See Me After Class(110)

No one answers. They just stare. Their eyes questioning me. Their facial expressions confused . . .

“Are you okay?”

“Fine, just beat it out of me, won’t you? Yes, the rumors are true.”

“What rumors?” Stella asks.

“Uh . . . Greer,” Arlo says, taking a step forward.

“Arlo and I are seeing each other. Are you happy? God, stop badgering me.” I throw my arms up in the air and then sink against the counter.

They all turn to Arlo, who is standing there in shock.

A moment of silence falls over us.

Then Gunner says, “Son of a bitch.”

“Ha, I fucking told you.” Romeo holds his hands out to Stella and Gunner. “Pay up, bitches.”

Gunner digs into his wallet, shaking his head, while Stella rifles through her purse. “I can’t believe you were right,” Gunner mumbles, slapping a twenty into Romeo’s hand.

“This is your fault he’s right,” Stella says to me while she retrieves a twenty. “You shouldn’t be taking money from a poor schoolteacher. It’s tacky,” she says to Romeo.

“I’m a schoolteacher too.”

“Who used to play professional baseball and make a lot of money.”

“Pfft, for a few years.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Stella pushes at his chest and then flops her purse on the kitchen island. “Honestly, you two couldn’t have kept it in your pants?” She points to Arlo now. “You owe me twenty dollars.”

Cora comes barreling down the stairs, a giant smile on her face. “Hey, everyone. What’s new? Anything happen this past week—”

“Greer and Arlo are together,” Romeo says, fanning his face with his two twenty-dollar bills.

“What?” Cora snaps. “I thought I was the only one who knew. Does this mean I don’t get something sparkly?”

“Nope,” Arlo says with a grin.

“Noooooo.”

“Looks like you’re ruining everyone’s day,” Stella says before coming up to me and giving me a hug. “Don’t let him push you around, you hear me?” She speaks loud enough for everyone to hear. “I know the cardigans do wicked things to your private parts, but be strong.”

“Don’t worry, she’s already got me wrapped around her pinky,” Arlo says, coming up to me and placing a kiss on the side of my head.

All our friends stare at us, bewildered, possibly confused.

“Uh . . . that’s going to take me a second to get used to,” Gunner says.

“Yeah,” Romeo draws out. “I know I called it, but it still feels weird.”

“I’m not ready for this.” Stella shakes her head. “Nope, I’m going to need a second.”

They all file outside, one right after the other.

Cora trails behind and, before she’s out the door, she says, “I’m okay with the kissing. Does that get me something sparkly?”

“Get out of here.” Arlo laughs.

She shuts the door behind her, leaving me alone with Arlo. I turn toward him and nervously ask, “Are you mad?”

“No.” He strokes my shoulders. “Surprised, but not angry.”

“I’m sorry, they were staring at me—”

“Because you were acting crazy.”

“Because they were staring. Anyway, it felt like they could see right through me and it freaked me out, and before I knew what was happening, I was spilling the beans. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’m just glad it wasn’t me.” He presses a kiss to my lips. “But we should probably tell them not to say anything at school.”

“You’re right.” I sigh and rest my forehead against his chest. “You realize you’re going to have to get them all something sparkly.”

“I know.”





“So, care to tell me how this happened?” Stella asks while taking a seat, balancing her full plate.

“Yes, I’d like the details as well,” Cora says, sitting down. “Minus all the sex stuff.”

“You don’t know the details?” Stella asks.

“No, I found out last night, when my brother was trying to be very sneaky. Newsflash—he isn’t. Oh, I do know Greer calls him Mr. Turns Me On.”

Stella chuckles. “Almost every female faculty member does.”

“Ew, gross. My brother is not a sex symbol.”

I beg to differ.

“So . . . tell us,” Stella says.

“Make way,” Romeo says squeezing his way in with his plate and drink.

“No.” Stella kicks away the chair he’s about to sit in. “We’re having girl talk. You boys sit over there and strategize our badminton game.”

“I want to be a part of girl talk,” Romeo complains.

“Well, then grow a vagina,” Stella snaps back and then turns to us with a smile. “You were saying?”

“Uh . . . is everything okay between the two of you?”

“Fine. He’s just being a nuisance, and I don’t have time for that.” She looks over her shoulder and shoos Romeo away. “Go on, go over there. That’s right, keep moving along. Good boy.”