Page 18 of Enemies to Prom Dates
I turned and scowled at Fitz.
“Creeper, much?”
“I’m the tallest person here, I can hardly be accused of creeping up on anyone. Were you at the game tonight? Did you watch me play?”
I smirked. “Do you mean did I see you throw three touchdowns and run for a fourth. Leading the team to a decisive victory. Yes, I did. It was perfectly nauseating.”
Even in the dark I could see his smile. “You’re supposed to root for your home team.”
“I do. I just don’t like that it means I also have to root for you.”
He took a step toward me. “You know, Bennet, I was thinking maybe we could try something new this year.”
“Like what?” I asked suspiciously refusing to back up.
“I don’t know,” he said, holding up his hands. “Like maybe we couldnotbe enemies. I mean, don’t you find it tiring? Always competing against me…and losing.”
“Can you actually hear the narcissism when you speak? Or is narcissism one of those mental health conditions where the person who has it doesn’t realize it? I should really read up on it. It would help me understand you better.”
“So you admit you want to understand me better. I think that means we’re making progress.”
“Progress toward what?” I asked.
He leaned down until he was a little closer than I was comfortable with. He was the tallest person here, but I was not, which meant he had to bend a considerable way to get close. Close enough I could smell him. The lingering scent of some harsh soap he must of have used after showering off the game sweat.
“I’m not the bad guy you make me out to be. I think, deep down, you know that.”
It was too dark to see his eyes, but I could feel them on me. Almost like I was made immobile by his piercing blue stare. I felt him. Throughout my body and it made me tremble with what I was sure was unadulterated hate.
“You may not beabad guy, butyou’remybad guy. Which means I have to fight you at every turn.”
“Maybe you need to ask yourself if you’re fighting me or yourself.”
I laughed harshly. “You really think you’re all that?”
“I know I’m all that,” he said confidently. “I just want to hear you to say it.”
“Never.”
He tipped my chin up and for some unfathomable reason I didn’t slap his hand away, slap his face, or scream at him. All of those would have been much preferable outcomes than just standing there, letting him tower over me.
“Never is a long time,” he whispered. I practically could feel him pulling me toward him. As if first, he immobilized me with this gaze, and now, he was using the force of his charisma to pull me into some trap.
There was this crazy second. This moment of near panic where I was almost afraid I might close the distance between us and kiss him.
“There you two are!” Reen shouted, hopping into our space. “Hey, Fitz, awesome game. Have you met Locke? Locke, Fitz. Fitz, Locke.”
Locke nodded his head but then lifted a vape pen to his lips and took a deep hit. He offered it to Fitz who declined. Then me, with the same result.
Because when you think at any point you might have to verbally spar with your mortal enemy, you needed to have a clear head.
“Welcome to Haddonfield High, Locke,” Fitz said, standing now at his full height. “Watch out for these two. I hear they bite.”
Bite. Damn right I wanted to bite. That spot on his neck, right underneath his ear. I’d show him.
“See you around, Bennet,” Fitz said with a casual salute.
I gave him my own middle finger salute in return, to which he only laughed.
