Jack stands there for a moment, debating on whether to take me up on the offer, but then decides to take the chair next to Mike, which is thankfully across from me. Far from ideal, but better than having him sit right by my side. That would most definitely bring back memories that are better left in the past, and have even more mouths talking.
“Well this isn’t awkward at all,” Mike deadpans before biting into his pizza and chewing extra loudly.
“Fuck off, Mike,” Jack grumbles and digs into his own food, his gaze carefully remaining on his tray.
The tension at the table is almost palpable, like a living, breathing thing. And it definitely doesn’t help that I can still feel the eyes of our fellow classmates looking in our direction, waiting to see what will happen.
Seriously, could this day get any worse?
I stab my fork into the lettuce more forcefully than necessary. I need to finish this meal and get out of here. Fast.
But apparently I’m not fast enough.
“Jessy?”
I lift my head only to find a pair of curious eyes staring at me.
Self-consciously I push a strand of my hair that I left to curl around my face behind my ear. “What?”
Evie looks down at her phone, and then back at me. A frown appears between her brows. “What is this?”
She turns the screen to face me. For a moment I just stare at it, not believing my eyes. I blink. Once. Twice. But nope, the picture is still there in full color, mocking me.
Noah kissing me against my locker. His large hands cupping my cheeks, lips pressed against mine as we stare at each other. There is no mistaking the fire in my eyes either.
A shiver runs through me.
God, I was so pissed at him. Still am, but to an innocent onlooker it could easily be interpreted as the look of somebody in love.
Fuck. My. Life.
“Who posted this?”
I go for the phone, but Evie pulls it out of my reach.
“Oh no, you don’t.”
“What are you doing?” I let my fork fall out of my hand and reach for the phone again. “Give it to me. I want to know who posted it so I can make sure that person removes it.”
By any means necessary. Seriously, what is wrong with people? Taking that kind of photo and posting it online. My skin crawls just at the thought of somebody taking my picture when I’m vulnerable like that and not even noticing them doing it.
A shiver runs through my body as the unease settles underneath my skin.
Yes, I love social media like just about any person in this whole school, but I’d never do something as sneaky as that!
“It’s Snapchat, it’ll disappear soon enough.” Evie waves me off. “Better question is, how did you end up kissing Noah?”
“What?” This one sounds suspiciously like Jack, but I ignore it.
“I wasn’t kissing him!” I hiss in protest, scanning the room to see if anybody is listening on our conversation. But if Evie has seen it, then probably the whole school has.
She looks down at the screen, and then makes a point of turning it toward me once again. Like I don’t have the real deal stuck haunting me in my own head.
“Umm, a picture tells a thousand words and all that.”
“Stop it, Eves! And turn that thing off.”
“What did you think would happen when I found out?” Thankfully, she does as asked, exiting the app, locking her phone and putting it on the side for good measure. Only now, all her attention is on me. I’m not sure I like that all that much.
“You weren’t supposed to find out.”
Nobody was, but that’s just another thing that I apparently don’t deserve to have control over.
Evie pushes her glasses up her nose. “You can’t be serious.”
There is hurt in her voice, and I hate that I’m the one who caused it. I am, but not enough to prevent me from saying the next words. “Well, I am.”
Pushing back the chair, I throw my backpack over my shoulder, grab my still half-full tray and storm away for the second time in mere hours.
Chapter Four
NOAH
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I don’t even have to turn around to know who’s behind me. I kind of expected it after I found out that the photo of me kissing Jessica went viral. From the angle it was taken it was probably one of the girls who were gossiping about her to begin with. Fucking vultures. Because that’s exactly what those girls are. Vultures. They’d do anything to see her fail, just because they’re jealous of her for some fucked-up reason.
“I don’t have the patience to deal with you now, Ward,” I mutter as I go to my car to pick up my gym bag for practice. Although we had practice every day for the past two weeks, today was the first official day. As quarterback and captain of the offensive team, I can’t be late or the coach is going to be pissed.
Yeah, Greyford is best known for its hockey team, but no matter what those assholes love to think, the football team isn’t shabby either.
“Well, that’s your problem,” Liam says as he keeps jogging after me. “Jessy? Really, Russell, Jessy?”
“What the hell does that mean?” I turn around abruptly to face him. I don’t like the tone of his voice one bit, and I surely don’t appreciate the insinuation hidden behind that question. Like there is something wrong with Jessica.
For some fucked-up reason I’ve become protective of little Jessica Bryant. There’s something about her that draws me in, a connection of sorts I can’t identify, but can feel pulling me to her. Much good that’ll do me, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
“Out of all people, you have to go and mess around with Evie’s best friend?”
“I thought you were Evie’s best friend.”
He stops when he reaches me, panting. You see what I mean? All the hockey guys boast how good they are but when it comes to a light jog, they’re a sweaty mess. We’ll see how good this season will be, since they lost some of their key players to graduation.
“Evie’s best girl friend,” he corrects, making sure to put emphasis on ‘girl.’ Like I can’t see for myself that Jessy is most definitely a girl, a pretty one at that.
“Whatever’s happening between Jessy and me is none of your business.” I throw my backpack on the backseat and pull out the duffle, closing and locking the door behind me. But when I turn around, ready to ditch this conversation, I find Liam standing right in front of me, blocking my path. “Move, I’ve got places to be.”
“Are you two really dating?”
“What?”
“Dating? Because that’s what people have been saying.”
I grit my teeth in irritation and run my hand over my face. I seriously don’t have time for this. “I repeat, I don’t see how any of this is your goddamn business, Ward.”
Shoving him out of my way, I continue across campus toward the field, but Liam calls after me. I stop in my tracks, but don’t turn around to face him.
“I don’t know what the hell’s happening, but people are talking, and she’s been hiding all day long. I figure you’d like to know that, you know, in case there is some truth to the rumors and all that.”