Page 184 of We Shouldn't Be Together
I shake it off. “Don’t be. I didn’t like it anymore.”
He lifts my wrist and kisses the inside. “Maybe we’ll need another mall date to find a replacement.”
I giggle, trying to ignore theooohsfrom the table behind us. “Maybe we will.”
For the rest of the class, we work on our assignment. I try my best to ignore the comments from other students, betting on whether we’ll make out again.Unable to help himself, Kai tells them all to buzz off. He does it to protect me, but it puts a weird distance between us.
Then the end of class signals our separation. The only thing I want is to spend the entire day with Kai. We haven’t put a label on what we are, but I wish we did. I wish he were my boyfriend, and it weren’t weird for me to stay by his side.
But it is weird.
I keep my distance at lunch, and it’s torturous. Yvie and Zane are all hands and mouths, and Cammy keeps texting her dad even though he doesn’t reply. It feels sadder than it sounds, and I know that’s saying something.
It’s not until English that I get to stare at him again. Kai’s all the way over at the other end of the classroom. He’s doodling in his notebook instead of paying attention to Ms. Jenkins.
I wish I could check out the marks he’s made with his pen. From the neighboring desk, Jamie glimpses his page, and a nasty shock of jealousy attacks my stomach. With a pout, I face forward. But it doesn’t last long. I don’t want to lose his attention to her.
Over my shoulder, I spy their desks again. Kai looks up, and a crooked smile softens his expression. As I smile back, Jamie clocks me, and there’s no erasing her frown.
Is there any scenario where she gets over the fact I’ve said some less-than-nice things to her in the past? She needs to get over it, because I’m not going anywhere. I won’t give up Kai for anyone.
When the lesson ends, Kai catches up with me outside the classroom. He wraps his arms around me and kisses my temple. I giggle, melting as I hold on to his arms.
“So, I have to take Jamie and Milo to the cafe,” he says, doing a bad job of holding back a laugh. “Milo’s roped in to tutor Jamie, and Jamie’s about to boil over. I’m going to laugh my butt off, watching Milo try to dump knowledge on her.”
My heart squeezes as I subtly cross my fingers. “So you’re gonna spend the afternoon with them?”
Kai tilts his head, and his eyebrows wiggle. “I don’t have to.”
“Meet me on Main Street?”
“You don’t want a ride?”
I give him a wink. “I need to change first.”
“I thought I told you to leave a change of clothes in your locker?”
“It’ll be worth it,” I say softly. “Better than changing into running clothes.”
Kai laughs, unraveling his arms from me. “You’ll do anything to dodge being my running buddy.”
Jamie and Milo make their way near us, and Kai gives me another quick peck before releasing me. “I’ll text you.”
I brighten, happy at the thought of getting him away from Jamie.
I’m buzzing on the way out of school, meeting up with Freddy in the parking lot.
“Tabby!” a voice calls out.
My good buzz fades away, recognizing Yvie’s voice.
“Wait up!” she calls, somehow looking graceful as she runs with her backpack swaying behind her.
“Is she coming with us?” Freddy asks, unlocking the car.
“I didn’t think so,” I mutter. I fake a smile as she lands in front of me. “Hey, girl.”
“Where are we going?” she asks eagerly.
