Page 5 of His Pretty Little Lies
"Guess I'll be bored all day, then."
We both slow our steps when we enter the building. The smell of cleaning agents, old books, and cafeteria food hits us right in the face. I won't be missing that or anything else about this place.
Once Kinsley leaves, it could burn to the ground for all I care. If she asked me, I'd burn it down for her, but she wouldn't. Unless it was for a story, but right now, all her stories come from this place, and I think it's time I give her a story she'll chase. One that I'm dead center in.
Chapter Four
KINSLEY
The whole building is bleeding school spirit. There is a barrage of posterboards everywhere, along with banners and balloons. Those posters have to be professional. They aren’t your typical ones made with posterboards and markers. Nah, I bet my life parents and students paid to have them crafted.
I can get behind the team spirit, except I don't think many are really that obsessed with football. It's more about winning, and a posterboard isn't going to get you a win. I could be salty about the whole thing. The games aren't bad. You can people-watch and listen in on what others are gossiping about.
What makes me salty is that it's always the same. We win consistently, and while it's all in good fun, that makes for no story. Now there might be something happening with the varsity cheerleaders. The two captains of the team are at odds with each other. I noticed it when I walked into the building earlier.
Alice and Celia aren’t sharing a locker this year. It may not seem like a big revelation to an outsider, but everyone here knows it’s a big deal. Those two are always stuck together, and as a duo, they have serious claws. Despite the clichéness, they do complement each other well.
I mean, their names, Alice and Celia, are anagrams of each other, which I'm sure they haven't put together before. They were destined to be bitchy cheerleaders together. Now, what could have pulled them apart? I hope it's not a boy. Even bitches shouldn't let boys get between them.
I pray to the football and cheer gods that it's juicy. Either way, I'll find out because I'm too nosy for my own good. At least I'm self-aware about this.
Is Jax aware that he stares? I'm sure he is. I would stare right back, but I wouldn't last. If I did, by the grace of those football and cheer gods, win a stare-off with him, it would be a pity win.
There’s also the small fact that he has the most gorgeous blue eyes. Ones that could put you under some sort of spell if you stare into them too long. If you don't believe me, just ask all of the females in this school who are constantly pining for his attention.
At least do it secretly like I do! There is never a need to fill a man’s ego. If anything, around here we should be knocking them down. Everyone here comes from some form of privilege, except the rare exchange or scholarship student.
A lot of the boys here think it’s a privilege for a girl to suck their dick. Not that I’ve done any dick sucking or anything at all, for that matter. I might be being salty again because it’s few and far between when one around here even flirts with me. Not that I want them to, but it wouldn’t hurt to be noticed more once in a while.
I wonder if it’s my vibe. I try to be somewhat friendly. I’m good with people and chat up anyone if need be, but I’m still a loner, I suppose. Most days it doesn’t bother me, but it can get a bit lonely at times.
I swing by the media room out of habit. It’s where I spend most of my time when I’m not in mandatory classes or snooping around. The day is off to a great start when I see that the doorto the room is open, but no teacher is inside. We’re getting a new one, and I’m dying to know who it will be. Their vibe, at least. Ms. Dante gave us free rein as long as we didn’t get her in trouble. If we did, then we were in trouble with her. That had been the policy, and it worked great. I’m hoping whoever her replacement is will give us as long of a leash.
I’ll miss Ms. Dante leaving her computer on and logged in. There were more than a few times that I hopped onto it when she'd step out of the room. I'd stay late after school because the chances of getting caught went down. I didn't want to do it with other students in the room. They could snitch or worse, blackmail you. The people here will hold things over you just for sport.
I linger in the room. The desk is set for the new teacher, but there are no other details. Everything is off in the room, but there are only a couple of classes here a day. Knowing I can't stall forever, I head back out and toward AP Biology. The bane of my existence.
When I peek over my shoulder as I make my way down the hallway, I see Jax. The man is always around. I'm starting to think he haunts me, taking up far too many of my thoughts.
I couldn't deny the flutter of excitement I had when I first spotted him in the parking lot earlier. I hadn’t realized how much I was anticipating seeing him. That’s a bold-faced lie. I’d made sure to take a little extra time this morning getting ready, knowing damn well he would be exactly where he had been every day the year before. He's always there, standing with his brother, leaning against his car. The two of them could be mistaken for bodyguards and not high schoolers.
Both of them are tall, like really freaking tall, which is nice. I have always towered over everyone. A lot of boys aren't into that. They can’t stand when a girl is taller, but Jax, I can’t see himhaving that issue. For one, if you talked shit to him, you’d get more than hit. Second, he’d tell you to fuck off.
Damon is maybe an inch or two shorter, but he’s built broad, whereas Jax is this perfect male specimen. I'd know because I've seen him on the football field during practice, and he's taken his shirt off more than a few times.
He's got all these abs and hardbody lines. I might have doodled them once into one or maybe two of my notebooks. Okay, three, but football practices are long, and I still have to write posts and articles on the team, so really, I'm keeping busy doing my job.
It’s his eyes, though, that always get me. The darkness of the blue reminds me of the deepest part of the ocean you can see before everything turns pitch-black. I swear I can feel his eyes on me like a physical touch most days.
I know it’s all a coincidence, but a girl can dream. I bet every female in this place feels that way. In reality, he is merely assessing everything and everyone. I can’t judge. I do the same, but I think for very different reasons.
It’s not as though Jax has ever tried to talk to me beyond a few words in passing. We do, after all, have classes together. He doesn’t talk to any of the females here, from what I’ve taken note of. Not that I’ve observed, anyway. He sticks to hanging out with his family or male friends from the team. I know for sure he hasn’t dated anyone at Golden Prep. There is no way anyone here would be able to keep that secret for long.
It should embarrass me a bit how much I know about Jax’s dating history. Or lack thereof, but it doesn’t. A girl has to know these things. When it’s time to write a story, there is nothing worse than getting the details wrong.
I enter the classroom and head toward the back right corner. It gives you a view of the whole room. There are lab-style tableswith two seats at each desk. Nick, who is on the football team, is already in the chair next to the one I’m claiming.
Nick gives me a smirk, his expression knowing. I do take the corner seat in every room if I can, but I didn't think anyone noticed, especially Nick. I drop down into the chair next to him as Jax and his brother enter the room. I shouldn’t be surprised. We end up in a lot of the same classes. I grab my notebook and pen, pretending to be highly interested in it and not in Damon and Jax.
