Page 114 of We Shouldn't Be Together
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Idon’tknowwhatcame over me. When Jamie joined our lunch table with the biggest grin on her face, I didn’t expect her to tell me it was because phys-ed was a Camila and Tabitha free-zone. The fire inside me grew when Jamie mentioned Tabitha never returned to the gym. Somehow, I knew Camila had done something to Tabby, especially after she’d escalated things by making up an eating disorder. I left the lunch table with a flimsy excuse, needing to find her.
Every protective cell in my body surged when I found her hiding in that alcove. I dropped to my knees fast, needing to comfort her. I’ve never seen someone hug themselves so tightly. And, man, her tears. That hit me hard.
There was a flurry of tingles under my skin when she hugged me. I didn’t expect that, and Ireallydidn’t hate it. Especially when she smells sweet like flowers, and I got another opportunity to touch her silky curls.
There wasn’t much time left of our lunch period once I found her. But the few minutes we sat together in silence were incredible. Her tears dried up and her smile lit up the darkened space. Once the bell rang, we left the alcove separately, and now in our English classroom, I have to force myself to look away from her desk.
My breath halts in my chest. She’s looking in my direction. There’s the slightest flicker upwards at the corner of her mouth. A smile she’s doing her best to hide. Man, I gotta hear that giggle again.
With my elbows on the desk, I lean forward with my hands pressed together and hiding my face from Jamie, who's on my other side. Tabitha’s still looking my way as I mouth, “Study date?”
Her brow furrows and I try again, mouthing, “Study?”
She still doesn’t get it. Lines crease her olive complexion and her head shakes.
Her hands sneak under the desk and I look away so I don’t draw Ms. Jenkins’s attention her way as she texts me.
In an instant, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I swallow slowly, wishing to any deity listening that Jamie isn’t watching me. With the cunning of Indiana Jones stealing an artifact, and hoping there’s no big boulder out to get me, I slip out my phone and unlock it under the desk. Checking Jamie in my peripherals, I glance at my lap.
"Study?"Tabitha texts.
I grin at it. This girl isn’t dumb.
I look up and glance her way and give a subtle nod.
“Yo,” Jamie whispers beside me.
Dang, big boulder. Ridding any signs of guilt from my face, I turn her way.
Her eyebrows lift. “Coming to the café after school?”
“Can’t.”
She waits for more. “Why not?”
“My mom wants me to go to the mall,” I lie. I’m lying to my best friend. “Something about picking up something for my birthday.”
Jamie snorts. “She wants you to pick up your own birthday gift?”
I wave it off. “No, no. It’s clothes. Like, a sizing thing.”
Jamie shrugs. “Oh, okay.”
Dang, she believes me. I am a worthless pile of crap.
“James,” I whisper. “I’ll try to swing by, though.”
“To get out of clothes shopping?” Jamie smirks. “I’ll bet.”
I murmur a laugh until the tapping from the teacher’s desk distracts me.
“Jamie and Kai,” Ms. Jenkins says in her wispy voice. “Can you please get back on topic?”
We answer by shifting in our seats and avoiding her eye contact.
My phone buzzes on my lap. I look down to see another message from Tabitha.
