I start to open the door when his hand covers mine. “Megan, listen—”
“No thanks.” I shake his hand off, along with any lingering sparks from the unexpected contact. “I said what I wanted to say…so, we’re done here.”
Because I am sticking to my plan. My solid, foolproof plan.
——————
“Why can’t you just be friends with him?”
I stare at Lora in disbelief. “Did you seriously just ask me that?”
“Come on, Meg,” she says, heaving a loud sigh, “you guys aren’t preteens anymore…I think the two of you are mature enough to be friends. Besides, hiding outside like this from Brayden is just ridiculous!”
“We’re not hiding!” I defend my sitting choice, which may or may not be the table behind one of our school’s giant oak trees. “And it’s not like Brayden really wants to be friends with me, Lora, it’s just a stupid joke to him.”
“What if you’re wrong though?” she asks, pointing a piece of her celery at me. “What if it’s not just a stupid joke to him?”
“You know,” I drawl, smacking my lips together, “I don’t think it’s fair that you’re lecturing me about Brayden when you won’t even let Holt tutor you.”
“We’re not talking about Holt,” she states in a matter-of-fact tone, now biting into her celery. “Don’t try to turn this on me.”
“I’m just saying…” I trail off, lifting a shoulder. “If you want me to take your advice and be friends with Brayden, then you should have to take my advice and let Holt tutor you.”
She frowns at that, causing me to smirk. Ha. Now she’ll have no choice but to shut up about it. Point for Megan.
I take another bite out of my sandwich while discreetly looking around to make sure that Brayden is nowhere to be found. Like I said, we’re not hiding, I just want to avoid him. It’s simple, really.
“All right, fine.”
“Hmm?” I turn my attention back to Lora, hoping I don’t look guilty. “What’d you say?”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t expect you to take my advice when I refuse to take yours.”
“Oh, well yeah,” I reply with a snort. “I mean, it just makes sense that—”
“Which is why I’m going to ask Holt to tutor me,” she interrupts, looking pleased with herself, “and you are going to be friends with Brayden.”
Now it’s my turn to frown. “Lora, no. No, no, no! I am not—”
“You’re the one that said it, sweetheart.” She raises her eyebrows at me. “No takebacks.”
Note to self: Stop saying stupid stuff that ends up biting you in the butt.
“I hate you,” I deadpan, snatching up my sandwich again. “If you’re seriously going to insist on this, then you’re gonna need to go first. I’m not waving my flag of friendship in the air until I have proof that Holt is tutoring you.”
“You’re ridiculous,” she says with a curse, “but sure…why not? I’ll go first.”
Maybe she’ll back out. Yeah! Once she realizes that getting tutored by Holt would be absolutely terrible, she’ll have to change her mind!
“Here.” She shoves her phone in front of my face. “Is that proof enough for you?”
I blankly stare at the text she just sent: Hey, Holt. Can we talk?
Dang it.
However, I stand my ground. “It just proves you texted him, not that he’s tutoring you.”
“Did I mention that you’re ridiculous?” She rolls her eyes before pocketing her phone. “Fine. Once I talk to him, and he’s legitimately tutoring me, I’ll send you a picture…how about that?”
I force a smile. “Sounds great.”
You know what’s not great? How fast my solid, foolproof plan is slipping through my fingers.
“So, can we sit inside now?” she asks, giving me a flat look. “Please?”
“We’re not hiding,” I repeat my earlier words, “it’s just really nice out here today, and I thought we could appreciate nature in all of its wonder.”
She snorts at me while shaking her head. “You’re so full of it, Taylor.”
“Where are you going?” I ask, watching as she stands up.
“You know where,” she drawls, grabbing her tray. “Have fun hiding out here with nature.”
“I’m not hiding!” I call after her.
She waves me off before going inside, and I resume my sandwich-eating. What a hater.
I glance around the area again, this time it’s out of pure boredom though, then raise a curious eyebrow when I catch a glimpse of a familiar face.
Okay, a semi-familiar face.
It’s Lincoln’s brother’s face. So, he does go to this school. Interesting. What was his name again? Leo? Levi? Ugh. I know it definitely starts with a “L.”
Oh great, I sound like my mother.
Well, my assumption that he’s probably dating someone still stands, so his name might as well be: TAKEN.
Because that’s my life.
Dang, is he cute. And now he’s gone. Well, that was a nice distraction while it lasted.
Ya know, why couldn’t a guy like him move in next door instead of Brayden? What did I do to deserve my jerk-of-an-ex-if-you-even-want-to-call-him-that as a neighbor?
I’m a pretty decent person, right?
I try to be a good friend. I don’t always fight with my siblings. I follow my parents’ rules. I make okay-ish grades. I generally have a fair attitude toward most people.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure I deserve to have a nice guy for a neighbor.
Or at least a somewhat nice guy.
Honestly? I’d settle for having any other guy as my neighbor. No one can be as horrible as Brayden.
Who does he think he is anyway? Telling me that “people change,” as if he has. Give me a break, I know a line when I hear it.
And now I have to be friends with him? Impossible.
Today might as well be the worst day ever.
