Page 43 of XO

He kisses me again, squeezing my waist in what I assume is his own sexual frustration. A wry smile spreads, his finger ever so slightly dipping the neckline of my shirt to reveal only a taste of cleavage. “Because…” he says, taking a peek, “… I promised your dad no boob or anything else action. And I…” Jacob pauses to carefully and expertly, I might add given the tight space, flips me onto my back with him on top, “… am a man of my world. No matter how hard it is to resist you.”

As if I’m not heated enough already, now I’m lying under Jacob feeling how his body engulfs mine and getting a taste of how he would feel between my legs.

I stare up into his eyes. “So, I guess I have to settle for a make-out session?”

“It’s as hard for me as it is for you.”

10

THEN

“Well… this is unexpected.” Ms. Zagwich sits on her desk, arms crossed, a dubious glance passing between the split group. While Jacob sits next to me, one arm wrapped around the top of my chair, Kevin and Chelsea sit as far away from us as possible. “And what on earth happened to you?” she asks a disgruntled Kevin who sits with his own arms defiantly crossed, foot tapping in agitation.

“Every now and then you discover a Judas amongst you,” he says as if it’s supposed to hurt. If anyone’s guilty, it’s him.

“Right…” Ms. Zagwich starts. “Sounds intense,” she says with an ounce of sarcasm. I hide my smile because to any adult, our teenage problems must seem so trivial, and no matter how serious Kevin is about being betrayed, he still presents like a sullen child. “And Chelsea, have you been sucking on lemons? Why the ugly scowl?”

Chelsea scoffs indignantly. “You can’t say that to students.”

“I just did.”

Huffing, she throws herself back in her chair, beating Kevin in the sullen race.

Ms. Zagwich switches her attention, a questioning hand gesturing our way. “And this… this is a new development.”

“That’s what they’d lead you to believe,” Chelsea mutters.

Taking the higher road, Jacob and I ignore the jibe.

“Okay… well—”

“I want out,” Kevin blurts.

“I’m sorry?”

“I don’t want to be involved in the prom planning. I didn’t want to from the beginning, and I certainly don’t want to be working alongside those fuckwits.”

“That’s enough!” Ms. Zagwich warns.

“Either they go or I go,” he says, confident in his ultimatum.

“That’s not up to me, Kevin. You’ll need to speak to Coach Carter about that.”

“Or, you teachers can work among yourselves and organize it.”

“Watch your tone,” she warns once more. “You can all put your differences aside and come together for the cohort and make this a special occasion. Anna, we need a neutral leader, so you’re to monitor the weekly work being completed.”

We all turn to our new leader. So caught up in our own problems, we didn’t even realize she was sitting behind us.

“Okay,” she agrees, eyes wide with uncertainty.

“If I’m forced to stay, I’m not doing any projects which have me working with that dumb slut,” Kevin says referring to me.

“That’s enough, Mr. Foster.”

“Say it again, and I blacken that other eye,” Jacob seethes, already committed to fulfilling his threat.

Unfazed, Kevin swivels in his seat, accepting the challenge. “I said, your slut can stay away from—”

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