The Bad Boy's A Softie

VI

          "No! Older men are way hotter than younger guys!" Rachel argued to Cole who just simply rolled his eyes in reply to her remark.

          "Yeah, sure, whatever you say, Drama Queen," Cole said, sticking his tongue out at her.

          We were currently sitting at lunch, having possibly the dumbest conversation of the whole year. Rachel had always been into older guys. Namely, George Clooney, Jason Bateman, etcetera. She even tried hitting on one of our substitutes for French class before.

          He was sixty years old. And that took place in our tenth-grade year.

          I sighed, not really wanting to get involved in their odd conversation. All I wanted -- no, needed, if we're being honest here -- was to get Matthew off my mind. I really did, but he just would not seem to leave my train of thoughts. I slightly glanced over at his table to see him laughing with Ryder and a couple of his jerk friends. Just as I turned away, I heard an annoying loud squeal come from that same direction.

          "Mattybear!" The obnoxious squeal became louder and I quickly jerked my neck back around only to see Gwen Sanders wrapping her thin, tan arms around Matthew's chest and absentmindedly kissing him on the cheek. "Where were you last night? You were supposed to come over. I missed you." Her voice drew everyone's attention with how high-pitched it was, making me contemplate whether I, at that very moment, should have stuck a fork in my neck to cease from hearing it.

          I rolled my eyes and looked to my food, grabbing a few french fries off of my tray. Again, I turned back around to Matthew and his leech only for my eyes to make direct contact with Gwen's. I saw her whisper something in Matt's ear, making him perk up and also make eye contact with me.

          With my face completely red now, as hot as a fork in a microwave, I quickly broke my gaze with the populars and turned back to my tray, slapping my hands over my burning face. "Uh, you okay, bud?" I heard Cole say, feeling his comforting hand rub my back. I just groaned in reply and peeked through my fingers at him and Rachel.

          "Hey, Willow, I'd love to hear what you gotta say, but first, I have to ask; Why is Swamp Donkey Gwen heading over to our table?" Rachel questioned. I sat up and quickly turned around, only to validify what Rachel said was true -- Gwen Sanders sashaying her way over to right where Rach, Cole and I were currently sitting.

          "Uhm yeah hi excuse me," She said, giving her best fake smile and a little wave. "Hi, there sweetheart!" She sat down in front me at my table, making Rachel move a bit farther down. "Uh, hello?" I said, twiddling my fingers and not making eye contact.

          I heard a giggle come out of Gwen's mouth and then a snicker come from Cole's. She quickly glared at him before turning to me, putting her fake smile back on her face.

          "I was just wondering what you," she scanned me over slowly like I was a trend and she was so over it, "were doing looking, um," She pointed over to Matthew, making me, in turn, to look at him also. He was staring at us, shaking his head.

          "- Matthew Reed over there? You know, my boyfriend," She said, putting an emphasis on the word 'my.' I scoffed and looked back at her. "Your boyfriend? You mean, the eighth guy you've been with this week? Oh my gosh, I'm sorry! I didn't know that this one was official," I replied, sarcasm dripping off of my tone as I batted my eyes innocently up at her.

          She gasped and glared at me, bending over to move close to my face as the venomous words trailed off of her tongue, "You're just upset because you used to like him before he almost put your s-," She was quickly cut off as Cole dragged her away from me.