Page 16 of The Kissing Booth
‘I forgot to fix the hole in them and... I don’t know, they just tore.’
Dad sighed. ‘You’ll have to order some more. I haven’t got time to run you to the mall to get any.’
‘Yeah, I know.’
I’d barely finished my cereal when I heard Lee beeping the horn impatiently outside. I put my bowl in the sink and said goodbye. I bolted to the car, jumping in before anybody could see me in my skirt.
‘You’re in a skirt,’ Lee commented.
‘No shit, Sherlock,’ I muttered. ‘Let’s just go.’
‘What’s got your panties in a twist?’ he teased.
‘My trousers ripped.’
‘I thought you were fixing them?’
‘I forgot.’
‘It looks fine, Shelly, don’t worry. You really should wear skirts more often.’
I swatted at him, and he grinned and turned up the radio. It wasn’t long before we were at school and I told myself to suck it up and, after taking a deep breath, climbed out of the car. We were a little later than usual, and most people had already arrived.
I slammed the car door shut and walked around to sit on the hood with Lee as a bunch of guys wandered over to greet us.
‘Hey, looking good,’ Dixon said, nodding at me with a wink.
I scowled, folding my arms. ‘Shut up.’
‘What?’ he protested innocently. I knew he was only teasing, but I was in no mood for it.
I decided to go talk to some girls instead, spotting Lisa and May from my chemistry class a few cars down. Someone smacked my butt as I walked past, and I whipped round angrily.
It was one of the soccer players, Thomas, smirking at me.
‘Did you just smack my butt?’ I asked, clenching my jaw.
‘Maybe.’
‘Hey, I missed the party on Saturday,’ said his friend Adam. I didn’t know him too well, but from what I’d seen, he was an arrogant jerk. As if to prove it, he added, ‘Do I get a repeat performance?’
A few of the boys laughed and cheered, and Adam started swinging his hips like a girl and pulling his shirt out of his pants like he was going to strip. It would’ve been funny, but I was so angry at him and his smug little face.
I ground my teeth. ‘Oh, grow up already.’
Adam grabbed my wrist and pulled me back over. He probably thought it was all a joke, but I didn’t. I tore my arm away and glared at him.
‘Hey, back off,’ Lee snapped, stepping closer.
‘Make me,’ Adam shot back, throwing his arms out and daring him.
So I punched him.
Well, I tried to – someone caught my fist before it collided with his jaw.
I wrestled my hand away, but not before a different fist went into Adam’s face. Then they slammed him into the old four-by-four next to us, letting go of me.
I looked around. Of course. Ithadto be Noah who’d interfered.
