Page 22 of Grease Monkey
“Have a good day, Ana Banana,” he says, licking his lips as I flounder for my bag and slide from the car.
Shay chuckles, waving as Teddy speeds out of the parking lot.
“I hate you, Shay,” I snarl, gripping her arm hard and tugging her through the school doors and down the hall toward our lockers.
She laughs, pinching my side. “He is so hot,Ana Banana…”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Right, sorry. That’sTeddy’s adorable pet name for you.”
“Did you hear me when I said I hate you?”
“Yeah, yeah, you hate me.” She waves her hand in the air dismissively. “I am so bummed you got to him first, Morgs. Like uber jealous.”
Ignoring her, I put the combination into my locker and open the door. Shay’s eyes appear through the little air vents. “You really like him, huh?”
I pull out my chem textbook and close the door. “I don’t know. This is all new and weird, and I don’t like it.”
“Why?” she asks, cramming her huge bag into her locker and slamming it shut, containing the avalanche of textbooks, snacks, and other rubbish threatening to drop inside.
“I’m constantly nervous. I’m a big blubbering mess, can barely think of anything interesting to say, and all I do is stand and smile like a fool when I’m around him.”
Shay grins. “This is what dating is all about, babe. The excitement, the anticipation, the thrill of what’s going on. It’s such an amazing feeling.”
I groan, banging my forehead with the hardback of the textbook. “That doesn’t sound amazing. It sounds awful. I’m going to cancel.”
“What? No!” she practically shrieks. “Give me one good reason why.”
“He’s twenty…”
“Oh Jesus, the horror,” she says sarcastically. “You’re eighteen in two months. That’s not a big deal.”
I roll my eyes. “Okay, well, my momhateshim.”
“She doesn’tknowhim. Plus, she hates everyone.”
“True.”
“Besides, she doesn’t need to know you’ve got a date this weekend. You can always say you’re coming to my house?”
The bell rings before I can give her idea much thought, and the corridor fills with students making their way to first period. We walk toward the science building, my head spinning with every step down the white-painted brick corridor. When Teddy asked me out, I thought it was another joke or something he’d soon realize was a mistake and not follow up on. It’s not like he messaged me the week after ourencounter, so I assumed he’d forgotten.
I stop dead.
“Shay, I have nothing to wear. Everything I own looks like I’m about to teach at Bible Camp.”
A new rush of butterflies joins my nervous ones. But these ones have little spikes that make me feel sick.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.”
“Thank you,” I sigh, sinking into her side.
“Okay, now tell me you love me.”
I laugh. “I love you.”
“Miss Sylvester, don’t you have calculus first period?”
