Kissing in Cars (Kiss and Make Up #1)(54)

"Um, I just assumed you were busy and that you didn't have time?"

Okay, this is just downright pathetic. "Stacy, have you ever heard of the book 'He's Just Not That Into You? Maybe you should download it onto your eReader." I collect the books I need for my next class, and stand with my back to the metal door.

"I haven't read the book, but I've seen the movie," she says hopefully, shifting the books in her arms, as if having seen the damn movie was scoring her brownie points or something. I seriously wonder if she's as ignorant as she's making herself look. "The ending is the best, where Gigi and Alex finally get together."

What the f*ck is she talking about? "Sorry, haven't seen the movie."

"O-m-g, it's so good. There are these four friends who -"

I cut her off. "— And I don't ever want to. So besides coming over here to irritate me, was there anything else? We hooked up at one party in a coatroom, which doesn't exactly classify us as anything."

Stacy's face falls and she bits her lower lip. Which immediately makes me think of Molly, because she does the same thing: only when she does it, it's endearing and irresistible.

"Well, yeah, but I was kind of hoping...." Her voice trails off, just as something occurs to me.

"Stacy, aren't you and Molly Wakefield friends?"

She hesitates. "Um. Kind of, but not really."

"Kind of, but not really?" I mock her in my best nasally girl voice. "What the hell does that even mean? Oh wait - is that code for 'I'm a two-faced bitch that sneaks around behind my friends back?' Because you probably already know Molly and I have been going out lately."

No longer being able to remain stoic, Stacy snorts. "Yeah, but everyone knows you're not even taking her to Fall Formal."

Now I'm confused. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you? Fine. My point is, if you liked her, you would be taking her to the dance. Not ditching her during the biggest social event of the year."

I'm still confused. "So? It's just a damn dance. I have shit to do that night."

"More important shit, apparently," Stacy says smugly, a satisfied mask of an expression covering her passable features. "Are you her boyfriend or not?"

"What? No. How many bloody times do I have to tell you people? Molly Wakefield is not, nor will she ever be, my damn girlfriend."

It's that same moment that Mr. Pembroke, one of the science teachers, sticks his head out of his classroom and squints down the hallway at us. Clearly, he's not wearing his contacts today. "Oh, Mr. McGrath, it's you." He looks me up and down. "Please keep the cursing and the noise level to a min-eh-mum."

It's also the moment Stacy's eyes get wide, and she looks over my shoulder - her cool mask transforming into one of pure glee.

Don't turn around, don't turn around, don't turn around I chant to myself, because I know that when I do, I know exactly who I'm going to see standing there.





Chapter Twenty-Seven





MOLLY


"Sometimes your Knight in Shining armor is really just a Douchebag in tin foil." - Jenna, who saw it on Pinterest



Oh my god, how utterly cliché and predictable could this scene be? No worse than an After School Special or a Lifetime Movie, I stand there in the hall, crushed with the misfortune of having to overhear such spiteful and insensitive words coming out of Weston's mouth.

It's always back to square one with this guy! What the hell? This is, after all, the second or third time he's done this to me. Crap, maybe I'm the one who should be reading 'He's Just Not That Into You' because apparently, Weston's not as into me as I originally thought.

And just when I thought I might be falling in love with him.

Crash and burn is more like it, because it looks like the joke is on me.

My first impulse, of course, is to flee and get my butt out of the hallway. Remove myself entirely from the whole awkward situation.

But I don't.

Hell to the no.

I'm stronger than that.

So I do what any self-respecting girl would do: I stand there and confront the situation, watching Stacy Bingham's victorious face over Weston's shoulder, before he turns his broad frame to face me. I want that bastard to look me in the eyes so he can see the hurt his careless words have cost me.

Again.

A few moments pass as he and I just watch each other, and I feel a hand on my shoulder - the comforting pull of my best friend slowly tugging me away. She moves to stand in front of me, her small frame a sizzling ball of energy as she stares down Stacy.

Jenna is beyond pissed, and for once, I don't stop her from what she's about to say.

"What the H do you think you're doing Stacy? Haven't you ever heard of 'Girl Code?' You don't go after your friend's boyfriend."

Stacy laughs. "Oh, but didn't you hear? She's a nothing to him. A nobody - and most certainly not his girlfriend. Right Weston? Isn't that what you were just telling me?"

That bitch.

Why? Why are girls so cruel, I ask you? Just minutes ago we were all sitting at the same lunch table together, laughing (okay, so mostly just Jenna and I were laughing) and talking about what dresses everyone was wearing to the big dance coming up. Even though I'm not going, I was still excited to hear what everyone's plans are.