Part 5 (2/2)
”Hey, I'm just as confused as you are. Take it out on Josh, not me.”
”Whatever.” After swinging her sunny blond hair over her shoulder, she straightened her shoulders and, her crew by her sides, strutted through the school doors.
That left me, Chloe and Jamie standing outside, immobile with shock.
”What just happened?” Chloe asked.
”I have no idea,” I answered.
”That was really weird.” Jamie shook his head. ”Do you think he's punking you?”
”Maybe.” I shrugged again. But I wasn't so sure. When Josh had touched me, I felt strange, different. His smell was strong in my nostrils. He smelled like candy. Tasty and sweet. It was odd to think of him like that, as something edible. But the sensation was there. My stomach even clenched a little at the thought of licking the side of his face.
Whatever was going on, I sensed it had something to do with all the other changes in me. But at least this one was pleasant. It didn't bother me one bit if Josh Kirby was attracted to me. I liked it. A lot. It gave me a feeling of power I'd never experienced before. Power to persuade. Power to seduce.
Feeling a whole lot better and not in the least tired, I readjusted my bag on my shoulder and went into the school, happy as a pig in c.r.a.p to be going in. Chloe and Jamie trailed after me.
Maybe my senior year of high school wasn't going to suck. Maybe it was going to be a life changing event. One where I'd never be the same again.
After a morning of getting cla.s.s schedules, coveting lockers, and wandering the campus looking for cla.s.srooms, Chloe, Jamie and I were sitting in Lava Java, a coffee shop not far from the school, drinking cafe mochas with whipped cream and tiny chocolate bits on top. It was our usual lunch time snack.
Our main topic of conversation-why Josh Kirby was flirting with me.
I pa.s.sed him twice in the hallway and both times he smiled. Not a random obligated smile, but a warm inviting s.e.xy grin that did interesting things to parts of my lower anatomy. Since I'd never really thought much about Josh in the past, my reaction to him was unexpected. He'd always been popular as the cliched captain of the football team, an A student and all around golden child. He even looked golden with his perfectly messy tawny-streaked hair, and gold flecked green eyes. He had perfect white teeth, that had to be bleached I'm sure at least twice a year, high sharp cheekbones and a strong jaw. He was as sickening good-looking as a top New York model, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Josh could strut down a runway with the rest of them.
He was so far off my radar that I never really thought about him. Especially not as potential boyfriend material. I preferred my guys to be tall, dark, and emotionally disturbed. They also had to wear too much black and like pain-I mean it did hurt like a son-of-a-b.i.t.c.h to get a tattoo and to get your tongue pierced. I know. I'd been through both. Anyone who says different is lying through their teeth.
So, I suppose it was hypocritical of me to all of sudden find him attractive. But I couldn't deny that I did. I could deny it to my friends, which I fully intended to, but I couldn't lie to myself.
”I just don't get it.” Jamie said as he chewed on his straw. ”It's not that you're not, you know, cute Salem, but I really don't think you're his type at all.”
”Thank you Jamie, for your insight.” I sipped my drink.
”Hey, I'm just saying.”
Chloe slid the straw out of her drink and used a spoon to scoop out the whipped cream. ”Well, it doesn't matter anyway, why Josh is interested, because it's not like Salem's interested back.” She eyed me curiously when I didn't say anything right away. I knew she was expecting me to agree with her. ”Right?”
I nodded vigorously, although my heart wasn't into the agreement. I was sort of interested. ”Right. I'm not interested at all. He's a jerk.”
I didn't think she was convinced of my vehemence because she asked, ”If he asked you out, you'd say no, wouldn't you?”
”Of course.” I avoided her gaze as I said the words. Instead, I concentrated on picking up a piece of chocolate with the tip of my straw.
She nudged me in the arm, and my chocolate flake dropped onto the table. ”Salem. I can't believe you're considering going out with him.”
”Holy c.r.a.p, Chloe, he hasn't even asked me out.” I dabbed at the chocolate on the table with my napkin. ”Why are we even discussing this?”
”Because we basically have nothing else interesting to talk about,” Jamie said.
”That new band Supernatural is coming to town,” Chloe offered, as she licked whipped cream off her chin. ”We should go.”
Jamie smirked. ”I hate those guys.”
”What? You just downloaded their latest CD,” she said.
”Yeah, that's why I hate them. It sucked donkey b.a.l.l.s.”
Chuckling, I stood. ”I'm going to hit the head.”
I made my way over to the ladies' room in the far corner of the shop. Both stalls were empty when I entered and I quickly used one, humming a little tune as I did. But when I came out the tune stuck in my throat and I nearly choked.
Trevor sat on the counter near the sink, a cafe mocha in his hand. He sipped it, his gaze never leaving my face.
I gaped, my mouth opening and closing like a guppy. ”What the h.e.l.l are you doing in here?”
”Trying to help you.”
I went to the sink, turned on the water and washed my hands. As I dried them with the paper towel, I scowled at him. ”How did you get in here anyway? Is the men's room all full or something?” I tossed the wet towel in the garbage.
He motioned toward the door. ”I came in through the door, genius. I placed an out of order sign on it and locked it so we aren't disturbed.”
”You can't just pop in here uninvited and expect me to be all grateful and happy about it.”
”I don't, but I do expect you to listen at least.”
”Why should I?”
”Because I'm going to tell you the whole truth but only if you promise not to freak out.”
”Dude, I'm already freaking out. How much worse could it get?”
”Oh, it's going to get a lot worse, trust me.”
”Well, that's the thing, I don't. I don't have any idea who you are.”
”I'm the band's roadie. I've been with them for three years now.”
My heart sped up and my palms went all sweaty. Panic was starting to settle inside. I didn't think I wanted to hear what Trevor had to say. He was going to tell me what I feared had happened that night. He was going to confirm that I'd been raped.
”You can tell Thane that I don't remember what happened that night. I'm not going to go to the cops or anything.”
”The cops couldn't help you anyway.”
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