Chapter 21 #2
His bottom lip drops, and it takes a few moments before he speaks. “It’s not like there hasn’t been a precedent.”
“I know,” I’m quick to respond. “And I’m not saying you should only believe me. You and Jamie have been buds forever. I just couldn’t stand you thinking I broke our truce.”
A smile brightens his face. “Well, I got it. Loud and clear. I really appreciate what you did.”
“Thanks. I hope Jamie did too.”
“She was more confused than anything. But she wouldn’t let me talk about it with her. She hates looking weak and always tells me to drop it.”
“Oh.” My heart sinks at the thought Jamie can’t see me turning a new leaf. “So, she probably wouldn’t be over the moon at the thought of us hanging out?”
Kai leans against the bench and sighs. “No, not likely. If she found out I carried you home, she’d probably keep a ten-foot pole between us.”
“So, you haven’t mentioned anything to her?”
“I try to segue by bringing up our assignment, but Jamie retches when I bring up school. It weirded her out in the foyer, when you were talking about running. Super skeptical about what you were up to. I thought, if I could tell her I was running with you, it’d be an easy way to mention the fact that you and I have gotten closer.
But Jamie wanted to talk about soccer, and I kinda get swept up whenever that’s a topic of conversation. ”
“I get that, especially when you had practice.” I sigh, cupping my cheek in my palm. “I really was trying to be nice to Jamie yesterday. I just wanted to talk, even if it was small.”
“If you keep trying, she might come around.” He smiles. “I did.”
I suck in a breath, and my heartstrings pull. “Do you trust me?”
He nods. “You proved yourself yesterday. I have to admit, I was in doubt and questioning everything. Every possible motive. But my gut has never let me down.”
I place a hand on the space over my heart. “I won’t make this a first.”
When we get underway, Kai and I don’t speak much more. Ugh. I could feel Cammy’s eyes burning holes in me. Why couldn’t Mrs. Field call her out for looking around the room instead of working on her experiment?
Thankfully, though, Cammy’s heated glare had me and Kai making loads of progress on our experiment. It’s funny how quickly a class can finish when you work the entire time. I leave chemistry on such a high. Even the thought of my next class can’t bring me down.
Since the assembly last Friday about cyber bullying, the school thought it was a great idea to use our gym periods to lecture us further about anti-bullying and respecting each other.
It wasn’t exactly effective. Coach Oliver rarely gets her point across unless she’s yelling and blowing her whistle.
Every phys-ed class this week has been a snoozefest in our health classroom.
Except today. We get the pleasure of being back in the gym.
Yay.
Honestly, I don’t know which I prefer, and that’s saying something.
“You seem chummy with your new lab partner,” Cammy taunts as we change into our gym clothes. “Did things heat up during your study date the other day?”
Thank goodness she and Yvie only know about one study session.
“Oh my gosh,” Yvie gasps. “Are you over Hayden already?”
I groan, tying up my tennis shoes. “I was never into Hayden. Gosh, Yvie, did you say something to Cindy?”
“Pfft,“ Cammy scoffs. “Like she has time to talk to Cindy these days. She’s too busy sucking Zane’s lips off any chance she gets.”
Yvie blushes. “Cammy, stop it.”
“If it bothers you,” Cammy replies, grasping her hips, “stop doing it in front of the entire cafeteria.”
Yvie chews her fingernail, giggling. “Guilty.”
I shouldn’t say it, but I can’t help it. “You’re not jealous, are you, Cammy?”
Cammy clicks her tongue in outrage. “Jealous? Me? Of what?”
I nudge my shoulder toward Yvie. “She has a new boyfriend, and things with you and Clint are still so raw.”
“Oh, please,” she hisses. “I am so over Clint. Besides, if I wanted a new boyfriend, I’d have a new boyfriend.”
“So get one,” Yvie urges.
Cammy turns her back on us. “Since when is this about me?”
Whoa, she’s rattled. Three, two, one. Now, this will all turn around on me.
“Besides,” she turns back around, glaring right at me. “You’re the one with the new boyfriend.”
I fix the hem of my gym T-shirt against my shorts. “Please. You think I’m fantasizing about my lab partner?”
Yvie steps closer to Cammy so they can both stare me down. “Tabby?” Yvie says with glee. “Is there something to tell?”
I shrug. “If there’s something to tell, you two will be the first to know.”
Yvie squeals and latches her arms around me. “Oh my gosh, Tabby! You’re getting your first boyfriend.”
“Whatever,” Cammy mutters, strutting out of the locker room. “It’s just her lab partner. As if anything will happen between them.”
Yvie hugs me tighter, whispering in my ear, “Wow, she’s really not over Clint. You think any mention of boyfriends will set her off?”
I laugh as Yvie releases me and we walk across the gym. “Oh, yeah. She’s ready to explode.”
Yvie and I join the others in the gym. Coach Oliver instructs us with hyped energy. Obviously, being stuck in a classroom had some adverse effects on her. She splits us into groups where we work on passing, running, and dreaded jumping jacks. I feel my abdomen hurting already.
I wonder what Kai would say about that?
Yvie’s eyebrows wiggle, catching the smile on my lips. I shrug it off, not in the mood to hide the tingles inside me at the thought of this boy.