Jaded (Jaded #1)

The doorbell rang when I laid down to watch a movie a little later.

Muttering an irritated curse, I moved upstairs and was surprised to see Mena at the door.

“Hi,” I murmured as I held open the door.

“Hi.” She looked nervous.

“Come on in.” I gestured inside and we walked towards the kitchen. “Do you want anything to eat? Or drink? I was just going to watch a movie.”

“Oh. Um…” She laughed again and shook her head. “I can’t believe this.”

“Believe what?”

“This. Me. You.” She waved between us. “I’m nervous and I’m never nervous.

I’ve gone against some of the richest snobs in the nation and I’m nervous around you.”

“Why?” I took out a Diet Coke and slid it across the counter to her. “You want a glass with some ice?”

“Sure.” She sat on a stool at the counter. She explained, “I’m nervous because… I don’t know. Dumb, huh?”

“I told the school’s counselor and the secretary of our principal to expel me today,” I stated bluntly. I hopped onto the counter and dangled my foot over the edge.

“It’s not dumb, but there’s not a lot that makes me nervous.”

“I know. I heard. That was pretty balsy.”

I shrugged. “Had nothing to do with balls.” I just hadn’t cared about the consequences.

“So…” She took a deep breath. “Have you thought about what I said before?”

“About being friends?” Who outright asked for a friendship?

“Yeah. I know…it’s kinda stupid, but I just wanted to know before I entered the social scene tomorrow.”

“Actually,” I smirked. “I’m supposed to become friends with you anyway.”

“Why?” She asked suspiciously.

“Because of Corrigan. He asked me this morning to make friends with you. He wants you to come to a party this weekend.”

“Oh!” Disgust flickered over her face before she contained it. “He recognized me after you left school. He did a double-take and started muttering about second chances. I don’t believe in second chances for scum like him.”

I frowned and pointed out, “He’s one of my best friends.”

“Oh.” Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I just—”

I waved her off. “Don’t worry.” I laughed and drank some of my own Diet Coke.

“Corrigan’s an ass. I told him myself this morning.”

“I’m sorry. I knew he was one of your best friends. I just…when I met Corrigan, he slept with my best friend and never called her. She cried for an entire week.”

That sounded exactly like Corrigan. I smirked.

Mena grimaced again. And then she cringed when her phone rang.

“It’s my brother,” she mumbled just before she answered it and moved into the living room.

When the front door slammed again, I heard Corrigan call out my name, “Sheldon! Where are you, you freak?!”

I waited as I heard his voice grow louder. Just as he turned the corner, a sly grin spread across his face and he shook his head.

I laughed.

“I cannot believe you,” he stated as he patted his chest. “You are my idol. I love you. I will always take your side whenever you fight with Bryce.”

“Shut up,” I chuckled and glanced down.

“Seriously, though,” he sobered. “You’re a living legend at school. Again. You told the counselor to go to hell.”

“No, I didn’t,” I corrected.

“You told her to expel you. That’s the same thing. You said ‘screw you.’ I’ve never heard of any student who had the balls to say that.”

“Yeah, well…I was pissed.”

“And frantic,” he added as he hopped up next to me. He patted my knee. “Bryce told me what happened. And thanks, by the way, for covering for me.”

That’s right. I’d forgotten.

“Corrigan, if that kid talks…” I started, concerned.

Corrigan stopped me, “Don’t. It’s covered.”

“I know, but…Bryce is right. If the cops find out, you know they’re not going to be nice. They’re after Hoodum.”

“I know and seriously—shut up about it,” he said firmly.

I snapped my mouth shut.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered in the next second. “I’m just worried about you, okay?

Bryce said you freaked about the counselor.”

“I know and seriously—shut up about it.”

Corrigan flushed, hearing his own words, but he shut up. He jumped off the counter and raked a hand through his hair.

And then we watched each other, at an impasse.

Corrigan didn’t want to be reminded how stupid his actions had been—not for the action, but because someone had seen him. And I didn’t want to talk about my counselor freak-out.

“Look,” he began. “Want to go grab something to eat? Let’s go do something.”

Just then Mena came back into the room and stopped short at the sight of Corrigan, with his back to her.

She stood silent and shook her head to me.

I asked, “Like what?”

Mena mouthed ‘thank you’ and moved to walk down the front hallway. A second later, just because I was listening for it, I heard a soft click.