As I walk down the hall, I can hear the mutterings.
Did you see her with Rocky?
Do you think she’s boning them both?
What’s so special about her?
She’s such trash.
I ignore it all, heading straight to my locker.
“Look who’s Miss Popular this morning,” someone singsongs.
I roll my eyes as I shut my locker door to find Hailee leaning against the locker next to mine.
“I didn’t ask for this.”
She snorts. “That’s what’s so great about it. Everyone is puzzled, trying to figure out what they see in you and you don’t even care. You would prefer they forget your name. They are in a tizzy.”
I walk past her, heading to class. She hustles to catch up, falling in step beside me.
“Come on, Will. You have to admit it’s funny.”
“Look around, Hails. All these people? They think they are cooler than me. Than us. They might not be the rich assholes in Brighton, but they still feel like they are better than us because they wear nicer clothes and live in a better zip code. We’re at the bottom of the totem pole. The only reason they are even looking at me twice is because they think their chosen gods are giving me the attention they are so desperate for. Once they realize that I’m the same girl I was last week, they will forget all about me and move onto the next girl Nate bats his eyelashes at.”
“Nate bats his eyelashes?” She bursts out laughing.
I can’t help but laugh with her.
“You haven’t noticed? I know batting eyelashes is a girl’s thing, but he has those long, thick lashes girls would kill for. When he talks to them, you can tell he’s flirting by the way his lashes move.”
“Oh, so you’ve studied him?”
I turn around, facing her. “More like observed. Like going to the zoo.”
She stops in her tracks, leaning over to rest on her knees as she full-on belly laughs.
“Oh, my god. If he ever heard you say that. That’s great,” she says as she wipes tears from her eyes.
I scoff. “I’m not scared of Nate Rockford. I’ll say it to his face.”
Her laughter dies as she straightens up.
“Oh? What would you say to my face?”
I turn, glaring at the man in question. “What is up with you Rockford boys? Always popping up when you’re not wanted.”
“Men.” His eyes are twinkling with humor.
“Excuse me?”
“You said Rockford boys. We’re men. I can show you the difference if you’d like.”
Looking over my shoulder, I smile at Hailee. “See. Just like going to the zoo.” I turn back to Nate. “Move. I’m going to be late to class.”
I push past him, leaving both behind.
“Wait. What does that mean?” he yells at me.
