And with this newfound determination, I sprint out of the building.
IswearI hear Oliver laughing as I dart away.
THIRTY-TWO
Patrick
Look, I’m not trying to be nosy. It’s just that Sara sits in front of me, and she’s not exactly keeping her voice down.
We’ve just returned from lunch, and Mr. Day passed back our tests as we entered the classroom. I came to my seat as Sara waited for Mr. Day to find her test. Once it was in her hands, of course she went straight to Joe.
“Can youbelievethis?”
Joe’s gaze drops to her test, and then his brows pinch together. “Oh? Wow, uh. Look at that!”
“Thank youso much,” she gushes. “I can’t believe I passed!”
I can’t take it anymore, so I lean forward and squint, zeroing in on her paper. There’s a giant 68% marked on top.
“That’s great, really—but, uh, are you sure that’s passing?” Joe asks.
“Unfortunately, I’m all too familiar with lower grades. Don’t worry, it’s passing.” Her mouth breaks into a grin that reaches her eyes. “I couldn’t have done it without you!”
And then I’m forced to watch as she throws her arms around him, squeezing his midsection.
Something uncomfortable twinges in my gut. I remember how she’d thrown her arms around me yesterday, her peach shampoo enveloping me as she buried her face into my chest. Now Joe knows how that feels.
Why do I suddenly hate that he’s the one getting a hug right now?
I shift my gaze away from them, but not before I catch him saying, “Congratulations, Sara. I’m so proud of you.”
It grates my last nerve. I snatch my water bottle from my desk and take my mopey self into the hallway, stopping at the water fountain. Sure I’m using this as an excuse to get away from their little display in there, but ugh. Spare me with the flirting.
Sara normally comes to me with her good news first. Since when does Joe get that privilege?
I refill my bottle. Vicky told me to do something about Sara, but what am Isupposedto do? How can I do something when I’m not even sure how I feel about her yet?
A tinkling voice interrupts my thoughts. “I saw you glaring at those two without bothering to intervene. Is there something you’re waiting for?”
When I turn around, I find Rose standing just beyond the classroom door, arms crossed. An unpleasant frown is splayed across her face, like she’s just licked asphalt.
I don’t like where this is going, so I resort to humor to save me.
“So you’re saying you’ve been watching me?” I ask, waggling my brows. “Checking me out, are you, Rose?”
It works. She’s immediately flustered. “No, that’s not—”
“Come on. Youmustfind me attractive if you can’t stop staring at me.” I leave my water bottle perched on the fountain and flex a biceps, planting a kiss on my smooth skin. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed these bad boys before.”
“Please stop. I’m begging.” Rose sighs and adjusts her headband—as if it needed adjusting; it’s always perfectly in place. “I want to talk to you about something. It’s about Joe and Sara. I think we should be helping each other.”
My arms fall to my sides. What is she on about? Since when does Rose want anything to do with me, let alone want to help me?
But I’m curious.
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve noticed how your little friend Sara’s been clinging to Joe lately, and obviously Joe’s nice to everybody, so he’s just going along with it,” she explains, excitement building behind her eyes. “I’m sure he’s not trying to lead her on, but I can see things ending in disaster if it continues like this. And I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I really care about Sara’s well-being, but I know that you do. You don’t want her to get hurt, right?”
