Page 20 of Bad Boys Don’t Date Clumsy Girls

Chapter Eight

I’m one of those weird students who loves school. I know it’s strange for me to love it so much, but how can I not? It gets me out of my house and provides examples of somewhat normal adults. Miss Hess, my Lit and Comp teacher, is one of the more normal ones. Another reason L&C is one of my favorite classes is because Bek is in it with me.

I’m picking up the papers that scattered across the floor when I dropped my folder when Bek flits into the room and places a paper cup full of wildflowers on Miss Hess’s desk.

“Bek, how thoughtful,” Miss Hess gushes. “Where did you find flowers this early in the season?”

“My mom has a greenhouse. She owns Becca’s Bloom Bomb downtown.”

Miss Hess gapes. “How did I not know that? I love that store.”

“Yes. Most people do.” Bek floats to the desk next to me and settles like a fallen leaf onto it.

“That was sweet of you.” I frown. Suddenly the use of the word sweet reminds me of Dylan.

“Yes. I don’t know why I haven’t been doing it all year. Miss Hess is great, and having her for first period makes it that much easier.” Bek and I fish our homework out and pass it forward when instructed. “How was the shelter yesterday?”

“Busy. Olive Oyl and Sweet Pea were both adopted yesterday.” Bek likes to visit the shelter frequently to pet the animals, so she knows many of them by name.

“Oh, Ava.” Bek looks directly at me, something she rarely does. “It must have been hard for you to say goodbye to Olive.”

Tears prickle again, making me feel like a baby. But I’m determined not to let them show. I blink them away as I tell Bek about the adorable family who adopted her.

“And what was the family like who adopted Sweet Pea?” Bek asks.

“I don’t know. Dylan handled that one.” I can’t quite keep the irritation I feel whenever I think of him out of my voice. But it goes over Bek’s head.

“I told you he was sweet.” She isn’t looking at me anymore. Instead, she’s doodling a dog made of flowers on her notebook while she listens. I’m used to it.

“Bek, I made him handle the meet and greet for Sweet Pea. It has nothing to do with him caring one iota about those animals.”

As soon as I say it, I regret it. He might be a cocky jerk, but he is good with the animals, especially the dogs and the iguana the shelter recently took in. He is far more comfortable than when he first got to the shelter Saturday morning.

“Anyway,” I continue. “He thinks you’re sweet too. He told me so yesterday. After he accused me of trying to cop of feel with Rex.”

Bek’s airy laugh lifts around her. “He’s funny too.”

I slouch into my chair. “I give up.”

“You just need to change your perspective,” Bek says.

“Drop it, please, Bek. I don’t want this to ruin a good friendship.”

Bek laughs again. “You’re funny too. See, he’s already having a positive effect on you.”

I bury my face in my hands and leave them there until Miss Hess calls our attention to her.

After Lit and Comp, I’m on my way to Biology II when I see Dylan coming toward me. I squint, wondering if we’ve always passed in the hall between classes and I just never noticed before. He’s walking with the same girl he was with on Saturday night. His attention is focused completely on her as she talks, and he seems to dodge other kids instinctively to avoid hitting them. The girl uses her hands in sweeping gestures, and her face is red with what I think might be anger.

Maybe this is an alternative route for him because of the girl.

At the last moment, just before he passes by, Dylan’s eyes flick up and meet mine. It's so sudden and surprising, I startle and trip. I get my balance and glance back at Dylan, who watches me over his shoulder with that darned smirk on his face.

I’m distracted when I walk into Bio, and run right into someone, stepping on their foot. They suck in a breath, and I look up to apologize.

Rex Diller.

Of course.

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