Page 21 of Bad Kind of Love

“Wes, you don’t know me. You don’t know the first thing about me.” I shake my head.

“Then let me get to know you.” His voice seemed to have dropped an octave as he took a small step closer to me.

My eyes widen as they drop down his black and blue football uniform. He was trying to intimidate me.

Now I know where he gets it from.

“What? No. Are you even listening to anything I’m saying?” I shout, while trying to maintain my composure.

He doesn’t answer, but as I stare into his aqua eyes, I get all my answers from them. “If you don’t want work to suck any less for you, let’s make a compromise.”

Raising a brow, I tilt my head. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that your boss is a dick. Probably makes working there a living hell for you. And when I start, you’ll make it seem like it’s worse.” He goes on. “In school we can pretend we don’t know each other, but at work, we're friends. You help me and I help you.”

“So, what you’re saying is that outside of school you’d be my friend but inside school, when you're around all your friends, you’ll act like you don’t know me?”

Ouch.

“I want to be your friend everywhere.” He admits with a straight face. “But you don’t seem to be too keen on the idea.”

Frowning, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he wanted to be my friend so badly. He was everything I wasn’t. And no matter how much I’d push him away, he’d come crawling back. So, I nodded my head, agreeing to his terms. “Fine. Friends at work. But that’s it.”

Satisfied with himself, he gnaws on his bottom lip, grinning like a kid on Christmas. Opening his mouth as if he’s about to say something, he’s cut off by someone bumping into him.

“What you doin’ talkin’ to my girl, Fitzgerald?” Travis teases with a cocky smile. Throwing his arm over Wes’s shoulder, he eyes me up and down greedily, wetting his bottom lip. Dressed in the same uniform, they look almost identical other than the shade of their hair.

“Definitely not your girl.” My face puckers from the thought. His goofy smile forms into a frown before glancing at an irritated Wes.

“I see you met my boy Wes.” He drops his arm from Wes’s shoulder.

“Yah, we’ve met.” I mumble, peering around Travis for an escape route. Having both their attention was making me anxious and sweaty. Gnawing on the inside of my cheek, I feel my foot begin to tap on its own.

“We’re gonna be working together now.” Wes adds.

Travis seems to stand a little taller, gazing at the side of Wes’s face. “Really?” He sounds shocked with a hint of disappointment. “You? Workin’ at Cool Times?” This time he laughs, slapping Wes on the shoulder.

“Yah, I thought Becca here could use some friendly company at work.” Wes says in a baiting tone.

All Travis can do is shake his head and chuckle. “I bet.”

I couldn’t understand why they both had sour looks on their faces as they stood next to each other, until a thought popped in my head.

They were both jealous.

For absolutely no reason.

Stepping in, I immediately shut down any ideas they may have. “No need for the pissing contest.” I look between the both of them. “If you boys don’t mind, I have somewhere to be.”

Lifting my chin, I feel their eager eyes on me, surprised by my outburst. Stepping around them both, I can still feel them watching me as I scurry towards the parking lot.

There must be a full moon coming tonight or soon because I haven't received this much attention from guys in my whole life. And it’s only been a few weeks. I was always invisible, and now all of a sudden, I was desired.

By the two most attractive guys in school.

I couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t.

By the time I made it to my car, I could hear the faint sounds of a whistle being blown and the loud clashing and running of the football players. My eyes hover over a white sign hanging on the fence with the huge letters “Homecoming” written on it with blue paint.

I roll my eyes, I wouldn’t be caught dead going to a school dance. Especially homecoming. Josie and I made a pact freshman year, we’d stay home on every school dance and drink together while watching comedy movies.

It wasn’t like we were getting asked to go anyway.

Tossing my bag onto the passenger seat, I sink down into the drivers and start up the engine before peeling out of the place I hate most.

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