't come find me after he suggested we have 'the talk'. I think he was just as humiliated as I was."

I frowned. "I still don't think you should have said that he drove your mom away. I mean, she left by her own accord, not because he made her or anything."

Simone flipped her hair, not caring. "He may as well have with the way he was pushing her to be the perfect example of a wife to show off to the community. It's like he wanted to put her up on display like a trophy or something. I guess she just got fed up in the end and decided to cheat on him. I think that was her revenge plan. And it worked."
She tapped her finger on her chin for a minute.
"Maybe I should do something extreme like that too. It'll at least teach Dad to get off my case about being perfect."

"How can you say that Simone? This is your dad you're talking about," I stated sternly.

Simone forced a smile. "I was just joking, Aria. Jeez."

I bit back a nerve of guilt for accusing her of bad mouthing her parents.
"Sorry."

"No problem."
Simone bit into her sandwich and began talking with her mouth open.
"So what's the deal between you and Nate?"

I held up a hand to shield my eyes from the view of her mouth.
"Yuck, close your mouth."

In response she showed off her teeth with bits of lettuce in them. I frowned at her and refused to speak until she swallowed. Simone took another big gulp of her chocolate milk and finished off the rest of her sandwich.

She leaned on the palms of her hands that held her face up. Her brown eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"So tell me. I want to know everything."

I bit back a smile at Nate's statement since I last saw him.

'Hopefully we won't stay strangers for long.'

I could have swooned. My mouth straightened into a firm line. Trying to act nonchalant I said, "What's there to tell? We're both in book club. He's a troublemaker. I'm a nerd. We're complete opposites."

"Come on Aria. You clearly like him!"

I frowned. "I don't."

She raised a brow but didn't press the issue any further. "Fine, be that way. But you can't tell me that he doesn't like you. I mean, he did ask you to bang with him."

I tucked a loose strand of my brown hair behind my ear. "He said it as a joke. I don't think he actually meant it. Like look at me and then look at him," I gestured to myself, "Do you really think that he would want me?"

Simone's eyes flashed furiously. "Don't put yourself down Aria. You're gorgeous. And if you can't see that then no one will."

I stood and collected the rest of her lunch to throw away.
"If you say so."

                             ~°°°°°~

As I was walking to class a hand gripped my elbow and pulled me back. On instinct, my mouth opened to let out a blood curling scream but it was soon covered by another hand.

The hands turned me around and crashed me against the red metal lockers. Blue-grey eyes flashed in my face.

"Hey!" Nate said excitedly, "What are you doing tonight?"

"W-what?" The thrill of what just happened made me stutter.

"I asked you what you're doing tonight."

"Uhm, homework?" I said, making the statement seem like a question.

Nate smiled, clearly amused by my reply. "Is that an answer or an 'I dunno, maybe homework?'"

"Uhm, I'm going to be late," I mumbled and turned away to leave.

Nate gripped my arm again, "Wait. You didn't give me an answer."

"N-nothing, I guess." I replied.

He grinned in a away that had a shiver crawl down my spine and heat pool in my cheeks. Simone's words repeated in my head.

'You can't tell me he doesn't like you.'

An embarrassing wave of white, hot heat rushed to the pit of my stomach. My fingers instantly clenched onto the bottom of my shirt, wrinkling the material. Naughty images of Nate and I flashed through my mind in a matter of seconds. I shook my head from side to side. What was I thinking!

"Are you okay?" Nate asked with concern.

"Fine," I snapped, angry for letting myself get carried away.

Nate flashed another signature smile. "Great, I'll meet you at seven."