Page 16 of How to Win the Girl

Five minutes.

Three.

Then we’re being excused from class for the break.

When she stands, she grabs her backpack, hefting it onto her shoulder and glaring.

“Where you goin’?” I can feel my brows rising.

“Moving to a new spot.” She’s looking down at me, face scrunched up distastefully. “Do me a favor and stay away from me after the break.”

That makes me laugh. “No problem.” My hands go up in mock surrender. “Go do your thing.”

* * *

Daisy

“…Thatis the most annoying human I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.”

This time, I’m the one who’s grumbling, bending over the drinking fountain in the lobby of the auditorium. The water is freezing cold and perfect—just what I needed to cool off, literally and figuratively.

“Who’s the most annoying human you’ve ever met?”

I stand.

Wipe my mouth with the sleeve of my hoodie.

The girl behind me has her eyebrows raised into her hairline, and she’s staring, clearly interested in what I have to say under my breath.

“Just some guy sitting behind me. He was so freaking rude.”

She cocks her head. “What was he doing?”

“Talking. Complaining. Jiggling his knee.” Being obnoxious on purpose.

I look through the big wooden doors of the auditorium, down to the row where the dude sits rooted to the seat. He’s so big he probably wouldn’t be able to pry himself out if he tried, long legs bent and arranged just so.

The girl follows my gaze. “Um. Are you talking about Drew Colter?”

I shrug. “I don’t know.” I point, knowing full well it’s rude. “That guy.”

Her eyes get wide. “That’s Drew Colter.”

“So?”

“So? He’s like, huge.”

I mean, obviously. “Yeah, he doesn’t fit very well.”

“No, I mean—huge. Like. The Colter brothers are legends. Gods. Can do no wrong.”

Rolling my eyes, I made toward the door. “See, that’s the problem with society these days, worshipping false gods. I honestly don’t give a shit who Drew Colter thinks he is. He’s rude and distracting, and if he can’t sit still through a class, he shouldn’t be here.”

“But…” The girl tags along behind me, floundering. “But it’s Drew Colter.”

“Drewwho?”

“Colter?” she repeats for a third time, her eyes taking on a mystified expression, half dazed as if she’s been bitten by a love bug. “He’s like…super nice.”

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