Page 5 of The Boy

“You got mommy issues, or are you generally rude to all women?”

He sighs dramatically. “Listen, this bitch is clumsy enough?—”

In one single motion, I grab his jaw and shove him to the wall beside the store, his head banging against the concrete. “Say that again. I’m afraid I didn’t hear you the first time.”

The color drains from his face, and his eyes flit from me to Jordyn, who has stopped picking her things and stares at us in horror.

If there’s one thing I learned, it’s that bullies are just cowards pretending to be brave. The moment someone stands up to them, they lose it. The mask slips.

The same thing happens to him. Predictable.

He raises both palms and swallows hard. “Okay, fine.” He turns to Jordyn. “Miss, I’m sorry.”

Jordyn gives a slight nod, and I take that as a cue to let him go, completely dismissing him from my mind and crossing the distance between Jordyn and me in seconds. I crouch beside her and begin putting things back into her backpack. “You okay?”

Relief flashes across her face, followed by a sheepish smile. “Yeah, thanks. You didn’t have to do that, though.”

“Why not? You don’t deserve the disrespect. Besides, you don’t let that shit fly. You shouldn’t.” I’m about to say more, but I see a burrito on the ground. My head snaps up. “Why do you have a burrito without a wrapper?”

Jordyn groans and grabs it, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. “It’s a pencil case, you moron.”

“No way!” I grab the other side and pull, curiosity getting the better of me. “Let me see.”

“Stop. We’re blocking the way.”

“Let me see just one sec.”

I try to grab the middle of the burrito at the same time as her, and the accidental touch sends a jolt of electricity down my spine. It happens again. The first time it did was when I handed her a coffee. When I felt the world slowing down and vanishing into thin air. When my entire body vibrated with awareness because she was near, so near I could pull her to me and kiss her.

Why does she have this kind of effect on me? It’s jarring and disorienting, like I’ve slipped inside the life of someone else.

Clearing my throat and the jumble of thoughts in my head, I smile at her. “So, how about it, Jordyn? Will you let me have that lunch? Don’t you think I finally deserve it? I’m a clean eater, and I keep my mouth closed when chewing. I promise.”

The line between her eyebrows deepens, and I wonder what I’ve done to earn such mistrust. Or maybe that’s just how she operates? Like mistrusting is her default and I need to prove I’m worthy of her trust.

She sucks the inside of her cheek, thinking. “How do I know you didn’t set that up, and that guy isn’t one of your friends?”

I burst out laughing. “My God. Someday, you and I are gonna need to talk about your trust issues and how you think everything’s a conspiracy. But to answer your question, you don’t know for sure. Now, will you go out for lunch with me?”

Jordyn rolls her eyes, but I see the answer even before she says it. “Fine. Yes. But the moment I hear you grind your food loudly, I’m out.”

4

JORDYN

No restaurant or diner is available, which is not remotely surprising. It’s lunchtime, and everyone’s rushing to eat before they go back to school or their offices.

I don’t even feel hungry anymore. Looking at a flustered and frustrated Jordan is amusing enough. I’ve never seen him this rattled or out of his element. And I shouldn’t enjoy this as much as I do.

Today has been quite a revelation. For the first time since meeting him, he’s not his usual funny self. Earlier, when he demanded the guy apologize, I saw a side of him I never knew existed—a protective, no-nonsense attitude that oddly turned me on.

People always say it’s the quiet ones you need to look out for, but I disagree. It’s also those who always appear unaffected by everything. Those who make jokes all the time. Those who breeze through things. Because when they snap, well, all hell breaks loose.

Jordan lets the glass door swing shut behind him, a look of dejection on his handsome face. He sucks his bottom lip between his teeth and drags his gaze toward me.

I know what he’s going to say even before he opens his mouth. “I’m sorry. They’re full.”

I shrug. “Okay. Let’s just buy pizza or burgers and eat by the quad.”

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