Page 5 of Better Than the Movies
I knew he wanted to hear all the details, like how long it had taken me to remove the tape or the fact that I’d broken two freshly manicured nails, but I wasn’t about to give that aggravator the satisfaction. “Really, really great—thanks for asking.”
“Wesley.” Michael did a bro handshake with Wes—when had they had time to choreograph that little touch of adorability?—and said, “You were right on about the biology teacher.”
“It’s because you sat by me. She haaaates me.” Wes grinned and started talking, but I ignored that tool and watched Michael speak and laugh and be as sweetly charming as I’d remembered.
Only now he had a slightly Southern drawl.
Michael Young had a soft accent that made me want to personally handwrite a thank-you note to the great state of Texas for making him even more appealing than he’d already been. I crossed my arms and pretty much melted into a puddle as I enjoyed the view.
Jocelyn, who I might have forgotten existed in the presence of such lovely Michaelhood, nudged me with her elbow and whispered, “Settle down. You’re drooling all over yourself.”
I rolled my eyes and ignored her.
“Hey, listen.” Wes hitched up his backpack and pointed at Michael. “Remember Ryan Clark?”
“Of course.” Michael smiled and looked like a congressional intern. “First baseman, right?”
“Exactly.” Wes lowered his voice. “Ryno’s having a party tomorrow at his dad’s—you should totally come.”
I tried to keep my expression neutral as I listened to Wes askmyMichael to come to his party. I mean, Wesdidhang out with the guys that Michael used to know, but still. They were best friends all of a sudden or something?
That wouldn’t be good for me. Couldn’t be.
Because Wes Bennett got off on messing with me—he always had. In grade school, Wes was the guy who’d put a frog in my Barbie DreamHouse and a decapitated lawn gnome’s severed head in my homemade Little Free Library. In middle school, he was the guy who’d thought it was hilarious to pretend he didn’t see me when I was lying out, and then water his mom’s bushes, “accidentally” spraying the hose right over me until I screamed.
And now, in high school, he was the guy who’d made it his mission to harass me daily over The Spot. I’d grown a backbone since we were kids, so technically now I was the girl who yelled over the fence when his jock friends were over and they were so rowdy, I could hear them over my music. But still.
“Sounds good,” Michael said with a nod, and I wondered what he’d look like in a cowboy hat and flannel shirt. Maybe a pair of shitkickers, even though I didn’t technically know what differentiated a shitkicker from a regular cowboy boot.
I’d have to Google it later.
“I’ll text you the details. I gotta go—If I’m late to my next class, I’ve got detention for sure.” He turned and started jogging in the other direction with a yell of “Later, guys.”
Michael watched Wes’s disappearance before looking down at me and drawling, “He lit out of here so fast, I didn’t get to ask. Is it casual dress?”
“What? Um, the party?” Like I had any idea what they wore to their jockstrap parties. “Probably?”
“I’ll ask Wesley.”
“Cool.” I worked to give him my top-shelf smile, even though I was dying over the fact that Wes had screwed up my meet-cute.
“I’ve gotta run too,” he said, but added, “I can’t wait to catch up, though.”
Then take me with you to the party!I yelled internally.
“Joss?” Michael looked past me, and his mouth dropped open. “Is that you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Took you long enough.”
Jocelyn had always been closer to the neighborhood boys, playing football with Wes and Michael while I did awful cartwheels around the park and made up songs. Since then, she’d turned into this tall and freakishly good-looking human. Today her braids were all pulled back into a ponytail, but instead of looking messy like when I wore a ponytail, it showed off her cheekbones.
The warning bell rang, and he pointed up at the speaker. “That’s me. See y’all later.”
Y’all.
He went the other way, and Jocelyn and I started walking. I said, “I can’t believe Wes didn’t invite us to the party.”
She gave me side-eye. “Do you even know who Ryno is?”
