All I've Never Wanted(40)

He glanced at me wryly. “Keep up the sarcasm, and I’ll call Agnes back here so you two can plan your shopping date.”

I was horrified. “No! No, I didn’t mean it, I swear!” I waved my arms frantically around. The thought of spending another minute with the twig made my whole body go limp with dread. “No sarcasm from me again. Promise.”

Carlo chuckled. “I was just joking, no need to freak out. I don’t hate you, you know.”

“That’s a relief,” I quipped. Suddenly, I noticed something sticking out of his pocket. “Is that…is that Grapes of Wrath?” I stuttered, a bit stunned that Carlo Tevasco was carrying my favorite book of all time around with him.

He glanced down at the tattered paperback. “Oh, yeah,” he said, pulling it out of his pocket and staring at it fondly. “It’s my favorite book.”

Un-freakin’-believable. Who would’ve thought I’d ever have anything in common with a Scion, even if it was as something as simple as a book?

“So, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” Carlo leaned against the lockers and crossed his muscular arms over his chest.

“Sure. What is it?”

He glanced around, probably to make sure no one else was in earshot. “Why are you and Parker pretending to date?”

And just like that, my brain completely froze. I just gaped at him in shock. What—he—did—how?

“What—what are you talking about?” I laughed shrilly. It sounded fake even to my own ears. “Parker and I really are dating!”

“Uh-huh.” Carlo looked unimpressed. “And Valesca has just been voted the friendliest town in the US. Maya, you and him are pretty good actors, but come on, I’ve known him since we were babies. He is not going to date someone he’s never even had more than a dozen conversations with.”

“We’ve had more than a dozen conversations,” I muttered. The majority of them just happened to last under thirty seconds. I sighed, not even bothering to try and hide it anymore. Carlo seemed way too smart to fall for any of my excuses anyway. “You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?”

“Of course not.” He looked slightly offended. “Why would I do that? Although I’m warning you, I think Adri already knows.”


I groaned. “She does?”

“It’s ok, she won’t tell anyone either,” Carlo assured me. “Besides, it’s best she figured it out, or—“

He stopped.

I tilted my head curiously. “Or what?”

He cleared his throat. “Nothing.”

“You’re so weird,” I complained. “Well, do Zack and Roman know?”

“I don’t think Zack knows, unless Adri told him. And Roman’s a bit slow,” he added mischievously.

I snickered as I suddenly flashed back to Saturday. Boy, did Carlo get that right.

"You never answered my question, though. What's going on with you guys?"

With a sigh, I told him about my grandmother, her incessant matchmaking, and her desire to match me up with every boy who possessed an IQ above 130.

Of course, Carlo thought it was hilarious. "Oh man, I'd love to meet her," he laughed. "She sounds like a riot."

"Oh, she's a riot all right," I muttered.

Suddenly, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch and the start of the next class period.

I blinked, thoughts of my grandmother flying out of my head. “Oh no! I missed lunch!” I whimpered. "And I just left Venice alone in there!" Eating was one of my greatest joys in life, and the DC’s food was just about the only thing I could stand in Valesca. I stared sadly down at my stomach, which let out an obedient hungry growl. “Stupid twigs.”

Carlo laughed again. “Venice will be fine. Are you really that hungry though?”

“Yes.” I couldn’t help but pout. “I’m a growing girl! I need sustenance.”

He shook his head and reached into his pocket again. “Here, hopefully this’ll hold you over till you can get something to eat.”

He tossed me an Almond Joy.

I wrinkled my nose. I liked chocolate, but I hated Almond Joys. “Do you have something else?” I asked hopefully. “A Twix, maybe? Or Snickers? Or even a Three Musketeers?”

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Carlo mock scolded me. “Now eat, before you faint.”

“You suck,” I grumbled, grudgingly unwrapping the candy and taking a bite. I made a face. Ick.

“Keep on making that face and it’ll freeze that way.”

“You know, I think I like you a whole lot better when you’re not talking,” I huffed. I took another, annoyed bite without thinking, and almost gagged. God, I hate Almond Joys.

“That’s what everyone tells me,” Carlo said cheerfully. “Come on, let’s get you to class while you enjoy that delicious chocolate bar.”

I glared at him. I take back everything I ever said about him being nice. Carlo Tevasco was a terrible person.

* * *

Poor Mr. Martin. I actually liked the man, since he managed to teach physics in a way that wasn’t utterly boring, but unfortunately, no one was listening to him today.

That was because everyone’s too busy staring at me. Or, to be more specific, me and Parker, who had waltzed in here five minutes after class started, plopped down in the seat next to mine, and proceeded to steal the entire class’s attention.