back over his teeth.
“Next time, watch where you’re going,” he spat, shouldering past her and marching away, shoulders hunched against the rain.
The guy had a personality disorder, Sophie decided while sitting in English class, doodling idly in her notebook. He had to. There was no way anyone could switch their emotions off and on that quickly and easily without serious medication. The smart thing to do was stay away. Any rational, logical person would agree, except the foundations of her master plan were severely flawed. For example, how do you stay away from someone who shared three of your seven classes, including lunch and lived next door to you?
“How the hell am I supposed to avoid the guy when he’s everywhere?” she complained at lunch over her roast beef sandwich.
Lauren stuffed a forkful of spiral noodles into her mouth, chewed, swallowed and replied, “ None of that means you have to talk to the guy! You can still avoid him, although I don’t know why you would. The guy is … rawr!”
“ I wouldn’t have to if he wasn’t so hot and cold!” Sophie protested, feeling the urge to put her head down and weep. “One minute, he’s looking at me as if he wants to just … devour me and then the next second, he can’t get far enough away!”
“He did save your life,” Jessie rationalized. “He clearly doesn’t hate you.”
“You can save someone’s life and still hate them, Jess,” Sophie muttered, forking her fingers back through her hair. “I just don’t understand why it bothers me so much.”
“Because you secretly like him,” Lauren said, then opened her eyes wide and let her jaw slack. “Was that a secret?”
Sophie glowered at her teasing. “Not funny. I don’t like him.”
Lauren raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “So you wouldn’t mind if someone, oh let’s say Maggie Chow, were to ask him out?”
Despite her best attempts, Sophie stiffened. “Maggie Chow wants to ask him out? Already? He just started school like a week ago!”
Lauren shrugged daintily. “That’s what happens when you drag your feet.” She popped a forkful of pasta into her mouth and studied Sophie with smug interest. “Why do you care anyway?”
“I don’t,” she muttered, dropping her eyes. “He can date whoever he wants.”
“ Who can date whoever they want?” Joe slipped into the bench next to Sophie, brushing his shoulder and thigh against hers as he sat.
“You’re late coming in,” Lauren observed.
Joe sighed, setting his books down in front of him instead of a lunch. “Had some problems in the computer lab. Mr. J is becoming a tyrant.”
“He just wants to make sure you know your stuff,” Jessie soothed, offering him a comforting smile.
“Or you lot aren’t listening again,” Lauren added. “I’ve seen you computer geeks in action. You’re worse than the jocks during football practice with your World of Warcraft and Star Trek whatever-whatever.”
Joe scowled at the comparison, but turned to Sophie instead of responding. “How are you? I called a couple of times, but your mom said you were resting.”
Sophie tried not to roll her eyes or groan as she pulled a second sandwich from her lunch bag and handed it to him, along with an apple. “I think Mom and Mr. J have been exchanging notes. I’m surprised she didn’t wrap me in bubble wrap before I left this morning.”
“She’s just worried!” Jessie said, looking distraught. “You nearly died, Sophie! If Spencer hadn’t been there … ” Lauren patted her shoulder gently when Jessie trailed off, her voice hitching.
“I know! I guess I’m just grumpy.”
Lauren made a humming sound. “I would be too if the guy starring in all my wet dreams was about to be snatched away.”
Sophie flicked a piece of her crust at her friend. “Shut up!”
“Well, I still don’t like him,” Joe offered, making Sophie chuckle.
“ You don’t like anyone.”
He said nothing as he searched her face, his dark curls
“Next time, watch where you’re going,” he spat, shouldering past her and marching away, shoulders hunched against the rain.
The guy had a personality disorder, Sophie decided while sitting in English class, doodling idly in her notebook. He had to. There was no way anyone could switch their emotions off and on that quickly and easily without serious medication. The smart thing to do was stay away. Any rational, logical person would agree, except the foundations of her master plan were severely flawed. For example, how do you stay away from someone who shared three of your seven classes, including lunch and lived next door to you?
“How the hell am I supposed to avoid the guy when he’s everywhere?” she complained at lunch over her roast beef sandwich.
Lauren stuffed a forkful of spiral noodles into her mouth, chewed, swallowed and replied, “ None of that means you have to talk to the guy! You can still avoid him, although I don’t know why you would. The guy is … rawr!”
“ I wouldn’t have to if he wasn’t so hot and cold!” Sophie protested, feeling the urge to put her head down and weep. “One minute, he’s looking at me as if he wants to just … devour me and then the next second, he can’t get far enough away!”
“He did save your life,” Jessie rationalized. “He clearly doesn’t hate you.”
“You can save someone’s life and still hate them, Jess,” Sophie muttered, forking her fingers back through her hair. “I just don’t understand why it bothers me so much.”
“Because you secretly like him,” Lauren said, then opened her eyes wide and let her jaw slack. “Was that a secret?”
Sophie glowered at her teasing. “Not funny. I don’t like him.”
Lauren raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “So you wouldn’t mind if someone, oh let’s say Maggie Chow, were to ask him out?”
Despite her best attempts, Sophie stiffened. “Maggie Chow wants to ask him out? Already? He just started school like a week ago!”
Lauren shrugged daintily. “That’s what happens when you drag your feet.” She popped a forkful of pasta into her mouth and studied Sophie with smug interest. “Why do you care anyway?”
“I don’t,” she muttered, dropping her eyes. “He can date whoever he wants.”
“ Who can date whoever they want?” Joe slipped into the bench next to Sophie, brushing his shoulder and thigh against hers as he sat.
“You’re late coming in,” Lauren observed.
Joe sighed, setting his books down in front of him instead of a lunch. “Had some problems in the computer lab. Mr. J is becoming a tyrant.”
“He just wants to make sure you know your stuff,” Jessie soothed, offering him a comforting smile.
“Or you lot aren’t listening again,” Lauren added. “I’ve seen you computer geeks in action. You’re worse than the jocks during football practice with your World of Warcraft and Star Trek whatever-whatever.”
Joe scowled at the comparison, but turned to Sophie instead of responding. “How are you? I called a couple of times, but your mom said you were resting.”
Sophie tried not to roll her eyes or groan as she pulled a second sandwich from her lunch bag and handed it to him, along with an apple. “I think Mom and Mr. J have been exchanging notes. I’m surprised she didn’t wrap me in bubble wrap before I left this morning.”
“She’s just worried!” Jessie said, looking distraught. “You nearly died, Sophie! If Spencer hadn’t been there … ” Lauren patted her shoulder gently when Jessie trailed off, her voice hitching.
“I know! I guess I’m just grumpy.”
Lauren made a humming sound. “I would be too if the guy starring in all my wet dreams was about to be snatched away.”
Sophie flicked a piece of her crust at her friend. “Shut up!”
“Well, I still don’t like him,” Joe offered, making Sophie chuckle.
“ You don’t like anyone.”
He said nothing as he searched her face, his dark curls
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