My best friend can be a complete and total pain in the ass, but he’s also had my back for as long as I can remember. It the reason why I can overlook most of the stupid stuff he does on a daily basis—including giving his jersey to Mandi. “You didn’t have to give it to her, you know.
“I know, I was going to give it to Becca the same time I asked her to the dance, but then Mandi came along and she scares me, man. She jacked up my plans.”
I can’t help but laugh at him, mostly because he’s right. Saying no to Mandi is like risking getting your balls permanently shoved down your throat for the rest of senior year. “You still have time to ask her¸ and you better. I already asked Kinsley.”
“It’s not weird? Best friends with best friends?”
“Na, fair warning though. Wyatt had a thing for Becca. Rumor has it he almost failed his math class just so she’d keep tutoring him.”
Jake looks impressed, if not slightly annoyed. “Got to give him credit, I was never his biggest fan on the field, but it takes guts to jeopardize your GPA and your football career for a girl. Doesn’t change what I’m about to do though.”
If there’s someone who could compete with Wyatt for the jackass of the year award, it would be Jake. “Didn’t think it would.”
“I’m just sayin’, if you can get the girl, I can get the girl. I don’t even need you to wish me luck, that’s how confident I am. I’ll be back.”
I laugh at him mostly because Becca’s going to say, yes. It’s not like he even has to worry, but I still like putting the fear of Wyatt in him. He doesn’t seem worried as he runs across the cafeteria, cocky as he accused Wyatt of being, and slides on his knees until he comes to a screeching halt right in front of Becca. He stays on bended knee, taking her hand in his until she’s nodding her head that she’ll go to the dance with him. He stands up, swings her around in a circle, and then jogs back to the table leaving her completely dazed. It’s typical Jake behavior.
“Talk about a grand gesture,” I tell him when he gets back to the table.
“Nailed it didn’t I? Wyatt can suck it.”
“It was pretty badass.”
Kinsley scans the room, searching for me, but doesn’t spot me right away. I wave my hand in the air, whistling for her attention. She ducks her head and shuffles over to me, not wanting the spotlight that’s currently shining on her. I’m trying to work on a softer approach, but sometimes I forget. The girls I’ve dated in the past never cared. They’re usually louder than I am. Then again, they aren’t Kinsley. That’s why I like her so much—because she isn’t like them at all.
“Guys move your asses in a little. Let my girl through.”
“Thank you,” she says, when she finally gets to the seat I saved her. Once she’s settled, she barely looks at me, instead pushing her lettuce around on her plate the same way she did yesterday. Something’s bothering her.
Trying to take my own advice, I lean close to her, so nobody else hears me talking. “What happened?”
“I snagged your jersey on my locker. It’s not a big tear, and I can fix it up to look like new. I’m really sorry.”
She’s so nervous about jacking up my jersey, but I couldn’t care less. There’s a chance I’ll do worse to it before she wears it again, anyway. Her rambling’s cute though. She treats it like her prized possession. “I’d still like you if you ripped it to shreds, don’t worry about it.”
That earns me a glare from Mandi. She got her red lipstick on one of my jerseys last year. I remember yelling at her for it.
“Is she going to sit here every day?” Mandi asks. “I didn’t realize this table was accepting the needy.” She then glances at Becca and adds, “Or the desperate.” For added effect, she makes sure to fiddle with Jake’s jersey, rubbing it under Becca’s nose.
Becca’s mouth drops open in shock. It’s bad enough Mandi’s flaunting Jake’s jersey in front of her, and now she’s insulting the both of them, publically. I almost jump in, but when Becca’s fired up, there’s no stopping her. She’s the same firecracker she was back when we were ten.
She slams her fork down on her tray. “I don’t know who you think you are, but I’d rather be known as anything other than the bitch you are. And for the record, Jake gave you that jersey today because he felt sorry for you.”
Mandi scoffs. “Why would he feel sorry for me? He practically begged me to wear it. It happens all the time though.”
“You’re so full of it. He wanted me to wear it, but you were too busy acting like a two-year-old over Rhett giving his to Kinsley. So, if there are any charity cases or desperate people at this table, it would be you.” Becca stands up with her half eaten lunch still on her tray, her mouth set in a firm line, and storms out of the cafeteria.
Jake stays in his seat, but gives a big, “hoorah,” to Becca’s work. He even points at her as she walks away and says, “That chick is badass.”
I can’t argue with him there. Although my girl doesn’t look as amused as Jake and I do. I can tell she’s worried for her friend on top of her own disappointment. Mandi knows how to ruin a lunch period.
“I should go make sure she’s okay,” Kinsley says, not even waiting for me to respond before she gets up and leaves.
I’m pissed Mandi ruined the little bit of time we have together, but confronting her again won’t do any good. It will only piss her off more and the last thing I want to do is make Kinsley’s life any harder than it already is.
Neither Becca or Kinsley are in the hallway outside the cafeteria, so I peek my head around the corner of the girls’ bathroom, and I can hear them talking.
“I don’t know how you deal with this stuff every day of your life, Kinsley. It sucks and it hurts.”
“After a while you start to get used to it. Eventually, it hurts less and you become numb.”
“I don’t want Jake to know I was crying.”
“I won’t tell anyone. Go find him. You’ll feel better after you talk to him.”
“He’s really hot and he might even like me, but Kin, I don’t want you to think I’m disrespecting Wyatt’s feelings for me by talking to Jake. I know Wyatt likes me, and I don’t want to put you in a bad place with your brother.”
“I get it. Wyatt’s long distance. It would make being together hard. You don’t have to explain it to me.”
“Thanks. Oh, and Kin. I’m happy for you. If anyone deserves Rhett, it’s you.”
Becca almost runs into me on her way out, the glassiness of her eyes still noticeable from her tears. Jake will know she was crying even if she doesn’t want him to. I stop her before she leaves, hoping to ease some of her worries. “Your comeback was killer, Becca. Don’t sweat it.”
She gives me a warm smile—the first one I’ve gotten since we were ten. “Thanks. Kinsley’s inside. It’s empty.”
I never doubted her support, but I’m glad I have it. Unfortunately, Kinsley isn’t as nonchalant about me being where I’m not supposed to, gasping the farther I walk inside the girls’ bathroom. “What are you doing? You can’t be in in here.”
I point to the wall, shaking my head in disgust. “This says to call me for a good time. That’s not even my number. It’s false advertising.”
She rewards me with her gorgeous smile, forgetting about the added stress I’m giving her. “I’m glad it’s the wrong number.”
“You mean that?”
“Yes. I don’t want other girls finding out how good a time you are, or even calling you.”
I take her heavy bag off her shoulder, holding it for her while we talk. “I’m a really good time, ya know.”
She rolls her eyes at my cheesy flirtation, but she’s not really mad. Not at all. She even looks a little curious when she says, “I can only imagine.”