The Perks of Being a Freak (Editing)

54. Or Not

I sat for maybe five minutes, staring at him like an idiot. Simon smirked back, one eyebrow raised, arms crossed. I felt like a fish, lips opening and closing, waiting for something intelligent to say.

“Do you want a cupcake?”

Simon’s eyebrow lifted even further, and I wanted to punch myself.

Real smooth, Lia.

“Sure,” he said. I nodded and handed him one dumbly.

Without breaking eye contact, he licked at the frosting. 

“Why are you here?” I didn’t want to sit. Sitting would mean that I was closer to the ground, further from the sky. If I was standing I could jump back and be safe in the air. If I was on the roof he could grab me and hold me and I wouldn’t be able to fly away.

“I couldn’t stop by to wish you a happy birthday?” He asked, sounding hurt. His eyes were wide, and he looked innocent. Innocent Simon? Yeah, right, like that could ever happen.

“You had plenty of opportunities during science. I seem to recall you pulling my hair instead.” I crossed my arms awkwardly, still holding the box of cupcakes.

“How could I pass up a chance to pull your hair?” Simon asked, leaning back against the slope of the roof. “Speaking of hair, I like your hair down. Why don’t you ever wear it like that?”

“How could you pull my hair if I wore it down?” I asked sarcastically, sitting at least four feet away from him. It still felt like we were too close. “I wouldn’t want to ruin your fun.”

“But you’re so good at it!” Simon laughed meanly.

“I would go back inside, but I’m afraid that you’re going to murder my family,” I pouted, annoyed.

“Nah, murder isn’t really my style,” Simon took a bite of the cupcake.

“You coulda fooled me,” I scoffed. “You tried to throw me off of a roof, remember?”

“That was a good day,” he grinned, and I frowned. “Happy birthday, by the way.”

“I’d thank you, but I hate your guts,” I replied, looking up at the stars.

“I did get you something,” Simon scooted closer to me, and I turned, curious.

I didn’t have time to dodge before he punched me in the face. With a cackle, he leapt off the roof and landed lightly on the front lawn.

My head didn’t stop spinning for a long time, and when it did, I was furious.

I had given that bastard one of my cupcakes.

And he had given me a black eye.

So while it had been one of the best birthdays of my life, it was also one of the worst. It was also, incidentally, the last.