Page 13 of Fast Break
“I’m fine. Honest. I’ll be there in a sec,” I say, not letting anyone say another word before I walk away, beelining for the toilets. I push through the door and lock myself into a cubicle, seriously questioning my response to news that should not have caused me to have any response whatsoever.
Will I never learn?
***
JT is waiting for me at the student carpark the next afternoon, an uncertainty about him that makes me smile even though I don’t want to. I’m so focused on him that I don’t even notice his cousin—standing sentry like his own private security detail. I try not to be annoyed by that.
JT’s face brightens when he sees me, and I really wish he wouldn’t react to me like that. Not after I know he spent the weekend hooking up with Chanel. It’s really not fair to me. But I guess JT doesn’t know what I’ve been thinking about him so I can’t really blame him. He’s just a sweet guy. I wish that didn’t affect me so much.
“Hi,” he says as I arrive at his side.
“Hello,” I return, aware of Trey’s eyes on me as I flick a glance his way. He’s looking at me as though he wants to know my intentions for his darling cousin, but he really needs to let that tough guy act go. I am clearly no threat to his straight, baby-faced cousin.
“You ready to go?” JT asks.
“Sure. Car’s this way,” I reply, nodding in the direction of my electric blue Subaru WRX.
“Call me when you want me to pick you up,” Trey calls, taking JT’s attention from me.
“I can take him home,” I cut in, not sure why I’m trying to stake my claim over his cousin.
“Are you sure?” Trey’s question is for his cousin but his wary eyes are on me.
“Um, yeah, that’s fine with me,” JT says.
“Excellent. Glad that’s settled.” I don’t give Trey another chance to take his cousin away as I set off towards my car. I feel JT at my side, and I grin to myself, taking that as a win.
JT is quiet as we settle into the car but his fingers are all fidgety and there’s another thing I wish I didn’t find so endearing. What is it about this boy that has me feeling this way? This completely unobtainable, very sweet, way too cute,straightboy.
Mum is blessedly home when we arrive and she gushes over JT as we walk through the front door, like a welcome icebreaker.
“Hi, Amy,” JT responds, big, stunning smile on his face and none of those shy nerves on display unlike all his interactions with me. Seriously, what is that about?
“How are you?” she continues.
“Really good. And you?”
“Can’t complain. Want me to make you boys a coffee or a cup of tea?”
“I got it, Mum,” I cut in. She presses a kiss to my cheek and leaves us to it. JT’s shyness returns the instant she leaves the room, and I am now convinced it is about me. I make us both a coffee and then lead him upstairs to my room. JT is nervous as he pulls out his laptop and I don’t know why but I really want to set him at ease. So I call on the one subject that I really don’t want to address but which is very top of mind and hope it does the trick.
“How was your weekend?” I ask casually, leaning back in my chair.
JT pauses on his way to his backpack, something crossing his face that I can’t read. “It was fine,” he says quickly. “How about you?”
“Not as eventful as yours,” I return a little pointedly. JT’s face flushes a light shade of pink as he looks at me, a flicker of surprise there too.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Oh nothing. Just heard the usual school rumours. You know how it goes.”
“No, I don’t know how it goes. What school rumours?” he asks, a hint of panic there now.
“Nothing bad. Just about you hooking up with Chanel,” I say, kind of wishing I’d just kept my mouth shut now. JT’s mouth drops open, a slightly horrified look on his face, and I definitely wish I’d kept my mouth shut now. “Sorry, was I not supposed to say anything?”
“How do you even know about that?”
I shrug. “She’s popular. You’re popular. Everyone seems to love it when hot popular people hookup.”
