Page 138 of Faux Real
Christ, this school is full of emotionally stunted people. “Right, well, carry on sulking then."
“I’m not sulking, okay?” he grunts as he glares at me. He looks angry but I don’t sense it’s toward me. Odd. “I’m just—” He slams his phone on the stairs, running his hands through his hair. “I’m over it. I’m fucking over it. Fuck this school. Fuck everyone who goes here. Fuck Zeek. Fuck Corrine. Fuck everyone and fuck everything.” His jaw locks. “I’m done.”
I blink, surprised Malibu Ken has such a potty mouth. “I take it you and Corrine broke up?”
Sawyer tosses me a scowl. “You think?”
“Listen, mate, I don’t want to sound like a fucking boomer, but there will be other girls, okay?” I say, shrugging. “It’s not the end of the world, yeah?”
Sawyer huffs, hitching a shoulder. “Think you caught the last good one.”
“She’s not a fish, Redford,” I say with a playful grin as I plop down beside him on the stairs. “But yeah, I’m pretty lucky.”
“Just don’t let her go like I did.” Sawyer closes his eyes, shaking his head. “Fuck man, what’s wrong with me? It’s like I can’t catch a break.”
“Or a fish,” I joke garnering the finger from Sawyer. Fair. “Mate, you realize you’ll be in college in a few months, right? Forget all this shit—” I motion around the school grounds. “None of it matters. You’ll be in a new city, with new people, newgirls— ”
Sawyer blows air from his nose. “I’m done with fucking girls.”
“Okay,” I hum cheekily. “Newboysthen...”
Sawyer glowers at me. “Not what I meant, Knight.”
“Hey...” I put my hands up, feigning ignorance. “You said it.” I let out a chuckle when Sawyer rolls his eyes. “Okay, okay but I don’t think cutting out girls is the solution to your problem.”
“No?” he asks, raising a challenging brow. “And what is?”
I shrug. “That’s for you to find out.”
“I’ll pass,” he says, staring out into the distance. “Next year is all about football. I’m not gonna let anyone get in the way of that.”
I snort. “Famous last words, mate.”
“What?” Sawyer asks, turning his head toward the swinging front doors.
“Well—” I smile as Kennedy gives us a questionable wave before walking down. Pushing myself up, I glance down at Sawyer. “I said the same thing before coming here. And now?”
“Hey.” Kennedy joins my side. I wrap my arm around her, pulling her closer to me. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” I say, kissing her temple. “Just having a chat.”
“About what?” Kenny probes, a tiny worry line on her forehead. She’s probably afraid one of us will end up with a black eye.
Sawyer and I look at each other, a strange air of understanding between us.
“Fish,” we reply at the same time.
Kennedy blinks. “You guys are freaking me the fuck out. What is happening right now?”
“Will you relax, love?” I lean down to kiss her face, my eyes watering from laughing. “Can’t a couple of lads have a conversation these days without an inquisition?”
“Yeah, God, relax KC,” Sawyer says grinning as he stands up. He holds out his fist. A Chad-ish truce? “I’ll catch you later, ‘kay?” I hesitate for a second before bashing my knuckles against his.
“See ya.”
Kennedy crosses her arms, glaring up at me once Sawyer’s out of sight. “Want to explain what just happened?"
“Nope,” I say, draping my arm over her shoulder and leading her to the middle of the quad. “So how was class?”
