Page 26 of Bad Kind of Love

CHAPTER SEVEN

Becca

Tonight was the most anticipated game of the year. Not only was it homecoming, but we were playing Westwood’s rival team, the Trojans. The hallways were filled with students dressed in the wackiest spirit wear I’ve ever seen, blue and white painted faces. Some people even took it as far as dressing up as knights.

It was ridiculous.

I couldn’t wait for it to all be over.

As I pass a group of football players who are circled around in the hall, hollering some nonsense, I catch Travis out of the corner of my eye. I haven’t spoken to him since the incident with Wes, but the minute his eyes land on me, he’s pushing himself out of the group.

“Lookin’ good, O’Connor.” He catches up beside me, a little too closely for that matter. I peek at him dressed in his jersey with his dark hair styled back, sadly, he looked good.

“Thanks.” I mumble, immediately regretting not having my headphones on my ears.

“You cheerin’ me on tonight at the game?” He asks in a hopeful tone that catches me off guard.

“I don’t do football games.” I shake my head, while finding Josie at the end of the hall, eyeing us from a distance.

“You should.” I feel his finger lightly brush against my hand, and I immediately jerk back. “There’s a party at Nate’s house after the game. You and your friend should come.” He nods toward Josie whose eyes pop open like they might fall out.

Stopping next to Josie, Travis parks right in front of me. “I don’t really do parties either.” I say, hoping he gets the hint I’m not interested.

“Come on…” He begs, focusing on a frozen Josie. “Tell Becca here that she needs to crawl out of her antisocial shell, and have some fun.”

Frowning, I glare up at his stupid smirk that has Josie star struck. “I like being in my antisocial shell thank you very much.” I snap offended.

Out of nowhere, Nate slides up beside Josie with an interested smile, before winking down at her. “What’s going on over here?”

I stare at Josie’s wide eyes and frozen stature as Nate peers down at her, amused. He seems oblivious at the fact his good looks were literally rendering the poor girl speechless. In the four years she’s crushed on him, I don’t think he’s ever glanced her way once.

“Help me convince them they should come to the game and party tonight?” He nods towards his friend for help.

“Yeah, you totally should come.” He opens his arms wide. “The more, the merrier.”

“As much fun as that sounds.” I start pushing on Josie’s arm, directing us away from both Nate and Travis. “We’re busy.” I shout over my shoulder as we get further away from them.

With entertained faces, they watch us saunter away but not without saying one last thing. “Remember what I said about your shell, O’Connor!” He yells loud enough for the whole school to hear. Confused eyes land on me, and I immediately glare at him before rounding the corner with Josie at my front.

“Did that just happen? Or was I imagining it?” She asks, staring blankly into the hall still in shock.

“Unfortunately.”

Her head jerks to look at me. “We have to go.”

Taken aback, I scoff repaying her words in my head. “Go where?”

I was hoping she meant to leave school, but the hopeful twinkle in her eyes tells me otherwise.

“To the game and the party.”

Laughing, I wait for the “just kidding”, but when I don’t hear it, my laughing stops. “Seriously?”

She bites down onto her lip, grinning off into the distance. “Yes seriously, did you even hear what they said to us?” She stares at me like I'm crazy. “Nate, Nate freaking Hawthorne, the guy I’ve had the hots for forever invited us to his party after the game.”

“Yes,” I draw out the s. “and?”

I knew where this was headed, lots of begging and groveling for me to say yes. I wanted to say yes and be a good friend, but I knew I’d be breaking my most important rule, no distractions.

---