Kiss Off

Chapter 18

School announced that since the Halloween dance had to be canceled due to the storm, they're rescheduling for February 14th. Valentine's Day. Oh, joy. It was a last-minute decision, leaving us with only two weeks to prep, but I suppose anything is better than nothing... to most people. As much as I actually do enjoy dances and beautifying myself for a single night, I really haven't been feeling it this time.

Since Bryson has been absent from school, my life has been depleted of all thoughts of romance. I have no one I'm trying to impress anymore, and because of that I've found myself drifting further and further into this ugly, careless state. In a way, it's freeing. I can dress and act however I like because I have zero concern for the opinions of anyone watching. The downside is realizing just how fake I'd been when Bryson was around.

And then, of course, there's also the downside of poor hygiene and a lazy appearance. The fact that no eager, passion-hungry boys have approached me is proof of just how low I've fallen... though, I can't say I was being approached much before all this either. The worst part about it? I just don't give a flying poop nugget. I look like trash and nobody is bothering to hide the fact that they think so.

"Hey there, Booger," Chloe greets me brightly as I saunter into school in sweat pants and a black marshmallow coat.

She claims I look as though I've been freshly picked from someone's nostril and then crumpled up into a soggy tissue. It's quite cruel, really, but I laughed when she explained the new nickname to me the first time she muttered it a couple of weeks ago. Rather than using a generic description, she put the effort into creating her own. I don't look like crap; I look like a booger. A fresh one at that. She put thought into her word choice, meaning it's absolutely true.

Doesn't help that it seems to be catching on with the rest of the student body.

"Hi, Boo!" Cooper shouts from the other end of the hallway, using his nickname of my new nickname.

"Hi, Poopy Coopy!" I holler back, rolling my eyes before grabbing Chloe's arm and pulling her down the hall toward him.

I wouldn't say the two of us are back to normal, but I finally decided I was done giving Cooper the cold shoulder. Trust still hasn't bloomed back to life, and maybe it never will, but we are friends. I love Cooper. I always will. But there is no way on earth I'll ever share the same feelings he has for me. Even if he'd never broken my heart, he's just not my type. Unlike Claudia, I prefer less goofy and more sweet in my men.

"You look ripe this morning!" Cooper says, looking me up and down with a wide grin stretched across his face. You'd think he'd just given me a compliment based on his expression, but that's not the case.

Lifting an arm, I take a whiff of my pit and frown.

"I don't stink," I defend.

"Didn't say you did," Cooper shrugs. "Just that you look like you do. But hey—" He lifts his hands in defense. "—you do you. I kinda like it. Looks like you literally rolled out of bed and then didn't stop rolling until you got to school."

Chloe starts laughing and I try to jump in with an insult of my own, but Cooper cuts me off.

"But—" he points a finger at me in warning to stay quiet. "But... somehow you still look stunning. Beneath the bird's nest and layers of filth and yellowing teeth and trash-bag T-shirts, you're still quite breath-taking."

"Yes," Chloe agrees, "because the smells you're radiating literally take my breath away."

Now both of them are laughing as I stand unamused with arms crossed over my chest.