Page 50 of Science Project

“Jace,” I said.

“Look who it is,” João said from behind me.

Jace glanced over his shoulder at me, then João. “What’s up?”

João wrapped an arm around my shoulders, in a much better mood than he had been the last time I saw him in the halls, and pulled me tight. “Akio is here to warn you to stay away from his girl or else. Fucking nerd.”

Jace shook his head at João. “What’s up, Akio?”

After shoving João away, I straightened myself out. “I, um …”

Why’d João have to ruin it?

João leaned against the lockers and lit up a cigarette. “That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

I pressed my lips together and looked at Jace, who seemed just as curious. “No.”

“Then, what’re you doing here?”

“I came to tell you that I had a good time with Imani on Saturday night.”

Jace chuckled.

João slammed me into the lockers. “The fuck did you just say?”

“You heard me.”

His forearm slid up my chest and to my throat. “You fucking want to say that?—”

Jace shoved him back. “Lay off the guy, João.”

After shooting João a glare, I turned on my heel and headed back down the hallway. I had wanted to confront Jace, but he seemed like a decent guy … at least from my one-minute interaction with him.

But that didn’t mean I liked him.

“Akio!” someone shouted from down the hall. “Akio, wait up!”

After readjusting my glasses, I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Nicole. With her heels clacking on the tiles, she ran down the corridor toward me, her hair thrown up into a messy bun and her eyes soft.

I didn’t know whether to continue walking to class and ignore her or wait.

The closer she came, the harder it was to pick up my feet or even drag them.

“Can we talk?” she asked, pushing a strand of her blonde hair around her ear.

“I have class,” I said.

“Screw class.”

“School is important to me.”

“You’re right.” She looked at the ground between us. “I’m sorry.”

“Nicole, I didn’t …” I started, unsure how to finish. “I mean … we can still talk. We have?—”

“No. No, you’re right.” She fidgeted with her fingers. “Maybe we can talk after school.”

“I didn’t mean it,” I said, shaking my head. “I mean, I did, but?—”

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