Awry

41

Scarlet’s first opportunity to act “mature” about her breakup with Gabriel came on Monday morning.

It didn’t go well.

The first thing Scarlet noticed when she entered the school halls, was the ridiculous amount of attention Gabriel received as he gathered things from his locker. Girls were stopped in the halls, staring at him like they were hunters and he was their prey.

Apparently, word was out.

Scarlet entered chemistry and headed for her seat with her eyes turned away from Kristy.

“Good morning, Scarlet.” Kristy’s voice was extra cheerful. “How are you today?”

Scarlet sat down and opened her chemistry book. She tried to sound normal. “Fine.”

“Are you sure?” Kristy leaned over with big, innocent eyes. “Tough weekend?”

Scarlet looked at her and shrugged. “Not really. I just hung out with Heather.”

Kristy nodded in a pseudo-understanding way. “And got dumped by Gabriel?”

Scarlet lifted her eyebrows. Dumped?

“Gabriel and I broke up, yes.” Scarlet gave a single nod. “But we’re cool.”

And I’m mature.

Kristy pouted her over-sized, glossy lips. “I’m so sorry things didn’t work out,” she lied. “I thought you guys were—what did you call it?—on fire?” To Kristy’s credit, she managed to keep a straight face as the sentence slid from her tongue.

But Scarlet saw the mocking glint in her eyes and briefly contemplated slamming her chemistry book into Kristy’s abdomen.

But she didn’t. Because she was mature.

Scarlet shrugged. “It just didn’t work out.”

Chocolate wafted into her nose and Scarlet turned to see Aaron leaning against the side of her lab table.

What did he do, eat M&Ms for breakfast?

He was so close to her, his hip brushed against her ribcage. It was like he didn’t understand personal space at all.

“I hear you’re single now.” Aaron gave a white-toothed smile and tossed his hair.

“Where did you hear that?” Scarlet cocked her head, hoping to find the leak.

He pulled his stool over and sat down. “A little bird told me.”

Why did people use that saying? Little birds didn’t talk. They chirped. And, unless Aaron spoke bird, he certainly wasn’t deciphering any bird chirpings.

“Now that you’re free,” Aaron said, “you can go to the town fair with me.” His eyes traced down Scarlet’s face and neck, and then lower. She wanted to slap him.

No, she wanted to punch him. Hard.

But she didn’t. Because she was mature.

“So, what do you say?” Aaron eyes returned to her face.

“I say no.”

Aaron’s lips parted. “Why not? I have a new car. I can drive you.”

Right. Because transportation was Scarlet’s biggest turn on.

Scarlet said, “I don’t do fairs. Or festivals.”

Aaron gave a cocky smile. “What do you do?”

She was starting to hate Aaron.

Scarlet imagined Gabriel beating Aaron up. He’d throw him to the floor and make him beg for mercy for being such a jerk.

But then Scarlet imagined Tristan beating Aaron up, and the visual was much more satisfying. Because Tristan wouldn’t give Aaron a chance to beg for mercy. He’d just rip him apart without question.

Scarlet blinked. Why was she envisioning Tristan beating anyone up on her behalf?

She had problems.

Narrowing her eyes, Scarlet said, “Not you.”

Kristy snickered beside her and Aaron tossed his hair again.

He stood from his stool. “You’re making a big mistake, Scarlet.”

I doubt it.

Scarlet didn’t look at him as he dragged his stool back to his own lab table.

“You should be nicer to Aaron,” Kristy said in a sticky voice beside her. “He might be the only attractive boy left in this school that wouldn’t mind being with you. Even if you have no fire.” Her smile was poisonous.

Scarlet turned her head and stared at Kristy. “You suck.”

Kristy raised her brows as her mouth fell open.

Okay, so maybe Scarlet wasn’t mature after all.

After chemistry, Scarlet headed to her locker without making eye contact with any of her fellow students.

“Hey.” Heather came up to Scarlet as soon as she reached her locker. “How’s it going today?”

From the look on Heather’s face, she already knew how it was going.

Scarlet eyed Heather sharply. “You wouldn’t by any chance know why everyone at school knows about the breakup, would you?”

Heather made a face. “I might have said something to Clare about it yesterday at work?”

Scarlet’s mouth dropped open. “You told your boss? Why would you do that?”

Heather shrugged. “Because Clare is cool, and she’s the only person I have to talk to at work. You can’t just expect me to work six-hour shifts and not chat about my life. That would be insane.”

Scarlet sighed in frustration. “But you were chatting about my life.” She leaned her forehead against her locker.

“I’m so sorry, Scarlet.” Heather looked genuinely upset. “I didn’t know other people were around when I told Clare.”

Scarlet pulled her head up and straightened her shoulders. “It’s okay. People were going to find out anyway. I just wasn’t ready for a Kristy/Aaron attack this morning. That’s all.”

Heather wrinkled her face. “Want me to beat up Kristy for you? Because I will. I will pull her hair and break her nails and smudge her eyeliner.”

“As hardcore as that sounds, I think I’ll pass.”

Just then, Scarlet saw Kristy approaching Gabriel at his locker a few feet away.

“Hi Gabriel.” Kristy pressed her schoolbooks against her stomach, making her chest rise and stick out. “I was just looking over our new history assignment and it looks like we’ll all need partners.” She took a step closer. “Wanna be my partner?”

Gabriel looked at her for a moment, his eyes scanning her face.

If Gabriel agreed to be Kristy’s history partner, Scarlet was going to smack him. And maybe egg his car.

Maturity was overrated.

“Sorry, Kristy,” Gabriel said. “I already have a partner for the assignment.”

“You do?” Kristy looked hurt. “Who?”

“Heather.” Gabriel shrugged and turned to his locker, silently dismissing Kristy.

From the corner of her eye, Scarlet saw Heather’s jaw drop.

Once Kristy walked away from Gabriel. Heather grabbed Scarlet’s arm and dragged her over to Gabriel’s locker with her.

“Um…excuse me? We’re history partners now?” Heather flicked a wrist at Gabriel. “Were you going to tell me about this, or was I going to find out about it during our final presentation?”

Gabriel sighed. “Sorry. I needed an excuse not to work with Kristy. Her voice drives me crazy.”

“And I was the best excuse you had?”

“What’s the big deal?” Gabriel looked exhausted. “So, we’re partners. Who cares?”

“I do,” Heather said. “I was going to ask Derek Winters to be my partner.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Derek Winters thinks the Boston Tea Party was what the Mad Hatter had in Alice in Wonderland.”

Heather blinked a few times. “Okay, so he’s not the smartest guy in school. But he’s hot. And I need a date to the town fair.”

“Why does everyone take dates to this fair?” Scarlet asked. “It’s so weird.”

“It’s tradition.” Heather looked at Scarlet, then pointed at Gabriel. “We better get an A plus plus on our project or I’m going to throw a fit.”

Gabriel gave her a crooked smile. “Like you’re doing right now?”

“Precisely.” Heather turned to Scarlet. “See you at lunch.” Then she walked away, leaving Scarlet and Gabriel standing alone. Together.

Scarlet looked at her shoes.

“So…” Gabriel said.

“Yeah.” Scarlet bit the inside of her cheek.

It wasn’t uncomfortable between them. But it was weirdly quiet.

Aaron walked past them and wagged his eyebrows at Scarlet.

Now it was uncomfortable.

Great.