Boys Will Be Boys

Chapter Two

“Yeah, maybe we could catch a movie sometime.” I say, making sure to keep it very blasé, very casual. Jennifer giggles, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger. You can just tell that she spent hours curling that hair and gallons of hairspray on it.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun.” She says, flirtily. “Call me sometime.”

I smirk. “Will do.”

She gives me one last flirtatious smile and then walks off. I stand there for a second, and then hear a low whistle and turn around.

“Nate.” I laugh.

“Nice pull, man.” He says, still staring after Jennifer.

I grin at him. “You know that’s how I do.”

He rolls his eyes. “You’re way too cocky man. Tone down your ego.”

“My ego is at a perfectly good size, thank you very much.”

“See?” Nate exclaims. “You’re even boasting about your ego.”

“Shut up.” I shove him into the lockers playfully and he laughs.

“Come on, let’s go to lunch.” He says, starting to walk backwards to the cafeteria. I sigh and roll my eyes, but follow him.

After we get our food from the lunch line, we sit at our usual table, where Alana and Jess are already seated.

“Guys, guess what?” Nate says immediately.

Jess pounces. “What?”

“Luke’s moving in on Jennifer.”

My eyes widen and I glare at Nate, who grins mischievously at me. Ugh! Jess turns to glare at me.

“Really, Luke?” she says, coldly. “It hasn’t even been five days since you broke up with Vanessa.”

“Look, I’m not dating Jennifer or anything. I haven’t even asked her out or anything. We’re just kinda…” I trail off, not really wanting to finish.

Jess’ eyes narrow, which—to be honest—scares the shit out of me. “Kinda what?” she hisses. I gulp.

“We’re just kinda flirting and messing around.”
Alana groans and drops her head in her hands. “Vanessa is literally going to kill you. No, like, I’m serious. Like, she is going to actually pull out your organs, shave off your skin and burn it all while your skinless body watches as you hang from a laundry line by your toes.”

Nate, Jess, and I all pause to stare at Alana. Honestly, what the hell?

“That’s disgusting.” Jess says, breaking the momentary silence we had. Alana shrugs and continues to eat her lunch. That kid is going to grow up to be a serial killer, I’m not kidding.

I hoped that Alana’s weird outburst would save me from having to continue the painful conversation I was having with Jess, but unfortunately Jess is not one to forget easily.

“But really, Vanessa’s going to be really pissed.” Jess says, pointing her fork at me in an accusatory manner.

“Aren’t she and Jennifer friends?” I ask.

“Not if Jennifer’s stealing her man.”

My eyes nearly pop out of my head. “Oh my God, you girls are literally insane. First of all, I’m not her man. Second of all, don’t your friends matter more? I mean, like, Nate here is freakin’ crazy about you, but even if you and I slept together, he and I’d be fine. I mean, he’d probably go ape shit for a while, but he’d cool off and we’d still be bros.”