Page 25 of Landon & Shay: Part One

“Landon Harrison as in the Landon Harrison who put bubblegum in your hair in middle school?”

“It was chewed-up Laffy Taffy.”

“You say that as if it makes it better.”

“Yeah, you’re right, it doesn’t, but it is what it is. Now, I have four months to make him fall in love with me before he makes me want to sleep with him.”

Tracey waved her hands in the air in complete confusion at my commentary. “I’m sorry, I’m just confused. You guys hate each other. It’s the only constant thing in my life—your hatred. I think it’s so weird that you’d even want to do something like this.”

“I know, but I couldn’t back down from the challenge. I walked in on him and Reggie placing the bet with each other about me, like some wild monkeys who had their chests puffed out.”

“Not my sweet, sweet Reggie!” she cried.

I rolled my eyes. “There’s a good chance he’s not as sweet as you think he is, Trace.”

“That’s okay—I like sour candy, too. Speaking of candy…” She held her hand out to me, and I pulled a piece from my pocket. It was a trait I’d definitely picked up from Mima, and I never left home without a pocket full of candy to keep me going through the day.

Tracey grinned, pleased, as she popped the candy into her mouth. “I’m just happy you overheard them. Could you imagine if they tried to play you? A classicTen Things I Hate About Yousituation.”

“That’s exactly what I thought, but now I have the upper hand, because I know what’s going on. Now, Landon is going to have to deal with the outcome of making a bet on me. He’s going to lose so bad.” Tracey studied me for a minute with narrowed eyes. “What?” I asked. She narrowed her eyes even more. “What?!”

“Sweetheart, I don’t know how to say this without sounding like I’m Team Landon, but…”

Her words trailed off, and I cocked an eyebrow. “Just say it.”

“You have a sensitive heart.”

I laughed. “What? What does that even mean?”

“Oh, sweetie.” Tracey frowned, shaking her head. “You write love stories for a living. You’re kind to every single person who crosses your path. You once bottle-fed an undernourished kitten before driving it to the vet, and…I don’t know, you recycle. I mean, you even put up with Hellica when no one else will,” she remarked.

“You meanMonica,” I corrected.

“I said what I said. She’s the definition of evil, and her non-boyfriend boyfriend is your nemesis. Do you really want to get in bed with Hellica’s guy? You know she has traits of being a bona fide psychopath to anyone who crosses her. Even if she and Landon have never officially been an item, she still calls dibs on him. There’s an unwritten rule that Landon Harrison is off-limits.”

“I don’t see what that has to do with our bet.”

“I just worry that loving is your default setting. If Landon Harrison shows any kind of flaw or weakness or…I don’t know,smiles, you’re going to react to it, and thenbam! His penis is in your vagina while you’re dazed and confused and you’re thinking you’re in love.”

“That’s a lie. I can do this.” I hoped I could. I prayed I could. Otherwise, I was screwed.

“Okay, well…there’s another issue at hand.”

“And that is?”

“I think you’re going to end up sleeping with Landon Harrison.”

“What?! No, I’m not! Also, you don’t have to say his full name every time you mention him.”

“Uh, yes, I do actually, because it’s Landon Harrison—your sworn enemy! You’re acting like this is just an everyday situation when, really, you two are walking into the colosseum of fights. You can’t lose this battle, Shay. Do you understand me? If you have sex with him, that’s you losing your virginity to Landon-freaking-Harrison! That would be a very expensive therapy bill down the line.”

I laughed, shut my locker, and started walking away. “It’s not that serious, Tracey.”

“Um, yes, it is. This is the most important win you’ll probably ever have a chance at in your life. If you get Landon Harrison to fall in love with you, you win the win of all wins. You are getting your enemy to bow down at your feet. If that’s not epic, I don’t know what is. I need you to stay focused these next few months. He’s going to try everything to get under your skin. He’s going to use his sex appeal to try to pull you in.”

“Landon is not sexy,” I spat out.

“Listen, Shay, I know you hate the guy, but lying isn’t going to help your case. I think all of America can agree that Landon is sexy.”

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