Page 8 of Charger

“You’re such a bitch.”

“Isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black, Samantha?” Everyone sitting at the table stays silent with eyes darting back and forth between us.

Sam jumps up from her seat (or should I say Zach) and plants her hands on the table. “You’re just jealous because I’m prettier and more popular than you. Or is it because you secretly want my boyfriend?”

Zach was about to say something but I jump up from my chair, causing it to almost fall backwards. “Think what you’d like, but there’s no way in hell that I would ever be jealous of you. I may not paint my face with all that makeup and I may not be dating one of the hottest guys in school. But at least my hair is real and my bra’s not stuffed!”

You could hear a pin drop in the cafeteria.

“Burn,” Lisa mumbles under her breath.

Everyone in the lunch room has their eyes locked on me. My brother has a confused as fuck look on his face because, normally, I’m not so vocal at school.

“Screw you!” Sam storms off, and I half expect Zach to go after her but he doesn’t. He stays put, zeroing in on me and my outburst. I could have sworn I saw the corner of his mouth turn up, his stare burning into me. He’s loving this.

“Girl, I think Sam just pissed herself.” Lisa laughs.

“Yeah, where the hell did that come from?” I wish I had an answer for my brother, but I don’t.

“I’m going to the library. See you guys later.” I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. The silence ends rather quickly. Students start laughing, going about their business again like it never happened. I tilt my lunch tray inside the trash can and stomp through the doors.

“Hey, Jules, wait!” Zach is now in step with me and I try not to look at him. But my willpower is just not that strong when it comes to him. “What was that about?”

“I don’t know. Guess she just pissed me off is all.”

“I’ve always known you to be feisty, Specs, just not that feisty.”

“Yeah, well, don’t get used to it.”

He grabs my arm, stopping me. He flashes a sexy smile and tugs me a little closer. His body heat turns my stomach into a fluttery mess of hell. Something passes between us, and I get trapped in his gaze.

“So, you think I’m the hottest guy in school, huh?”

I snort. “Don’t flatter yourself, hotshot.” Tugging myself free, I leave him in the dust. When really, I want to run back and throw myself into his arms.

“How can it be eighty degrees one day and forty-five the next? I am so not dressed for this.” Lisa hugs her middle, trying to get warmth back into her body, and I’m doing the same. Even with the massive flames from the bonfire in front of us, it’s still freezing out here. I have on my turtleneck sweater, jeans, boots, my brown leather jacket, and gloves. I seriously hate the cold.

We stand there while Coach Russel walks up to the podium to speak. He talks a little, then shouts a little, then talks some more, with some fist pumps thrown in the air on occasion.

“All right, everyone, let’s give it up for our football team!”

The marching band starts playing and one by one, the football players run onto the field. The cheerleaders are lined up, doing their little cheering duties as they run by. Sam is shouting Zach’s name, blowing him a kiss when he runs past. I wouldn’t mind strangling her with her ball of streamers.

Death by pompons. It has a nice ring to it.

“I can see you planning out Sam’s murder from here. What gives?” Lisa has reached the point where she is now frozen solid and her teeth are minutes from chattering. But there’s no denying she can read me like a fortune cookie.

“Nothing gives. I just don’t like her.”

“You don’t like her because she’s her, or you don’t like her because she’s dating Zach?”

“The first part.” I watch as the guys line up for their introductions. I purposely seek out Zach among them. “It’s not like that. We’ve been friends for years. And besides, Zach just deserves better.”

“He deserves someone like you, right?” She smirks, blowing her warm breath into her hands.

“No, that’s not what I said.” I pause to think about it. What would it be like, to be with him as more than just a friend? “Zach would never go for someone like me anyway.”

“Whatever you say.” Bobbing in place, Lisa grabs my hand. “All right, I don’t feel like watching anymore. Let’s go buy some hot chocolate before my face freezes and falls off.”

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