Page 14 of Kiss Collector
As I’m gazing, Dean catches my eye. It’s as if he’s been waiting for me to get to him. Our eyes hook and snag, and I feel a shy, miniature smile slip onto my face. His grin is bigger. Dimplier. I abruptly look away, heart thrumming.
When the bell rings, I rush out. I don’t know what to do with this feeling. It’s... nice, I admit, but I don’t want it.
I’m paranoid as I drink my Capri Sun at lunch. My eyes dart all around the cafeteria, trying to spot people from English class watching me or other people drinking Capri Suns. I keep looking over at Dean and his group of athletes, but I swear he doesn’t look at me once. Also, there’s not another Capri Sun in sight.
“You okay?” Monica asks.
“Yeah.” I decide to tell them. “You know how I drink one of these every day?” I hold up the pouch and the girls nod. I tell them about the poem. Monica is grinning like the Cheshire cat, and Kenzie leans across the table, a serious twinkle in her brown eyes.
“Name every single guy in your English class,” Kenz says.
I tell them every one. “But after the poem was read, Dean was the only one who looked at me.”
Both girls stare over at his group, and I hiss at them, “Don’t look at him!”
They snatch their gazes back, giggling.
“Dean is a sexy beast, damn.” Monica’s face is vibrant. I can’t help but steal another look at Dean and nod.
“I love a good mystery,” Kenzie says. “Let’s figure out which ones from your class are in this lunch.” We stare around the crowded, loud room, and I count. Nine of the twelve straight guys in my English class are in here. And none of them are making suspicious eyes at us. This is going to be hard.
“Maybe it’s a girl.” Monica waggles her eyebrows, and I shrug.
“Wouldn’t that be a twist!” Kenzie laughs.
I bite off a hunk of my cheese stick. Whoever wrote the poem, I’m grateful because it’s the only thing that’s been able to numb the sting of this horrible week. Guy or girl, I want to hug them.
Across from me, Kenzie stiffens and looks pointedly down at her tray of half-nibbled taco salad. Monica and I turn to see Sierra, Meeka, and Raul from the squad coming at us. My stomach clenches. Sierra and Meeka are as high end as students get at Peakton. Sierra’s dad owns the huge car lot on Route 1, and Meeka’s parents work at the Pentagon. They both live in the same neighborhood as Kenzie.
I suddenly remember Raul is in my English class, so I shove the Capri Sun into my lap under the table. I don’t want him to think the poem might be about me.
Sierra sits right down next to me and says, “Hey, Zae. What’s up?”
“Hey,” I say. She glances over at Monica with a nod, but completely ignores Kenzie, as always. They have bad blood that dates back to seventh grade.
Meeka stands there smiling down at us, her long, muscular legs on display in a skirt. Raul looks down at his filed nails, as if bored.
“So...” Sierra’s eyes are smiling as she faces me, sitting super close. I stare at her sculpted eyebrows and eyelash extensions. She could totally be a Hillside girl.
“What’s up?” I ask.
For a moment I feel a sense of shame because there is something satisfying and exciting about having the full attention ofthe two most popular girls in school. Funny thing about popularity, though. There’s the kind that stems from being well liked, and the kind that happens because you’re feared. These girls could ruin your whole reputation with just one offhand comment.
“You and that Hillside guy broke up? Wylie Janac?”
My stomach drops at the sound of his name. “Yeah.”
She gives me a sad look, a press of her red lips. “Is it true he cheated on you right after you guys had sex?”
“What?” Here we go. “No. We didn’t have sex.” I’m not going to mention what wediddo. They’ll tell the whole school.
“Oh.” She looks disappointed.
“Really, Zae?” Meeka says. “Y’all were together a long time.” She gives me a look like she knows I’m lying.
“They didn’t,” Monica says. Kenzie crosses her arms, her mouth pursed.
“But you were up in the girl’s face, right?” Meeka says. “About ready to fight her?”
