A Tangled Web We Weave (Completed)

21. 'Cuse Me While I Pick Up My Jaw

Sabrina

"Sorry I hung up on you, I didn't mean to answer the call." I said, flicking my eyes around my surroundings. The shopping bags at my feet rustled as I turned to look.

"Aw, Sabrina, how kind of you to conscend-" He sounded angry.

"This whole celebratory-date thing was your idea."

"You're right."

"Ok, so, where are you?"

"Right now, I'm looking at this really pretty girl." I could Israel's smug smile over the phone.

"Oh, really. What does she look like?"

"She's got shiny, long blonde hair and I can't see her face but everything else looks satisfactory. Very satisfactory."

I rolled my eyes, turning a little to crack my back. Across the mall food court, I met Israel's eyes. His eyes widened in false surprise. My eye narrowed as he started saunter over, smirking the entire time.

"Oh, nevermind. She looks way too desperate for me." He winked and hung up the phone.

I glared at him as he made his way over to me and went to sit down in my booth. "You're really funny."

He grinned, standing up straighter and leaning over to kiss my cheek. "Hi, blondie. It's good to see you." The glint in his eye told me he was doing it to make me uncomfortable.

I forced a smile as he sat down. "Hi, babe," I ground out from clenched teeth, kicking him under the table. "You're late. I went to three stores and got this outfit in the time it took you to get here." I straightened, giving him a better view of my flawless clothes. When he only pursed his lips, I pouted. "Well? What do you think?"

He chuckled. "Fishing, fishing, fishing."

I laughed, tossing my hair. "I very much am fishing for compliments. I'm just waiting for the hook to pick some up." As if on cue, McKenzie Pyle and her cronies stopped by our table. McKenzie ran in the off-brand popularity circle, the people who used their access to alcohol to get ahead, so we didn't really talk that much. "Hey, Kenzie," I tried not wrinkle my nose.

Her bleached teeth flashed as she grabbed my wrist. "Sabrina, I just wanted to say you look so good today. Not that you don't everyday," she quickly tried to amend. "Anyway, those jeans are adorable and I love your shoes, ok, bye." She hurried away, tossing a wave over her shoulder.

I turned a complacent smile to Israel. "See? I get results." He was looking down at his phone and completely ignoring me. I took that moment to study him, earlier slights forgotten. His cocoa skin was blemish-free, his face perfectly proportional, with his bottomless eyes, jawline that could cut glass, and high cheekbones-

I shook my head, out of my trance. What was I doing? He was a tool who delighted in torturing me.

He looked up. "Sorry, I think that much plastic messed with me."

I nodded. "I don't really like her."

He raised his eyebrows, chuckling. "You're just as fake as the rest of them."

I crossed my arms, leaning forward. "There is a distinct difference between being fake and being friendly."

"Enlighten me."

"Being friendly means you don't have to like the person but you treat them with respect. Being fake would be fawning over her like we were best friends and then talking crap about her the second she walked away." I smoothed my hair again. "Anyway, I have exciting news for you."

He took off the ring on his right hand, the gem in it matching the ones in his ears. "Ok?"

I pursed my lips at his tone. "Hey, pay attention, jerk. This is important."

He rolled his eyes, sticking the ring back on this hand. "Alright, princess, you have my attention. What do you have to tell me?"

"Shawn and my mom got into a fight." As his eyes widened, I tried to hold in a grin. And succeeded. "Apparently, Cal wasn't too happy about our PDA and went to my mom, trying to get her to forbid us. Unfortunately, she happened to be on speaker phone with your dad at the time and after Cal left, they began arguing about our relationship."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, who'd a thought? Your crazy plan actually worked. Crafty"

Smiling, I stood, grabbing my purse.

He was on his feet in a second. "Where are you going?"

"I've been sitting in that stupid seat for a half hour and I want food. Coming?" I asked over my shoulder, moving to the Thai restaurant. The sound of him scrambling and muttering behind me brought a grin to my face. Probably to the first genuine one of the day.

After we ate, he drove me home. Some point during the ride, I can't remember what I said, but his hand ended up on my knee and it stayed there the whole way home. Which was confusing. We hated each other. He thought I was a spoiled princess and he was a self-righteous jerk who couldn't keep his hands to himself. Right? When we pulled in front of my house, Cal was sitting on the porch with Melissa. It's not like I could really complain about her being there, but oh how I wanted to, even though I was in the car with Cal's worst nightmare. Cal and Melissa looked up at the same time, their jaws dropping almost in synchronization. Melissa raised an eyebrow at me, challenging me by pulling my brother closer.

In retrospect, I know it was stupid and immature and probably not my finest moment. But all I did was smile widely, grab Israel's chiseled face, and kiss him fiercely. A minute later, I came up for air and looked over to where they had been sitting. They were gone.

I laughed. "I hate her so much."

Israel scoffed. "Well, if you are done using my lips to tick other people off, I need to get going." He sounded almost... hurt.

I climbed out of the car, holding the door open. "Israel, I didn't mean-"

"Bye, Bri," he interrupted, revving the engine and speeding away.