Page 16 of Unraveled

Mateo groaned. “Fuck, what are you gonna make me do?”

I winked, already coming up with ways to fuck with him. “I’ll let you know.”

“I’m game, too.”

“Really?” Mateo’s brow shot up in surprise. “Thanks, Annie.”

“Thanks, Annie, what?” Emma’s voice came from behind me, and we all jumped. “Hi, Mateo.” She gave him a cold smile as she slid into the seat beside Annie, placing her lunch on the table.

“Hey,” he mumbled, looking down at his food.

“So, what’d I miss?” Emma asked again, ignoring the tension.

“Uh…” I looked her over, trying to see if she was okay. “Annie and I just agreed to write character witness letters for Mateo to help him not lose his scholarship.”

Emma’s expression hardened for a moment, and after several long, tension-filled seconds passed, she took a drink and masked her face again. “That’s nice. Count me in, too.”

We shared surprised looks as she studiously dressed her baked potato.

“Thanks, Emma,” Mateo finally hedged.

She stiffened. “Don’t mention it.”

Mateo frowned. “Okay, I’m gonna go.”

As soon as he was gone, Emma visibly relaxed, tension easing from her muscles and her face. She looked around, ignoring the confused looks we were still giving her. “So, where are Izzy and Jet?”

Chapter 7

ISABEL

I hurried from the snack bar line after I paid for my chicken wrap and lemonade, knowing I was late. There’d been a sub in the cafeteria, and the guys in line ahead of me had been trying to confuse the poor woman so that she’d mess up and they’d get out of paying for some things. I’d finally interjected, helping the lady total it up so the line would start moving again.

A glance at the cafeteria wall clock now told me lunch was almost half over, and I still had to navigate my way around the flooding sidewalks outside.

Fantastic. I might as well find someone else to eat with at this rate.

I was about to pass the gym door connected to the side wall of the cafeteria right as Lisa stepped in. I paused, hoping to avoid confrontation.

“Oh, hi, Izzy.” Lisa forced a smile that looked more like a sneer when she saw me.

Great.I tried to avoid a sigh as she continued.

“I thought you’d be with Tucker. I hope everything’s okay.”

So, it’s the passive aggressive Lisa today.I was so sick of her. I’d kill her with kindness if I had to, and I gave her a bright smile. “Everything is great with us. Never better. Thanks for asking.”

Lisa’s smile twitched, and she fumbled with a folded paper in her hands. “Well, I wish I could say that was good to hear. Hope nothing happens.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and marched away.

Bitch.But she had given me an idea, and I pushed through the doors to the gym. It was perfect. I could just scarf down my food and get a few run throughs of my routine in and avoid the rain.

“Hey, Izzy!” I almost jumped, not noticing anyone at first. I hadn’t heard anything except for the rhythmic clanging of the machines in the nearby weight room, but Dinah was waving me over to where she was sitting with Noah. He pressed his lips into a thin line and shifted a little away from her as I approached. My brow furrowed at his reaction as Dinah patted the bleacher beside her, angling her knees to face me as I took a seat.

“Did I interrupt something?” I teased with a wink.

“Nothing important.” Dinah grinned and winked back.

“I’m gonna go,” Noah muttered as he stood.

---