The Trouble with Dating Sue (Grover Beach Team #6) by Anna Katmore Page B
Authors: Anna Katmore
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hollered above the crowd around us. Everything went exactly to plan, and we didn’t even last a minute.
A woman I didn’t know by name, but who looked much more like a nursery teacher with her petite figure than somebody dealing with teens, stopped us at the corner, slamming her small fists on her hips.
I grinned down at her reprimanding face. Detention was settled.
*
“Hey, Mr. E.,” I greeted my English teacher once again at the beginning of eighth period—after actual English—with the basketball still clasped under my arm. The classroom started filling with random students, all finding seats in corners, fishing out Game Boys or their phones to while away the next fifty minutes.
“Mr. Donovan? I was wondering when I’d finally be seeing you in detention again.” He snickered, putting his newspaper down. “Mr. Moss, Olson, North, and Baker, no surprise to find you here either.”
The guys saluted Mr. Ellenburgh as we sauntered to the window side of the room and huddled in a group of chairs that we moved together. There were only three girls here so far, and none of them was Susan Miller.
“So which of these chicks you want to talk to?” Jake asked in a low voice, sweeping the classroom with a glance. I shook my head at Jake, keeping a close watch on the door. Randy McDowell from my history class entered next and, after him, one particular girl with glasses.
“Here we go,” I drawled with a grin. In response, my friends all turned to look at who had arrived.
“Geek squad,” Brady and Jake deadpanned at once.
“Funnily enough, soccer table,” I informed them, even though I had yet to find out why. That, however, among other questions, was the reason I’d come here, right? “Apparently, she has a crush on Ethan.”
“And that pisses you off why?” Tyler chuckled and poked his elbow into my ribs.
I glanced at him sideways. “Not pissed at all.”
“Yeah, right. Our friendship is older than dirt, dude, and I know that frown. What did she do to stomp on your ego?”
I did frown now, deliberately. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about you having always been a sore loser. If she prefers your identical twin over you, you must have done something to fall right through her cracks. What was it?”
Yeah, what was it indeed? Sue was still talking to Mr. Ellenburgh in a hushed voice, and she seemed to be really friendly with my English teacher. She was also nice to a lot of other guys I knew. So why did I, of all people, bring out this kitten’s claws? “Actually, I have no idea.” She could hardly hold our first encounter against me. That was just an unfortunate moment.
Susan scurried to an empty seat in the back of the room as if it was her personal walk of shame. Her chin was dipped so low, she wouldn’t notice a street lamp in front of her, let alone any of the students in this classroom, me included.
Quietly enough to not draw anybody’s attention, she took a couple of books from her schoolbag and started doing homework. Her ponytail fell over her right shoulder, and she kept tossing it backward every so often. Sometimes she chewed on the end of her pen, but not once in all that time did she look up or around the classroom.
The guys had to feel the unsociable vibe radiating off her, because no one goaded me to walk over and talk to her. Yet, if I waited any longer, detention would be over without me being any wiser. With the basketball under my arm, I finally rose from the chair and sauntered over. She didn’t notice me coming. What a huge surprise.
If I said something now, I’d probably make her jump in her seat. Instead, I put the ball down on her desk and gave it a gentle push so it rolled over her math book. Mystified, Sue watched the ball roll until it dropped over the edge and bounced on the floor. That was the moment she got a real start. Her tiny squeak was so out of place…but kind of sweet.
While she bent down to pick up the ball, I stepped in
A woman I didn’t know by name, but who looked much more like a nursery teacher with her petite figure than somebody dealing with teens, stopped us at the corner, slamming her small fists on her hips.
I grinned down at her reprimanding face. Detention was settled.
*
“Hey, Mr. E.,” I greeted my English teacher once again at the beginning of eighth period—after actual English—with the basketball still clasped under my arm. The classroom started filling with random students, all finding seats in corners, fishing out Game Boys or their phones to while away the next fifty minutes.
“Mr. Donovan? I was wondering when I’d finally be seeing you in detention again.” He snickered, putting his newspaper down. “Mr. Moss, Olson, North, and Baker, no surprise to find you here either.”
The guys saluted Mr. Ellenburgh as we sauntered to the window side of the room and huddled in a group of chairs that we moved together. There were only three girls here so far, and none of them was Susan Miller.
“So which of these chicks you want to talk to?” Jake asked in a low voice, sweeping the classroom with a glance. I shook my head at Jake, keeping a close watch on the door. Randy McDowell from my history class entered next and, after him, one particular girl with glasses.
“Here we go,” I drawled with a grin. In response, my friends all turned to look at who had arrived.
“Geek squad,” Brady and Jake deadpanned at once.
“Funnily enough, soccer table,” I informed them, even though I had yet to find out why. That, however, among other questions, was the reason I’d come here, right? “Apparently, she has a crush on Ethan.”
“And that pisses you off why?” Tyler chuckled and poked his elbow into my ribs.
I glanced at him sideways. “Not pissed at all.”
“Yeah, right. Our friendship is older than dirt, dude, and I know that frown. What did she do to stomp on your ego?”
I did frown now, deliberately. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about you having always been a sore loser. If she prefers your identical twin over you, you must have done something to fall right through her cracks. What was it?”
Yeah, what was it indeed? Sue was still talking to Mr. Ellenburgh in a hushed voice, and she seemed to be really friendly with my English teacher. She was also nice to a lot of other guys I knew. So why did I, of all people, bring out this kitten’s claws? “Actually, I have no idea.” She could hardly hold our first encounter against me. That was just an unfortunate moment.
Susan scurried to an empty seat in the back of the room as if it was her personal walk of shame. Her chin was dipped so low, she wouldn’t notice a street lamp in front of her, let alone any of the students in this classroom, me included.
Quietly enough to not draw anybody’s attention, she took a couple of books from her schoolbag and started doing homework. Her ponytail fell over her right shoulder, and she kept tossing it backward every so often. Sometimes she chewed on the end of her pen, but not once in all that time did she look up or around the classroom.
The guys had to feel the unsociable vibe radiating off her, because no one goaded me to walk over and talk to her. Yet, if I waited any longer, detention would be over without me being any wiser. With the basketball under my arm, I finally rose from the chair and sauntered over. She didn’t notice me coming. What a huge surprise.
If I said something now, I’d probably make her jump in her seat. Instead, I put the ball down on her desk and gave it a gentle push so it rolled over her math book. Mystified, Sue watched the ball roll until it dropped over the edge and bounced on the floor. That was the moment she got a real start. Her tiny squeak was so out of place…but kind of sweet.
While she bent down to pick up the ball, I stepped in
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