Page 106 of We Shouldn't Be Together
Her jaw shifts, like she’s about to speak, but nothing comes out.
“I hear you’re great at soccer,” I continue, turning red at the thought of how forced this is coming across.
The heavy steps of a pacing jog vibrate against the flooring. “James, are you coming?”
My stomach clenches as Kai joins us in the hall. Surprise lowers his energy as he realizes I’m standing in front of Jamie.
Panic-stricken, Jamie pats Kai’s arm as her rounded eyes wait for my attack. “Yeah, let’s go.”
Taken off guard, Kai asks her, “What’s going on?”
Jamie shakes her head. “I dunno. She’s being weird. I need to get out of here.”
Kai takes a protective step in front of Jamie, his jaw hardening when he asks me, “Did you say something to her?”
“No, I just…” My sentence fades into nothing as betrayal pales his light tan.
Kai’s fists clench. “Because if you said something…”
“Dude,” Freddy cuts in. “Chill. I was standing right here. Tabby was just trying to be nice.”
Kai turns to Jamie, and the horror on her face doesn’t waver.
“It’s her brother,” she utters. “Of course, he’ll defend her.”
“Hey, what’s going on here?” Cammy calls out as she and Yvie meet us in the foyer.
Oh crap. If these two start saying nasty stuff to Jamie, Kai will never believe I’ve taken the target off Jamie’s back.
I pinch into Freddy’s blazer, hard enough to sting his skin. When he looks down at me with an upturned lip, I make sure there’s pleading in my eyes. If there’s such a thing as sibling telepathy, I hope he hears my internal plea.Please, please, please don’t offer them a ride home.
I sense the mocking firing up in Cammy as she locks onto Jamie. “Wow, do you live in that ratty gym uniform? Like, any excuse not to be in a feminine uniform, right?”
I hear the inhale as Kai’s chest inflates, ready to defend his friend. But I can’t let him. If I’m going to prove I’m serious—that I want him in my life—I have to jump on this grenade.
“Oh my gosh, girls,” I say loudly so I get all the heat from their stares. “You should have seen me yesterday. I ran up a hill, and it was so embarrassing.”
Cammy’s eyebrow arches and there’s a curl at the edge of her mouth. “What’s this?”
“Yeah, I just ran,” I babble, “from Main Street to my house. I just ran. Like an idiot.”
Yvie winces. “Why did you do that?”
“I dunno, but it wasn’t pretty. I don’t know what I was trying to prove.”
“You’ve been talking a lot about getting fit,” Cammy says, sizing me up. “You don’t have an eating disorder or something, do you?”
“Whoa!” Both Kai and Freddy step in when Cammy crosses a line too far.
I step in close to Freddy and signal Kai with a nod.What are you two still doing here? This is the diversion where you get Jamie out of here.
Cammy casually throws her hands in the air as if it were a harmless question. “What? She’s one of my best friends. I’m worried about her. She’s acting differently.”
Freddy points a finger at her. “Take it back and never say it again.”
I nod at Jamie and mouth, “Go.”
Jamie’s eyes narrow with confused skepticism.
