Chapter Twenty-Five
Juliet
“Well, I’m sure he hates me now,” I say to Chase as he slides into the seat next to me before our Advanced English Composition class starts.
He scoffs at me. “I’m sure he doesn’t. Why would you say that?”
I shrug. “I have a new lab partner, David Linch. Listen before you start asking questions and rambling on how much you dislike the guy.” I am pretty sure everyone does. He’s such an ass.
Chase rambles off his questions before I can finish. “How did that happen and how is that idiot is still in advanced anything? And what’s this have to do with Jared hating you?”
“I may have yelled at Jared after he defended me. He shouldn’t be trying to make me like him. He’s the one who requested new partners. Now he’s working with Felicity Trent and I’m stuck with Dave. I knew liking someone like Jared was a terrible idea.” I frown. “It’s like I’m being tossed aside all over again because I’m plain.”
“Stop. Jared requested to have a new partner?”
I am growing frustrated. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Chase scratches his head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
I remain silent. It doesn’t matter. The deed is done. It’s times like this I wish I was more like Layla than like how I am. I don’t wear makeup. I don’t dress like my twin. We certainly don’t act the same. Layla’s all bubbly and happy to get to know people. Me? I’m happiest when I’m immersed in pages of a book. But these are all the things normal girls don’t do. They’re all the things that people like Mark and Selena find odd.
I shrug. “I don’t know anymore. Just forget I said anything.”
“All right, but I want you to know I think he’s being an idiot.”
I smile. “Thanks, Chase. You’re really awesome, you know that?”
He leans back in his seat. “I really am, aren’t I? For real though, don’t let this type of stuff change you. I don’t want to see you go back to the dark place you were in over winter break.”
I cringe. That was a really bad side of me. I honestly don’t want to end up like that ever again. And this is why I need to stop thinking about boys like Jared Black.
Just as we end our conversation the tardy bell chimes. “Class today we are going to go over your papers on Romeo and Juliet. So please pull them out.”
I slide mine out of my binder and take in the rest of the room. Most of my classmates are digging out their papers. Some are talking among each other. My eyes land on the empty seat where usually a tall dark haired muscled boy sits. I swear though as soon as I wonder how his hand is he strolls into the room.
“Mr. Black,” she says as he walks over and hands over a yellow slip. His left hand is all bandaged up.
“What happened? Did you burn him?” Chase whispers
I scowl. “No. I didn’t do that. He has a new partner.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, so forget about what I said the other day.”
Chase frowns. “If that’s what you want.”
I shrug. “Doesn’t really matter. I told you he hates me.”
He doesn’t say anything. Mrs. Griffen comes around the room and collects our papers. My mood seems to worsen with each passing second. I shouldn’t care that his lab partner is some supermodel type girl. I shouldn’t care that he burnt his hand either. And I really shouldn’t care that he won’t even glance over at me. But I do. It’s like the more he seems to push me away, my heart aches and I don’t know why.
“Juliet?” Chase asks again in a softer tone.
There is a prickly sensation in my eyes as tears well up and threaten to spill. I sniffle. “Yeah, I’m better off without him.” The lies that keep coming out of me astound me.
“Okay.” Chase knows. That tone of firmness means he can see past the BS I’m trying to feed him. His plan to help me win Jared over is invalid. What was I even thinking liking someone like him? Just another Mark in the making, different skin, same kind of person.
After school, I head up to the indoor track where my soccer team is conditioning today. There are three routes to take to reach the indoor track. I take the one leading me past the weight room. I’m a glutton for punishment apparently.
As I’m passing the room, Jared Black is heading toward me. “Hey,” he says.
I give him a slight nod and keep moving. If I talk to him I know I’ll cry. Possibly scream at him for an answer of why he could be so cruel and have me partner up with Dave Linch?
“Juliet, can we talk?” he asks.
I shake my head and start sprinting away from him.
As soon as I reach the indoor track I swipe my eyes for any tears then clear my mind. I should stretch like some of the girls on my team are doing. I don’t. Running is the only thing I want to do. I start my warm-up laps.
“Are we no longer a part of a team, Valentine?” Coach Harper asks.
I slow my pace and easy my way to where the rest of my teammates are huddled in a corner. Coach Harper looks down at me and says, “We win as a team, lose as a team, and work as a team.”
