Page 23 of All In Good Time

“How about we get a movie this weekend? I was planning on rentingFootloose.”

“Didn’t we watch that already?”

“Yeah, so? I like it.”

He groaned, but he was smiling. “Fine.”

Their conversation came to a natural pause as he pulled into the school parking lot and straightened between the lines of an empty spot.

A shaking rev of an engine made them both turn to look out her window as another car pulled right into the space next to Marty’s ten-year-old BMW.

“What is this asshole doing here so early?” Marty mumbled, shaking his head as Derek’s window lined up directly with Becca’s.

She and Marty were always early to school. She much preferred to be the first person in the classroom rather than the last, where she was at risk of a great deal of attention on her. Because of that, she had never actually witnessed Derek arrive at school, since he infamously took his time waltzing into the hallways three minutes after the bell. Unlike her, he clearly liked a certain degree of attention.

She had heard all about his arrivals, though. It was easy to tell when Derek Stokes was at school, because girls would chatter excitedly about him.

But there he was. Thirty minutes before the first bell and parked right next to them.

He shifted the car into park and looked out his window at her, like he already knew she was there. He smirked when he saw her watching him.

“Let’s go,” Marty said, annoyance dripping from his mouth as he grabbed his bag from the back seat and opened his door to get out. His movement motivated her to follow along, opening her door and stepping out.

She crossed behind to the other side of the car, standing next to Marty as he tried to unbury his gym bag from the trunk.

One of Derek’s car doors opened and out stepped Mal, much to Becca’s surprise.

She didn’t know that Derek drove Mal to school, but maybe if she had seen him arrive at the school before, she would have seen it for herself. Mal slammed the car door behind her, a steady frown on her face until she rounded his car and saw Marty and Becca there.

The girl’s face brightened a bit, and she waved. “Hey, Becca.”

The other car door opened, and out of the corner of her eye, Becca saw Derek step out of the Monte Carlo.

“You better be on time today, or else I’m leaving you,” he called to his stepsister.

Mal rolled her eyes with no acknowledgment of his threat and walked away, leaving the three of them by the cars.

Marty shut his trunk and threw the gym bag over his shoulder. He glared at Derek, who was leaning against his door, cupping his hands around his face as he lit a cigarette.

Becca held her breath.

Marty would never admit it. He claimed that his hatred of Derek stemmed from how cocky he was. He’d once said that Derek’s ego was “the size of the Soviet Union.” But, really, Becca could tell that it had more to do with the fact that Derek showed up, and suddenly no one was interested in Marty anymore, because there was a shinier model available. That and the fact that he’d befriended the guy who stole Marty’s girlfriend. It was a laundry list of reasons.

“Morning, Parr.” Derek smirked, and a stream of cigarette smoke rose up with a puff into the cold winter air. His eyes slid over to Becca casually, but he didn’t acknowledge her.

Marty just scowled, not bothering to respond to Derek’s greeting, and turned to walk toward the school. Becca followed him. She chanced a glance over her shoulder, to where Derek still stood against the car, cigarette in hand. He didn’t look in a hurry to move, but his gaze followed as she and Marty walked side by side—a small, knowing smirk on his face the entire time.

She looked away.

“What a prick,” Marty mumbled, still glowering at the mere thought of Derek.

She swallowed, worried how she would ever be able to tell Marty about her friendship with Derek.

They entered the school, now filling up with incoming students looking forward to seeing their friends after weeks away. Some bursting with far too much energy, others dragging, trying to get back into the early morning swing after a long vacation.

Marty waved to a few girls, flashing a charming smile at new or old classmates. Some waved back, some rolled their eyes. None of it discouraged him. If he was anything, it was determined to redeem his title of ladies’ man. He seemed particularly taken with Jenna Marcus at the moment, the brunette-gone-blond since before break.

Becca rolled her eyes. “Are you going to keep ogling her, or are you going to go put your stuff away?”

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