I hid behind Blaze’s locker door to avoid the blond’s stinging gaze.
“Tell the theater teacher you’re not feeling well and that you can’t come to rehearsal.”
“Why?” I asked, perplexed.
“Because I said so. I’m Juliet, you’re an extra. Isn’t that clear?” Taylor laced the comment with a telling double meaning, then turned to James and batted her eyelashes at him to make him agree.
“Right, Jamie?”
James didn’t answer, but he gave me an icy, authoritative stare. He was searching for something in his locker.
“You want to throw me out of the play, Taylor? No problem. Stage is all yours. Have fun.”
I quickly put an end to this unpleasant conversation because it didn’t matter to me if I played that role, aside from the fact that William was playing Romeo.
“Did Will accept the part?” I ventured a question. Taylor giggled, showing her perfect teeth.
“Will shows up in the middle of the exams. And he’ll never remember all the lines by heart.”
“Whatever. I’m out.” I groaned.
“Yeah, but you have to talk to the teacher. Tell her you’re not feeling well, that you’re busy with your loser friends or that you have to go to therapy,” she insisted venomously.
It was impossible to ignore her at that point.
“And tell me, why should I be in therapy?”
I fought with my locker, which didn’t want to open.
“I don’t know, because of your family issues?”
Blaze drew a line across his neck with his finger to cut her off then waved at me before walking away.
“Sorry, what do you mean?”
Blaze’s locker was closed, and I couldn’t hide anymore.
“Didn’t your brother die a few years ago?” I froze. A blow to the chest would’ve hurt less.How could he have told someone? I trusted him? How could he have told her?I was paralyzed, unable to move, when she pecked him on the lips.
“See you tonight. Don’t be late, Jamie.” Suddenly someone put their hands on my face and covered my eyes.
“Will!”
He let me go immediately and appeared in front of me with a smile. I got up on my tiptoes to meet his lips and let them press against mine. He let out a satisfied whimper, but I pulled away before kissing him even more because I could sense someone staring at us.
“James told me that you went back with Blaze last night.”
Will bowed his head forward and tousled his blond curls like he always did. I didn’t want look at him, but I couldn’t help it.
James still had his back on the row of lockers holding a vape pen between his lips with his narrowed eyes glued to us. His arrogant demeanor and insolent way of looking at everyone made my blood boil. Suddenly, I turned around and started taking it out on my locker, hitting it repeatedly. Will grabbed his books for the next class.
“June?”
“It doesn’t want to open,” I yelled, irritated.
It’d been broken since the first day I set foot in school, and I’d mostly relied on luck until now because I still didn’t know how to unlock it.
“What were you talking with Taylor Hart about?” Will tried to pull me away from the unnecessary violence.
