Page 46 of To Love or to Lose
I don’t want to jinx myself
Let’s just not talk about it
for the time being.
Is this about Jameson?
When I don’t respond, Winnie kicks my ankle from where she sits behind me.
I turn around, glaring at her. “This is aboutme,” I whisper.
Boys don’t dictate what I do, whether I’m dating them or I hate them. My merits are sound and I don’t need anybody else clogging my conscience, especially a boy.
All Winnie does is shrug, a small smile gracing her face.
When the bell rings to signal the end of calculus, I decide not to stand from my seat until Winnie and Genevieve are passing by me.
By the time we’re in the hallway, I’m walking in line with both of them. “So, how did you feel about that test, Genova?” If I’m being honest, I know I’m being cruel by asking.
She immediately turns to glare at me, because she knows exactly what I’m getting at.
I’d been stealing glances at Genevieve the entire time she was taking the test. I could tell by the way she was continually retyping things into her calculator or chewing on the end of her pencil that she did not feel great about it.
“Why do you care?” She snips, making me sidestep away from her.
“I was wondering if you still think you have me beat, that’s all.”
I can see the way her jaw moves as she grits her teeth together. “I do.”
“Good to know.”
“How do you think you did?” Winnie asks.
“I’d say I got a perfect score,” I say, more toward Genevieve.
That may have been her last straw. “Do you have any reason to continue walking next to me?”
“Woah,” I almost laugh, holding my hands up in mock surrender. “Did I hit a nerve?”
“No, butIwill hitsomethingif you continue talking to me that way.”
“Was that a threat?” I smirk right as we reach the staircase.
“Goodbye, Jameson,” she deadpans, beginning her tread down the steps.
“Bye.” Winnie waves with a nervous smile before continuing after Genevieve.
I give her a short wave in return before turning away from the stairs and toward my next class.
“Oh, and Jameson?” I look back, seeing Genevieve stopped a few steps down and is leaning against the railing.
“Yes?”
“I saw your test when I turned mine in, and I think you may have forgotten to write out your mean value theorem justifications on the front page.” Except, her tone doesn’t suggest that she merely thinks this; she knows. And as soon as she says it, I do too.
I feel the sinking realization as I stare at Genevieve's wide smile, and I’m angry.
This anger doesn’t fade. It only grows after I hear Genevieve’s sinister laugh as I walk away from her, and it damn well doesn’t fade when I see my exam mark later that day.
