Page 2 of Foolish Games

“I know,” Sebastian says, giving us a cool look. “But I remember her being more of a geek last year.”

“She is,” Robert says. “Now back off.”

Even though my brother’s new on the varsity squad and only a junior, Sebastian listens, probably because Robert and I are from one of Faulkner’s founding families, not to mention our dad is a lawyer. People generally don’t mess with us, even though I’m firmly entrenched in the nerd herd, as Sebastian calls us.

“Yeah, all right,” Sebastian grumbles before turning to us again. “One of you nerds can tell the little pussy hiding behind his girlfriend that this isn’t over.”

With that, he turns and swaggers off, my brother and the rest of their clique trailing in his wake.

I let out a breath and try to collect myself. So what if Sebastian is fine as hell and looks like he could toss me around a mattress in a way that Chaz never could—at least not without reaching for his inhaler every two minutes?

Being tossed around a mattress is overrated anyway.

At least, I assume it is. I wouldn’t know from personal experience. I have Chaz, and there’s a reason I chose him. Mattress gymnastics is not that reason. He’s sweet and respectful and gentle, and I don’t have to worry about competing with the other girls in his little black book, since he doesn’t have one.

I turn back to our friends. Really, they’re Chaz’s friends, but now that we’ve been together a year, I’ve been absorbed into their group. And this year I’m on the quiz bowl team, which means I won’t be left out when they go to tournaments together like I was last year. This will help me truly belong, not just as someone’s girlfriend. Plus, I won’t have to battle my irrational jealousy over Chaz bonding with a certain girl on the quiz bowl team on their out-of-town trips.

“Did you really have to provoke the jocks?” I ask my boyfriend. “Now we’re on their radar.”

“We were already on his radar,” he points out. “He talked shit to us first.”

“And if you hadn’t answered, he would have kept walking,” I point out. “That’s what they always do.”

“That doesn’t make it okay,” Krissy says, gazing up at Chaz like he’s her hero. “We have a right to defend ourselves.”

With her plain, moony face and big teeth, she’s not exactly stunning, but I still envy the fact that she’s gone to school with my boyfriend since kindergarten and is super tight with him.

“They weren’t hurting us,” I say. “They just called us nerds. We call ourselves that. Do you really want to start shit with the most popular kids in school on the first day of senior year? You could at least wait until the last month to make a point.”

“One day we’ll be running our own companies, and those meatheads will be cleaning our toilets,” Chaz says. “Sometimes I just like to remind them that we’ll win in the end.”

“Totally,” Krissy says. “It’s about time someone stood up to them. The jocks think they run this school.”

“Yeah, because they do,” I say. “We’re at a high school in the south. More people attend the games on Friday night than church on Sunday morning. Meanwhile we’re lucky if our own parents come to our debate tournaments.”

“Well, I think you’re brave,” Krissy says to Chaz. “They were being jerks.”

I grit my teeth and glare at her, but neither of them notices.

“Thanks,” he says. “I figure my brains are at least an equal match to his muscles.”

The group starts down the hall toward our homerooms, since we’re the type of kids who like to be on time for class, even on the first day of school.

“You’re right, you know,” Jerome says, falling in beside me as Chaz and Krissy pull ahead. “Bullies get bored if you don’t respond. They’re just looking for a reaction.”

“Exactly,” I say, relieved that someone is on my side. “Try telling Chaz that, though.”

“He knows,” Jerome assures me. “He just can’t stand that society values beefcakes over brainiacs.”

“Good luck changing that,” I mutter, trying not to be annoyed that Krissy is swinging her mouse-brown hair against my boyfriend’s arm. Even though one of the reasons I date Chaz is because he’s a nice guy who would never cheat, sometimes it still annoys me that his best friend is a girl who’s secretly in love with him. At least, she seems to think it’s a secret. It’s completely obvious to everyone except Chaz himself.

“Don’t let her get to you,” Jerome says, seeing my stormy look and giving me a shy smile. “You know Chaz thinks of her as a sister.”

“So he’s told me,” I say with a sigh as we stop at our homeroom and Krissy stands on tiptoes to give Chaz a peck on the cheek before hurrying away, her books clutched to her chest. “But does she have to do that?”

“Do what?” Chaz asks, turning back to us with his oblivious, earnest face. He may not see her as girlfriend material, but she is definitely not in agreement.

“Does she really have to kiss you?” I ask.

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