Page 20 of Kissing the Debutant
Mr. Garret closed his eyes and muttered an almost inaudible “Thank you.”
Jack couldn’t hold back a laugh as he gathered his books and followed Mia into the hall. “Mia, you can’t saysex tapeto Mr. Garret.”
She slid an arm around his shoulders, which was quite the feat, considering how much shorter she was than him. “Duck down lower so I can give you a noogie.”
He batted her arm away.
A laugh escaped her. “Someone has to keep things interesting around here.” They stopped at his locker, and he turned the dial to unlock it.
“I don’t think that class is boring.” He shoved his books inside, pulling out his jacket.
“Of course, you don’t.” She leaned against the lockers. “You’re so predictable, Jacky.”
“Am not.” He slammed his locker and looked at her. “Am I?”
A grin slid across her lips. “Dance? Really? Everyone knew that was what your video would be about.”
“Yes, but this time it won’t only be me. I need a girl to dance with me.”
“Nope.” She backed away. “No way are you getting me into one of those tight prissy outfits.”
Mia actually wasn’t half bad at dancing, but she’d quit a few years ago. “I actually wasn’t thinking about you. I have a girl in mind.” They reached her locker, and she fiddled with it to get it open.
“Oh? Do tell? Please say it’s juicy.”
Juicy? Lillian? He laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Mia closed her locker.
“Just… the girl I have in mind. She’s a ballerina.”
Mia rolled her eyes. She’d taken one ballet class when they were younger and decided modern dance was more her speed. Jack could hold his own in ballet, but he was strictly self-taught. He did like to incorporate some moves into his routines though. “Let me guess, she never eats and walks around like she has a stick up her—”
“Mia.” Jack shook his head and started off down the hall. Working at the dance studio, he’d seen many types of dancers come through. Mia seemed to think all ballerinas were the same, but Jack refused to believe that.
She jogged after him. “I’m sorry. Look, if you think this girl will help the video, go for it. Just don’t fall in love with her, because those types of girls will never choose you over dance.”
He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his side. “No one here is planning on falling in love.” Least of all with Lillian Preston. He almost laughed at the thought. The girl clearly didn’t even like him.
“It’s never planned.” Mia looked up at him. “And every girl falls in love with you, Jack. So be careful.”
He laughed. “Except you.”
“Well, duh. But only because I’ve seen you do some seriously gross stuff as a kid. There’s no way I could fall in love with you.” She shoved him away from her with a laugh as they reached her car.
“Well, I don’t have to worry about it because this girl hates me.”
Mia stared at him as they climbed into the car. “No one hates you. You’re seriously un-hateable.”
“Not a word.” He grinned. “But try telling that to Lillian Preston.”
Mia shivered. “Even the name sounds pretentious.”
Jack sighed, not wanting to reveal the one other big piece of information about her, but he couldn’t keep it to himself. “She’s an academy kid.”
Mia turned in her seat to face him. “Bro, that’s… ugh, no wonder she hates you. The academy kids think we’re savages or something.”
“Well, you are.”
