“Something wrong with Della?”
Right. I forgot that all my teachers knew my parents by name, since they all hung out at the country club like rich people did.
“No, she’s doing fine. She was just worrying about what I’m eating, seeing as I can’t cook.”
That was a lie.
I knew how to cook, but I was too lazy to.
“Maybe you should learn how to cook. Far healthier than getting takeout every day.”
I shrugged. “Maybe I should get cooking lessons by a true Italian. I love pasta,” I teased, internally rolling my eyes at myself.
He chuckled and shook his head. “Maybe when you’re older and not my student anymore. Go to class, Miss Bentley. And I hope you won’t be late for mine after lunch.”
I couldn’t keep from grinning at his comment, and if Riggs didn’t exist in my life at this point, I would’ve definitely flirted back even more.
“I won’t be late. A presto, Signor Trapani,” I told him, then I turned to walk to my class and get him out of my head quickly because he wasn’t who I wanted to spend my thoughts on.
I’d see Riggs again tonight, and my excitement grew bigger minute by minute.
I sat down on my chair and pulled the books I needed out of my backpack while my physics teacher wasn’t even here yet, so I didn’t even have to hurry to get here.
“Val!” someone whispered loudly, and I turned to look at Declan sitting in the back with two of his friends whose names I didn’t even care to remember.
I raised a brow to make him talk again.
“Come sit back here with us,” he offered, nodding to the empty chair next to him.
“Never,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes and turning to look down at my books again.
“Come on, Valley. Don’t be such a bitch.”
Nice.
I ignored him even when he continued to talk about me loud enough for the whole class to hear.
“He’s a dick,” the girl next to me said with a pitiful smile.
I looked up at her, remembering her name being Naomi, and shrugged her comment but most importantly her pity off my shoulders.
“I don’t care what anyone in this school says.”
“I wish I could do the same,” she told me with a sigh.
“Why? You’re not getting bullied or anything, are you?”
“No, but being as careless as you are is what most of the girls at this school thrive for. I even pulled up my skirt and opened a few more buttons to dress like you.”
I looked at her uniform and sighed. “You don’t have to be like me. That’s never gotten anyone anything.”
“But boys want you. And you reject them like it’s nothing.”
Naomi was naïve. Even more than Kennedy.
“Just…be yourself, okay?”
That’s the best advice I could give her and any other girl at this school.