You’re so stupid, Bronx! You’ll never amount to anything!
My eyes snap to Olivia, but she doesn’t say anything. She’s still explaining concepts to Delilah.
What the hell?
Shaking my head, I try my best to clear my thoughts, but the negative judgments keep crawling to the forefront of my mind. The whole lab period I fight with the voice swirling around my head, and Rat Boy’s shrewd smile and stare aren’t helping one bit.
“Bronx?”
I swing my gaze to Olivia to see that she is, in fact, speaking to me this time.
“Are you okay?” she asks, looking at me with concern.
“Yeah. Yeah,” I lie, realizing I’ve totally been zoning out on her this whole lab period.
She looks at me skeptically, but before she can confront me further Tracy dismisses the class.
“I’ll see you later,” I tell Olivia, ducking out the door in the opposite direction of her and her friends.
I walk down the hall, pacing at the end of it, trying to release some of the pent-up anger and irritation vibrating through me.
“What’s the matter, Bronx?” someone asks, feigning concern. I’d know that condescending voice anywhere.
I look over my shoulder to spot Adrianna standing behind me. She’s managed to squeeze her curves into the tightest pair of jeans, and her breasts are almost popping out of her ribbed black tank top.
Those piercing green eyes stare back at me, practically begging for a challenge.
Without a word, I charge her, gripping the back of her head and forcing her with my body to take a few steps back into a nearby empty classroom. As soon as we step inside, I kick the door shut behind us and Adrianna pushes me against the door before sealing her lips to mine.
Instinctively, I let out a groan, loving the feel of her plump pink lips and how her tongue swirls around mine. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t stop. As much as I can’t stand Adrianna most of the time, I have to admit, she’s one hell of a distraction and an immediate ego boost.
Adrianna roughly rakes her fingers through my hair and jumps, wrapping her legs around my torso. With one hand supporting her back, I walk forward and blindly find the nearest desk, setting her on top of it. With one swift movement, never breaking my lips from hers, I roughly shove the desk with her on it over to the door, blocking it to prevent anyone from coming in.
She giggles against my lips, momentarily breaking contact. “Eager, huh? I guess someone really missed me,” she taunts, and before she can say more to put me off, I slam my lips to hers to prevent her from saying anything else.
>> <<
I practically sprint to English, running late after my little lunch hookup with Adrianna.
The AC greets me as soon as I get inside, and I pause right around the corner. Running my hands through my hair, I try to make myself seem as put together as possible, despite feeling anything but.
While my hookup with Adrianna was an impulsive decision that made me feel good in the moment, I feel disgusted now.
Once I compose myself, I walk into our English class with my head held high, masking my shame to save face in front of Olivia.
“Hey, Finch,” I say, plopping into the desk next to her.
“Hey.” She looks over at me, giving me that signature smile, but it falters after a few seconds.
I watch as a handful of emotions scroll over her face, her expression eventually landing on suppressed surprise.
“What’s up?” I ask hesitantly. I know my face is probably still flushed from my lunch break activities, but that can easily be excused as the heat outside.
“Uhh,” she stutters, chewing at the corner of her lip, debating whether to tell me or not. It’s then I realize she’s staring at my neck.
“Yeah?” I softly urge her, already swiping at my neck.
“You, uh, have something—” She pauses, pointing at her neck, just below her ear, to signal to me.
