Page 16 of Not in My Book

He lifted his shoulder. “It’s unrealistic.”

“Plenty of people get their Happily Ever After.”

“Even more don’t.”

“Maybe notyou, but people who deserve it usually get it,” I said jokingly.

I must’ve hit a nerve because he tensed, his eyes turning cold. “Are we talking about me, or are we talking about the characters? Let’s justmake this painless and spend as little time together as possible.” Before I could respond, he stood from his chair, nearly knocking it over. “I have to go. I trust you’re capable of writing a single chapter.”

With that, he slung his bag over his shoulder and stormed out of the coffee shop.

Maybe I’d taken it too far, but it wasn’t fair for Aiden to just flip on a dime like that. I fumed to myself as I packed my own bag. He was self-righteous and arrogant. He thought he was so much better than me just because he made people sad instead of happy.

I hadn’t known how to start my chapter before, but I sure as hell did now.

My mom used to say if I didn’t have anything nice to say, then it was best to say nothing at all.

So, I won’t say out loud that I wish Hunter would fall off the edge of a cliff.

— Excerpt fromUntitledby Rosie Maxwell and Aiden Huntington

CHAPTER FIVE

I texted Aiden almost an hour ago that I had finished the chapter. After he left Think Coffee, I was so mad I couldn’t see straight. We were stuck in this stupid project because neither of us could be nice to each other, but we had to at leasttry. I couldn’t mess up my second chance in this class.

We had a shared Google Doc for our project. Instead of sending each other chapters and scenes back and forth, it was easier to just have it all in one place. I’d also be able to see whenever he logged on and what changes he made to my writing … and if he got too cruel, I could change his writing, too.

After I texted him, I kept the doc open, waiting for his name to appear on the screen. I nervously bit my thumbnail, rereading the chapter, trying to see it through Aiden’s eyes.

I hadn’t intended for it to actually be good. I’d set up a feud between the two characters and had written some great banter that I was proud of. Maybe we could use some of it in therealfirst chapter, but for now, I had another goal in mind.

When Aiden’s name appeared on the doc, I pushed the bag of plantain chips off me and slid my laptop closer, watching his cursor go through each line. My heart was pounding by the time he finished, his cursor blinking on the last word.

Then my phone buzzed.

Aiden:Rewrite it.

I laughed giddily, stuffing my hand in the bag of plantains and shoving them into my mouth.

Rosie:no

Aiden:Rewrite it, we can’t submit this.

Rosie:why ever not

The three bubbles appeared and disappeared for the next minute. I was sitting hunched over my phone, anticipating his words, slowly chewing.

Aiden:Because the point of this assignment was for us to get along. Not to find another way to fight.

Rosie:i don’t know what you’re talking about

I fell back on my bed giggling. So what if Ididhave to rewrite it? At least I’d had the chance to piss him off.

Aiden:You named the main guy after me.

Rosie:his name’s not aiden

Aiden:No, his name is Hunter. Hunter… Huntington. I’m not stupid, Rosalinda.

---