There is no sufficient response to that, so I simply keep my mouth shut and nod. He seems to like this reaction. “All right then let’s warm up. I want eight laps around the track.”
Kimber the girl who currently has Jared’s full attention of late groans at Coach Harper. She’s not going to make the varsity team this year. Not with that attitude. Soccer is basically all running. If she’s complaining now about some silly eight laps how is she going to manage an entire game? Ooops that’s right she doesn’t. Kimber complains all the time.
Last year she broke a nail during a practice game. Not so bad as if the thing hit cuticle and was bleeding mind you. A measly little chip to her perfect manicure and she cried as if she was dying. Maybe I’m weird because I think worrying about having a perfect manicure over playing a game that’s tied up is preposterous. Suck it up. They grow back. One might be a little shorter than the rest, it’s not the end of the world. File the rest of them down so they all match and move on.
I can’t believe he’s into someone like her. I thought for sure he would want someone with a little more substance. What could she possibly talk to him about anyway?
I lap her and most of my teammates for a second time. Kimber pants, “It’s not a race, Valentine. Stop showing off.”
Am I really showing off? I’m merely jogging and she’s panting as if she’s about to pass out. I can’t help it I actually trained in the offseason while she was probably at every party known to mankind. I roll my eyes at her comment and keep pushing on.
Lacy Meyers a senior catches up to me and matches my pace. “Nice work, Valentine. Love the hustle.”
I give her a slight nod. “Thanks.”
“Keep it up.”
Then we continue around the track until we complete the eight laps. As I’m taking a drink of water my shoulder gets bumped. My hand jerks causing my bottle to slip from my lip. Water drips from my chin and squirts the front of my already sweaty shirt. The indoor track is above the basketball court, the heat is on, and it’s blazing in here.
I glare at the person who brushes past me. Sadie Beckett. I took her starting spot Freshman year and she hasn’t gotten over it. Seriously she acted like our coach was blind to her waving to a group of boys during a game. He saw that crap and shut it down. I ended up starting the rest of the season while she flirted with her fanbase. I didn’t think she cared. She certainly didn’t act like it. Until about our fifth game of the season she tripped me during warm-ups and said, “That’s for taking my spot, loser!”
Ever since then she’s been giving me crap. Thank goodness, she’s a senior now and this is the last year I’ll have to put up with her BS.
“Better watch your back, Juliet.”
I sigh. Her threats don’t really bother me. I mean, sure she put some green dye in my conditioner bottle and my hair was a faded green for about a week until I could strip it all out. She cut holes in my socks, so my feet blistered up around my ankles and toes. She might have thrown my shirt into the toilets, but I didn’t let that bother me either. I mean if she got ahold of it before our game I might have been a little upset smelling like possible toilet water. But it was after while I was in the shower. My shirt was drenched, and I just took it home and washed it. Two times just to be sure.
Again, her antics don’t bother me. I have thicker skin than most. I think that’s what makes her so mad. She can intimidate mostly everyone but me.
“All right, ladies. Bring it in,” Coach Harper yells.
We all circle around him. I stand beside Lacy. Coach Harper’s attention darts from each member trying out for the team. “Those laps were weak for the most part. Valentine and Meyers, I’m excluding you two.”
Lacy nudges me. I smile over at her but notice most of the others scowling or giving us the death glare.
“We’re going down to the old gym and we’re going work on drills,” he says to us.
I love drills. It’s my ultimate favorite thing to do. A lot of my teammates though are not as enthusiastic about drills. Kimber looks like she’d rather die than do any kind of drills. It’s probably because her ball control is iffy.
This sounds selfish, but I hope she messes up so bad she’ll be cut. I kind of hope Sadie is cut too but she’s good if she would keep her mind on the game. Not on the stands like it usually is.
“We’re going to partner up. Kimber, you and Juliet are going against each other. Lacy, you and Sadie will be defending against one another.” He continues to pair up the girls until everyone has a person they’re supposed to defend, block, or steal from.
I grab my bag and water bottle then head down to the old Gym. I’m sweating. I’m gross. It’s not pretty. The last person I want to see is a hot boy. Kimber plows into my side and almost knocks me down as she charges toward Jared.
He smiles at her and then looks over at me. I should want to flip him off or smack his face. But I’m gapping at his lips. Why do I want to kiss him?
Kimber giggles and swats his arm playfully. That’s it. She’s going down.