Deviation (Book #2 of the Taylor Series)

The Great Dictator

I hadn't expected to see the boy who made my freshman year a living hell and my sophomore year an emotional hell sitting at my lunch table this afternoon, but life loves giving people countless surprises. I narrow my eyes at him, more particularly, his arm around Brielle's shoulders.

"Hey, Max, what on earth are you doing at our table?" I ask, decorating my face with the fakest smile I've ever managed. I hadn't meant to make my voice sound like an actress from the fifties, yet here I am, feeling like a woman in stockings with pigtails, asking my papa for permission to look in the mirror once more.

He smiles up at me, but his isn't fake. It's mischievous. God, he even looks like Snape from the Very Potter Musical. He literally has the personality of one of those obvious villains. BUT WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SEE IT?

"Thought I'd join the party. After all, Brielle is pregnant with my baby." He smiles and leans over to give her a peck on the cheek.

"Oh... Now it's your baby." I raise an eyebrow, and he narrows his eyes with confusion. I glance at Brielle who is glaring at me with narrowed eyes. "Kidding..." I mutter. I sit down at my seat and eat my lunch in silence, disregarding the big, lump of a boy sitting across from me.

Once Brielle and Max start talking to each other again, I feel eyes burning into me, so I look up at them. Unfortunately, it's neither of them. I look around at the other members of our table and immediately spot Emmy staring at me with a small, comforting smile.

She gets up from her spot on the other side of Brielle and sits beside me instead. For a second, I worry that we're just going to sit beside each other with awkward silence. Thankfully that isn't the case because after she adjusts our trays so they aren't bumping into each other, she leans close to me and whispers, "Good morning."

"Yeah..." I whisper back, "Nothing like having a homophobic asshole sitting at our table uninvited." She sighs and takes a sip from her water bottle.

"Don't be ridiculous," She whispers once she's done, "He wasn't uninvited. Brielle asked him to sit with us."

Well... I probably would've guessed that. I look up at Brielle who doesn't seem to be paying attention to anything except Max. My pits begin to sweat in a way that is totally un-sexy. Brielle still hasn't said a word, not even to explain why she invited Satan to our lunch table. I hate being forced to stare at his stupid face.

Ugly, light blue, know-it-all eyes. Ugly, tan skin with fading bruises and fading scars. Not to mention, his stupid golden blond hair that he gels to stand straight up.

Okay, fair enough, he isn't exactly unattractive, but his personality completely ruins his looks. He's the biggest asshole at this entire school. He also me nearly every single day last year just because I'm gay. He was probably offended though, to finally find a girl who wouldn't fuck him.

"Hey, can I speak to you?" The familiar voice asks from behind me. I gladly stand from my seat and lead Marty out of the cafeteria.

I thought I'd ruined my chance with her, but clearly not enough for her to start blanking me. I wish I'd gotten that lucky. Then I wouldn't have to pretend to be over Brielle. But of course, here she is, standing right in front of me wearing a faux corset with a royal purple tutu and chain combat boots.

"So...? What's up?" I ask. She laughs a quick HA!

"I like you, Juliet, you're straight to the point." She smiles, and I roll my eyes. I wish she was like that too.

"I'll have you know that I'm anything but straight." I comment. She laughs again, but I'm becoming impatient.

I need to get back in the cafeteria and... And... I don't know. Talk to Emmy, I guess. Maybe we could talk about why Brielle is being such a goob. Or why Max is an asshole.