How can I refuse?
Lunch
I wander into the café trying to figure out where I’m going to sit today.
Aiden, who was all sweet last night, has been nowhere to be found. I thought he might try and talk to me today. Walk me to class. Text me.
Something.
Anything.
But, no.
And it’s such a letdown.
I spy Maggie already sitting at a table with Ace, Annie, Katie, Riley, Ariela, Dallas, and Logan. I decide that’s where I’m heading when familiar arms wrap around my waist.
“Sit with me,” Dawson says.
I look at him. So gorgeous and sweet. “Sure,” I say, knowing that he’s trying.
When we sit down, Jake and Bryce are talking about going to the JV game tonight.
“You should come with us,” Jake says to me.
“Yeah,” Bryce says. “It’s supposed to rain, so it should be a muddy game. Those are so fun to watch.”
“Sitting in the rain doesn’t really sound fun,” I say. “But I don’t have rehearsal tonight, so why not.”
Dawson rests his hand on my leg and turns toward me. “Why don’t we meet the guys there? We can stop and get dinner and then go sit in the rain and be miserable together?”
“Wow, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?”
“I love you, Keatie.”
And I know I should feel all warm and fuzzy when he says that but, right now, it just sort of feels inappropriate.
And the way Peyton and Whitney both shake their heads and roll their eyes at him, I know I’m not alone in my thinking.
Peyton quickly changes the subject though. She turns to Whitney and the sole minion and says, “Health has become my new favorite class.”
“Mine too,” Whitney says. “Isn’t Mr. Steele totally hot?”
“He’s not even that big,” Bryce replies, flexing his muscles at her. “Can’t compare to this.”
She laughs at him. “In your dreams, Bryce. I heard he was an MMA fighter. And those tattoos. Why can’t all the teachers look like him? I’d never skip a class. In fact, I have an appointment with him this afternoon. Can’t wait for a little one-on-one time with him.”
Jake smashes his jaw together tightly. I can tell that he’s pissed. Just the other day, Whitney told him she made a mistake and wanted to get back together with him.
“I thought you wanted to get back together with Jake?” I blurt out.
She shrugs her shoulders, like Jake was no big deal. “Not anymore. I’m aiming a little higher this time.”
Jake stands up, grabs his tray, and walks away.
Peyton looks at Whitney and smiles. And the way she smiles makes me a little uncomfortable. I’m pretty sure she’s trying to plan Whitney’s demise. I look at the lunch table, knowing Jake will probably not be back.
And realize that’s exactly what Peyton wants.
That’s why she’s been standing up for Whitney with the minions. She wants them gone.
She wants for Whitney what I wanted for Vanessa.
For her to end up sitting on her throne.
All alone.
Nothing good.
French
Aiden drops his backpack down on my desk. I see that my feather earring is attached to its zipper.
I touch it. “I take it I’m not getting this back?”
“I might want to use it again.”
“You’ve been MIA all day. What have you been up to?”
“Just doing some Social Committee stuff with Brad. Tying up loose ends stuff. Since they sent out the video, they’ve doubled the number of prospective students. We’re trying to adjust our plans accordingly.”
“Do you need help?”
“No, we got it all done. The welcome packets are ready. The rooms are assigned. All that stuff. Speaking of the video. Have you thought about getting an agent? Maybe doing commercials or something? I think you could sell about anything to anyone.”
“Probably not until I get done with school,” I lie. I wish I could tell him what Vincent is doing. How there’s no freaking way I could be on TV. I decide to change the subject. “Riley told me earlier today that Coach is making you kick for both the JV and Varsity games this week. Even though it’s supposed to rain, I’m coming to the game.”
“Don’t you have rehearsal?”
“I get to skip again. They’re still working through their lines.”
“Really? That’s cool . . .” Then he stops. “Are you going with Dawson?”
“Well, yeah, there’s a bunch of us going.”
“I heard you were at the Cave last night.”
“How did you hear that?”
“Dallas said something to Riley about it earlier. Sorry, I’m not stalking you or anything.”
I think about Dawson. How cute he is when he stalks me. Meeting me after classes. How it makes me feel when I walk out of my dorm and see him sitting on the brick wall. Maybe he just has a different way of wooing.
“Okay,” I say, not sure where this is going.
“Did you kiss him?”
“Who?”
“Dallas. Did you get high and kiss?”
“Um, we got high . . .”
He locks his teeth together and looks mad.
Annie comes rushing in, sliding quickly into her desk. “Oh, I thought I was going to be late. What’d I miss?”
From behind me Aiden says, “Nothing good.”
Shit. He is mad at me.
Again.
And he didn’t let me finish my freaking sentence.
Again.
I turn around. I don’t care that Miss Praline has started talking.
I madly cross my arms in front of my chest and say, “I thought you were going to start letting me finish my sentences before you jump to conclusions?”
“And I thought . . .” He stops. “Never mind.”
My voice gets louder. “No. There’s not going to be a never mind. I’m sick of it.”
Miss Praline says, “Keatyn? Aiden? Is there a problem?”
“Yes, actually there is,” I say. “I’m feeling sick. May I go to the nurse’s office?”
She narrows her eyes at me as I put on my sick face. Slack face, sad eyes, slightly lowered head.
“Of course, Keatyn,” she says.
I throw my books in my bag and walk out the door.
I don’t go to the nurse’s office. I toss my pass into the trash and race to the field house.
I change into my workout clothes and then go to town on the punching bag. I never promised not to pretend punch his head. Besides, probably better to pretend punch it than punch it for real.
I’m kicking the shit out of the bag when Cooper Steele saunters in. “You’re doing that wrong.”
“What do you mean, I’m doing it wrong?”
He walks behind me, reaches over my shoulders, grabs my hands, and pulls them back in toward my waist. When he does this, I’m thrust back against his rock solid body.
He turns my hands over so that my palms are facing upward. Then he pushes them forward and flips them as they reach the bag.
“That’s how to throw a proper punch. Shouldn’t you be in class?”
“I was feeling sick?”
“Looks to me like you’re feeling pissed.”
I sigh. “That too.”
He knits his brows together, thinking. “Come into my office. We need to get to know each other better.”
“That’s pretty forward of you, Mr. Steele,” I say with a smirk.
He gives me a coach’s smack on the butt. “Get going.”
Is it bad that I totally just pictured Cooper Steele tying me to a bed and spanking me?
Okay, Keatyn. That’s it. No more reading naughty romances on your phone during school.
He grabs me by the arm and drags me toward his office.
And I can’t help it.
I like it.
I have a stupid grin on my face when Whitney comes around the corner. “Uh, Mr. Steele, I was just coming to see you. We have a meeting to discuss the competitions for this weekend’s Greek events.”
“It’ll have to wait. What was your name again?”
Whitney looks startled. Shocked, really. Isn’t every male on the planet supposed to know her name?
“Um, it’s Whitney. Whitney Clarke. I’m on the Social Committee. We have an appointment.”
Cooper flashes a smirk at her and looks down at his hand, which is still firmly wrapped around my arm. “As you can see, Miss Clarke, I’ve got my hands full.”
He drags me into his office, shuts the door on Whitney’s face, and then turns the blinds on the door’s windows.
I try not to giggle.
“Sit up here on the desk,” he tells me loudly. When I don’t move, he picks me up and sets me on the desk.