Page 21 of Every Broken Thing

“You’re a fucking dead man.” Jake stalked around the table, his face screwed into a furious mask.

“Oh baby, talk dirty to me,” I crooned with a seductive smile as I mentally prepared for the fight. It wouldn’t last long since a teacher was already headed our way to intervene. As long as he didn’t hit me before the teacher got here, I would survive. I was fast; I could dodge.

The kids watching retrieved their cell phones to record the battle, but they groaned in disappointment when one of Jake’s buddies interceded. “Jake, dude, he’s not worth it.” He twisted his fist into Jake’s shirt as the wrestler strained to attack me. “You don’t wanna get in trouble with Coach, right?”

Jake glared daggers at me as Mr. Rodriguez, the Spanish teacher, casually ambled to a stop. “Is there a problem, gentlemen?” he asked, and after a long moment of exchanging silent promises of revenge, Jake shook his head.

Silas: 1

Jake: 0

“Nope.” I said cheerily. “We were just having a nice chat. Weren’t we, Jakey?”

His eyes narrowed, but he agreed all the same. “Yeah, just talking.”

“Well, then ‘just talk’ all the way back to your seat,” Mr. Rodriguez ordered, and Jake returned to his overturned chair and retrieved his half-eaten apple. “And Brigs, don’t make me give you another detention.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Rodriguez, sir!” I barked with a military air and a salute, and I was saved from his haranguing by the bell ringing.

My remaining classes passed in a blur of droning voices and nonsensical color, and when I arrived in Sociology, I spotted Ben in his original seat several rows behind mine. For some odd reason, this upset me more than I cared to admit. He was too nice and pushy and overall annoying, but I didn’t exactly hate him, at least not anymore.

Last night was fun, poking and prodding each other like friends, and I could admit I didn’t loathe his company. But he’d finally taken the hint. I officially scared him off. I wanted this, so why did my disappointment sit like a heavy rock in my gut?

My body moved without the permission of my brain, and before I knew it, I sank into the desk beside Ben’s. His startled expression matched mine as I plopped into place. Shit! What was I doing?

Move, Silas! Run away while you still can.

Except I didn’t.

“That’s not your seat.” His brows drew down into a puzzled frown.

I shrugged. “Today it is.”

“Why?”

My witty retorts and sarcastic quips evaded me as the truth tumbled from my mouth. “I don’t know.”

We stared at each other for a long moment, both of us rooting through the other’s eyes in search of answers to unasked questions, until he finally confessed with a deep sigh, “You’re confusing.”

“I know. I’m quite the enigma.” His guarded shield cracked at my haughty tone, and I bit my lip with a tentative grin.

“Is that why you spend half your time being a somewhat decent human being and the rest of the time insulting people’s mothers?” His candor surprised me, and my neck heated in a shameful blush. Chagrin was not a common emotion for me, yet I dropped my eyes in embarrassment.

“Okay, maybe that wasn’t my finest moment,” I conceded, staring at the desk. “But I was defending your honor.”

He blinked, his astonishment comical. “What?”

“They insinuated that I was planning a threesome with you and Andre the Giant. I didn’t want any jealous girlfriends coming to scratch my face off when the rumor spread, so I put a stop to it. You’re welcome.”

The crests of his cheeks turned the most adorable shade of pink, but his scandalized response dropped to a whisper as the teacher called the class to order. “Andre the—you mean Ronnie?”

“Whatever. He’s grotesquely tall.”

“He’s not that tall,” he denied between hushed snickers. “Maybe you’re just short.”

“I’m not short!” I ducked my head to avoid the pointed glare from the teacher, hissing at Ben from the corner of my mouth,“I’m barely shorter than you. I’m perfectly average, thank you very much.”

I pouted as Ben covered his mouth with his palm, but I caught his whisper. “I don’t think there’s anything average about you.”

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