Just For Glory | COMPLETED

Still a Jerk

When I walked into English the next day, Piper was settled at her desk already, as always. Her binder was open in front of her, a pencil resting on the blank sheet of lined paper, and her book was in the corner. It was the same every day. Also, in the week since my visit to her house, Piper had ignored me, but it was more of a true ignorance, as if she really couldn't see me. That wasn't the case on Monday.

I threw Piper my usual smirk as I passed, and where she usually just looked past me, her eyes met with mine briefly. They held some emotion that I either didn't recognize or that she was suppressing. I was expecting her to be royally pissed off, so I stopped next to her desk in the aisle looking down at her, keeping my face blank. She clenched her jaw, sliding her gaze back to mine just for a moment. "Yes?" she asked quietly, avoiding looking directly at me again. Oh well, it was acknowledgement.

"What's the matter, Pipe? Not feeling too chatty this morning? You should try coffee," I replied, sitting on the desk across the aisle from hers and ignoring the protests of the girl who sat there. The bell to begin class rang, but the teacher was mysteriously absent, so I didn't pay it any attention.

She flicked her eyes upwards, looking resigned as she raised one eyebrow slightly. "Nothing, Donny. Just thinking about..." Her quiet voice faltered slightly as she seemed to catch herself. She shook her head slightly before continuing. "...about, um, Friday. I was thinking about Friday." Piper lifted her chin towards me, looking to the casual observer as if I was making her nervous. I somehow couldn't believe that.

She obviously didn't know me very well. My talents at spotting lies were mostly due to my own extensive experience lying. Piper was a decent liar, even throwing in a little tremor in her voice. There was something in the way she'd started talking, though, that made me feel like she hadn't lingered that much on Friday. But fine, if she wanted to tussle, I was open to it. It's already been said that I liked to see her squirm.

"What, the kiss?" I said, not bothering to keep my voice down. "You mean you were thinking about you and me kissing in the hallway after school?" The class hushed for a moment, faces turning towards the two of us. A slight flush crept onto her cheeks, but she didn't look at anyone else. I couldn't tell by her guarded gaze what she would say to me.

Finally, she sniffed slightly, looking over at the teacher as he entered the room. Still not looking at me, she said, "If you would call it that." I almost laughed out loud. The girl had more guts than Laser had given her credit for. He made her sound like a little wallflower who never talked.

"Mr. O'Byrne, will you please just sit in your desk?" The teacher sounded, if possible, more annoyed than the previous time he'd said it.

"Oh, but I enjoy these daily reminders so much, don't you?" I deadpanned back at him, slumping into my desk.

At the end of class, Piper was, as usual, out the door before anyone. For someone who did so well in school, she sure did hurry out of every class. The last minute of class always found her tensing up, ready to spring to her feet and out the door the second the bell sounded. I caught up with her in the hallway, surprising myself by being able to do so, since she was an expert at weaving through class.

"I'm hurt, Piper. That really stung," I said once I was walking alongside her, placing a hand over my heart. She glared at me.

"Shut up. I don't want to deal with you, not now," she snapped. I raised both eyebrows at her.

"My, my, it is possible! Someone's feeling a little catty this morning," I retorted, leaning in closer to Piper to see her reaction. She learned quickly. With a neat sidestep, she avoided me. Narrowing her eyes at me, she scoffed.

"I told you that I'm not in the mood for your little antics. Go find someone else to pin up against lockers, you jerk. I'm sure you've got plenty of girls on hand," Piper said matter-of-factly.