Stuck in the Middle

Chapter 20

John

As soon as the door closed behind Spencer, Marc was on his feet. "Really?" he asked. "Kissing him like that? In front of me?"

I scoffed, pushing past him. "I'm not going back to hiding it, if that's what you meant. Besides, you clearly were getting quite cozy with him anyway."

"Is that what we're doing then? Sharing him?"

Instead of answering him, I sat down on my bed and took my shoes off. I had meant to stay in bed longer, with Spencer, but the need for food pulled me away from him. I would have loved to see Marc's face when he got up and saw Spencer in my bed. If I was still there, that reaction would have been even better to see.

Marc let out a short bark of a laugh. "You aren't planning on sharing him, are you? You really think you can have him all to yourself?"

I shook my head with a small smirk. "You'd hate that, wouldn't you? You hate that I've touched him. Kissed him. Blown him. My hands have been all over his perfect little body and that bothers you so much. Doesn't it?"

I clearly got under his skin, which was my plan all along. His face scrunched up in a way that made him look dramatically angry. An angry I've only seen him direct at me, no one else. I loved that I could rile him up so much.

"Tell me you didn't," he said through his teeth. "Tell me you haven't done anything but kiss him."

I suddenly realized why he got so angry at my words. "You haven't gone that far with him yet, have you?" I laughed, loudly when he didn't have an answer for me. At this point, I didn't care who Spencer kissed first. I've gone further. He let me go further with him, but not Marc.

"We've been going at his pace," Marc said. "Besides, we haven't exactly been alone, ever. When the hell did you have a chance to do that with him?"

"Detention."

I watched confusion cross his face, probably wondering when perfect Spencer ever spent a day in detention. Then I saw it click. His eyes widened and that angry face was back. "You sick fuck! Taking advantage of him in a classroom!"

"He enjoyed every second of it."

So did I, probably more than I ever expected. He wasn't the first guy I blew, but he was definitely the best tasting. I wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was something he ate that affected it. Or maybe it was just because it was Spencer.

I liked him. I really did. I wasn't sure why, though. He was smart and cute and nice and, occasionally, had some pretty massive guts. The exact opposite of anyone I'd ever been attracted to before. I had always found myself with the super hot, dumb, and sort of mean people. Then along came Spencer.

I didn't want to give him up. Especially not if I was just handing him over to Marc. But I didn't want to share him, either. I wanted Spencer to myself. Did that make me a jerk for being selfish?

Marc stayed quiet, forcefully pulling on his shoes. What did Spencer see in him anyway? Sure, he was athletic (although not as good as me), and hot (I'll admit that). But other than appearances, there was nothing appealing about Marc. He was over-confident and a position stealer.

He came to this school thinking he was such a hot-shot, but look at him now. Jealousy did not look very good on him.

When he stood up and slung his backpack over one shoulder, I finally broke the silence that hung between us. "Finally gonna go to class? First period is almost half over already."

He shook his head. "I'm going to get breakfast, then go to second period." He gave me a weird look that I couldn't identify. "Why am I telling you? You don't need to know what I'm doing."

Before I could snark back a response, or even remind him the dining hall was closed because we were all supposed to be in class, he was gone. A couple little comments about me touching Spencer and he was a wreck. It'll be so easy to get under his skin now. I wish I didn't have to use Spencer against him, but maybe that'll allow me to have him all to myself.

But, then again, I didn't mind that Spencer was with someone else, even if that someone happened to be Marc. I was never much of a commitment person, so I can't ask that of Spencer. It wouldn't be fair. And, as tough as I liked to act around other people or the insults that rolled easily off my tongue, I really did care about the opinions and feelings of others.

It was just easier to put up a wall and pretend not to care.

Because maybe, just maybe, if I pretended long enough, when people let me down, it won't hurt so bad.

I just didn't want to see it. If every time I walked into the room, Spencer and Marc were mid-kiss (or going even further), I'd lose it. It was one thing to have Marc walk in on us, since he couldn't hide his emotions as well as I could. It was fun messing with him. But I was a lot weaker than I made myself out to be. I couldn't take much more of this.

It was about ten minutes later when Marc walked back into the room, carrying a McDonald's bag. My stomach growled loudly at the smell of greasy breakfast food.

"Why are you still here?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Am I not allowed to be in my own room?"

The only answer he gave me was a sharp scoff as he tossed his bag onto the top of his dresser, within arm's reach of me. I knew I just ate, a lot, actually, but the smell was just too tempting.

When his back was turned to me, I quickly opened the bag and pulled out one of his hash browns. Just as he was about to complain - having heard the bag open - I had the whole thing shoved into my mouth.

"You fucker!" He snatched the bag away from me. "Spit it out!"

I wiggled my eyebrows at him as I attempted to chew the large mouthful of potato. I could practically see the steam coming out of his ears like a cartoon. It was great.

When I managed to chew enough to talk without choking, I said, "Do you really want this back now?"

He looked downright repulsed. "You're disgusting. I hope you know you owe me now."

I swallowed the rest of it. "Oh yeah? Owe you what? It was one hashbrown. It cost like fifty cents."

"It was more than fifty cents, not that you'd know that, since you don't know how to count."

"Ooh, ouch. Strong words from you, considering I'm pretty sure you almost failed math class last year."

He shook his head slowly, that angry look I loved seeing on him creeping into it's rightful place. "I really thought that was you, not me. Either way, you still owe me."

"If you don't want fifty cents, then maybe you'd take something else in exchange?"

I didn't mean for the words to come out flirtatous in any way, but that's what happened. To be honest, I wasn't exactly against it. It might actually be kinda fun, especially if I could get him on his back with his legs spread... but that was thinking way too far ahead.

"What do you want from me?" he asked. His voice cracked slightly, like my words had had some sort of affect on him. What kind of affect, I didn't know.

I shrugged, not giving him a real answer. I didn't think I had a real answer.

Did I actually want Marc in a sexual way? Yes, he was hot. And he was into dudes. But he was practically my arch enemy. Could you have an arch enemy at seventeen years old? Maybe it was a new record for youngest enemies ever.

The paper bag in his hand crinckled as he moved it slightly. I was tempted to grab it again and take another hash brown.

I stood from the bed, slowly, keeping my eyes locked on his. Carefully, I took a step closer to him, closing the distance between us. I tried to move my hand slow enough so that he wouldn't notice.

But, just before my fingers could grab hold of the bag, my lips somehow ended up pressed against his. I vaguely registered the sound of the food hitting the ground just as he started kissing me back.