Page 79 of Bullied By The Bad Boy

My cheeks turn pink. I push my fingers into my back pockets and bounce on my toes. This is weird. “Forget I said anything. Thanks.” Ben folds his arm on his chest. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Ben looks away. A few seconds pass, then his eyes scroll over my frame. He cocks his head as if to speak, but his lips press into a thin line. About a minute later, I hear, “Who was that dude?”

I hide a smile. “What dude?”

“The one you were seated on his lap,” he spits out. My face crunches in faux confusion, and he grits his teeth. So cute. If I ever get a teddy, I’ll name it Benny. “That jerk you wouldn’t stop touching.”

Someone’s jealous, and I like it. I school my face into an innocent mask. “Brian is not a jerk.” Ben’s frown deepens. “He’s actually a gentleman. I fell, but he caught me. He saved me, Ben.”

“Yeah, saved you from your clumsy self.”

His jaw clenches. I should be offended by his choice of words, but my first reaction is to laugh. I don’t. His poorly veiled annoyance gives me enough satisfaction. Now he has an idea what I felt when he kissed Olivia after I made him a birthday cake. Since he hasn’t defined what we are, he can’t be mad at me. If Brian is right, Ben doesn’t have to hide the fact that he likes me. I like him too. I think it’s a mutual feeling, or he wouldn’t care who I hang out with. Brian is not a threat.

The awkwardness returns and my body sways lightly. The school bus is not in sight.

Ben takes a step back. “Are you leaving?” I blurt out.

“Yeah. There’s nothing left for me here.” I don’t miss the subtle jab directed at me or the flash of hurt that crosses his face, but I don’t offer any reply. Brian is right. I have to make him work for me. He hasn’t even called me by my name yet. “Asher won the game. We are off to celebrate it.”

Liar. Asher is with Samuel. They left together with the school bus. I spread my arms, then hug myself. The weather is cool. A great topic for conversation. “Cool weather to celebrate, yeah?”

He eyes me with apparent disbelief. “Yeah.”

“I could join you two. I don’t have to be home yet.” Seriously? I need a lock for my mouth.

What happened tomake him work for me?

Ben makes a throaty sound. I look away when his gaze returns to my face. “You are not invited.”

What?Breathe, Tessa. Breathe.It’s not working. Ben takes his first step away from me, and my entire body vibrates with anger. I glare at the foolish, rudest, and most entitled boy I’ve ever met.

“Is this it?” I scream. He stops walking. “You kiss me once, then act like I’m some piece of trash you can’t wait to dispose. Really?” Ben slowly spins to face me, and my heart breaks. “No, wait. That’s not it. You kissed me twice where no one could see us because you are ashamed of me.”

“Juliet…”

He holds his hands up, taking tentative steps toward me, but I am raging too hard to hear him out or care how I look. He does this every time. I have feelings, too, and they are hurt.

“We are not friends, remember?” I yell at the frustrating idiot. “And Juliet is not my fucking name, you moron.”

Ben flinches. I am grateful for the little distance because I can’t think so well around him. I make a sweeping motion across the empty field. As usual, he freely talks to me here because we are in an unfamiliar environment. No one from school can see us here. No one knows him here. The realization sends a new wave of anger growing inside me, and I level him with a deathly glare.

I am done.

“You are blowing this out of proportion,” he whispers in that silly voice that made me kiss him.

Am I? He’s annoying, and his smug face isn’t helping. There are so many things I want to say, and my head threatens to explode from keeping it all in. He takes another step forward. I snap.

“You know what? Fuck you, Ben.” My finger stabs the air, and a shiver rolls through me. “God forbid anyone sees the great Benjamin Carter talking to someone like me. I get it. I really do.”

Ben tries to speak, but I cut him off. “I’m not your type, and I was stupid to think for one moment that our kisses meant anything to you.” My words catch in my throat. I take a deep breath, barely seeing him through the stupid tears that decide now is a great time to make an appearance. “I am done. I’m leaving.” I spot Asher from my periphery and start walking backward. Why is he even here? This mess is his fault. “Make sure you tell your brother how much of an asshole you are.”

Forty-Five

Stupid me.Stupid tears. Stupid Asher. Stupid Ben. Stupid feelings. I pat my pockets for my keys. I need to leave this stupid place. My search comes up empty, and my feet grind to a halt. No way. I march in the direction I came from, my steps too fast. The first place I check is the bleacher. Nothing. I pat my pockets again, refusing to believe I have lost my car key. It was here with me.

How do I get home? It’s getting late, and my phone is in the car. Nice. I look up to the sky and groan. This is all Ben’s fault. I start the sad journey to my car, head cast down, arms wrapped around my torso. The only thing I know about picking locks is based on what Lett told me. And I’m not with my hairpin.

The early November chill air hits my face, and the tip of my nose reddens as I shuffle to my car. I’m screwed. I bump into someone, almost falling for the second time today. My head snaps up.

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