“I’m Katrina Nieder, by the way.” With her fork, she gestured vaguely to the other girls, who stared wide-eyed at me. “These ladies are Lisa and Avery. I’m the captain of the cheer squad. Do you play sports?” She wound spaghetti around the fork’s tines, then slowly slipped it into her mouth, sucking noisily on the noodles.
My face heated and I shifted awkwardly in my seat. It felt good to be holding a conversation with people who didn’t look down their noses at me, yet I didn’t want to lie.
I hate sports.
“I, uh, I’m more into the music scene. I play guitar, sing a little.” Watching their faces, I waited for them to bust out laughing as so many had done before in Louisiana.
Instead, her eyes widened, and she smiled, as if she’d just been crowned prom queen, then she squealed. “I bet you’re really good, having such a famous dad. I betyou’llbe famous someday.
Her friends, Avery and Lisa, lean closer.
Lisa, sporting black hair with red ends, lifted her glass of tea. “If you need some groupies…” She gave me a wink as she sipped from a straw.
“I don’t know about the famous part.” I chuckled. “But I just want to do something I love, something I’m good at.”
Out of the corner of my eye, two figures passed, pulling my attention.
Terri and another girl held their trays, murmuring to one another. When my eyes met Terri’s, she stumbled, then tripped, dropping her lunch tray with a loud crash.
“Ugh,” Katrina sneered. “I can’t believe you have to live with that buffalo.” She tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder and gave a dramatic shiver.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I stood.
But Terri scooped the mess of food onto the tray and hastily rose to her feet, scraping at a food stain on her pants. “Y-yeah. I’m fine.” Her voice, barely above a whisper, seemed loud in the now silent room with everyone’s attention zeroed in on her. Bright red blooms of heat flushed her cheeks, and when she stared at me, I could almost silently pleading to not say anything else.
Nodding, I lowered myself to my seat, even though I knew I would’ve enjoyed her company more than the vapid girls cornering me.
“God, you’re so clumsy. What’s the matter? Couldn’t see your feet, fatso?” Katrina’s lips curved into a cruel smirk.
Those bright spots of color deepened, and Terri’s eyes narrowed as she glared at the blonde.
I felt just as angry and wanted to speak out on her behalf, but I didn’t know how she’d feel about me sticking my nose in her business.
Tell her to go to hell, then dump your tray into her lap. Fight back, Cotton Candy.
“Go on.” A low, throaty laugh escaped Katrina’s mouth. “Scurry away like the meek loser you are. Maybe Mommy will kiss your booboo and slap a pink band aid on it.”
I let out a long breath and scowled at the snickering girls, then turned my focus to Terri. With the color in her cheeks and her eyes flashing, she became a beautiful warrior princess.
Now, fight back,I silently pleaded.
As quickly as she’d seemed to come to life, she deflated and dropped her stare. Her friend whispered something and pulled on her elbow, steering her to a table in a back corner.
“I can’t stand that bitch,” Katrina said, sliding a piece of garlic toast into her mouth, a self-satisfied grin transforming her face from moderately pretty to deep ugliness.
That’s it, I can’t stay here. These girls are terrible.
I stood up to leave, but someone clapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey man.” A guy, a couple of inches shorter than me, gave an easy smile. “It’s nice to have new blood at Ironwood. Name’s Jeremy Knight.” He slid his full tray onto the table then held out a hand for a fist bump. “Most people just call me Jay, though.”
Automatically, I returned the greeting. “Nice to be here.”
“Oh, Jay.” Katrina pointed at me. “Paxton’s a musician, too.”
“Really, dude? What do you play?”
“Guitar.”
