Jacob laughed.
“And anyway, being “in” would make things a lot easier,” I admitted.
“You’re not still finding surprises in your locker, are you?” he asked.
“Oh, no. Nothing like that, thank God. I just meant . . .” I paused for a moment. “Actually, I don’t know what I meant. And you’re right. I don’t think being ‘in’ with popular kids would make life any easier.”
“Probably harder,” Jacob said.
“Yeah. Too much pressure to look and act a certain way.” I finished my coffee and sat back in my chair. “Thanks for being nice to me this year.”
Jacob smiled. “Well, I had an ulterior motive, but it fell flat.”
I squirmed, and he saw.
“Don’t worry. I think I’ve finally gotten over my crush on you. I’ll settle for friendship if you want,” he said.
I looked him over. He was a bean pole complete with button nose and oversized ears. He had kind blue eyes and the curliest blond hair I’d ever seen.
“Friends,” I said, and extended my hand. He shook it. “We should have been real friends a long time ago.”
“Nah, see, that wouldn’t have worked because I was head-over-heels in love with you.”
I laughed. “Did that change once you heard I landed in juvie?”
“Hell no. If anything I thought you were the baddest chick around.”
I laughed hard. I didn’t even see Mr. Connelly walk in.
“I was scared to death the first day I went to juvie,” I said. Then I saw him. He was watching me surreptitiously. I tensed immediately.
“You okay?” Jacob asked.
“Sure,” I said, wiping at my shirt again.
Jacob caught sight of Mr. Connelly. “God, I hate seeing teachers outside of school.”
I chuckled nervously. “Me too.”
“Should we say hello?” he asked.
“Um . . .”
“Too late,” Jacob whispered as Mr. Connelly approached our table. “Hey, Mr. Connelly.”
“What’s up, Jacob?” he replied, and turned to me. “Cadence,” he said with a slight nod of his head. It was a really shitty thing to do. I understood we were over, but he didn’t have to treat me like a complete, inconsequential stranger. The guy used to put his mouth between my legs.
There was an awkward silence before Jacob piped up.
“Tech is playing tonight,” he said.
“I know,” Mr. Connelly replied. “I’m meeting some friends to watch the game.”
“Hope it’s better than the last one,” Jacob said.
Mr. Connelly chuckled. “Tell me about it. You watch college basketball, Cadence?”
Fuck you.
“No.”
Mr. Connelly nodded.
“Are you betting?” Jacob asked.
“On this game? No way,” Mr. Connelly said. “I’m not much of a gambler anyway.”
I know all about that.
“Well, it’s sinful anyway,” Jacob joked. “Right, Cadence?”
“Among a lot of other things,” I said.
“Like what?” Mr. Connelly asked.
“Hmm. I’m no Bible expert, but lying, cheating, stealing, treating people like shit . . . I think all those things would be considered sinful,” I replied.
Well, I made it three weeks. I had to give myself props for that. And I also had to cut myself some slack. I was a burned and damaged eighteen-year-old non-virgin having an awkward conversation with the 28-year-old man who took my virginity. Yes, I was allowed to be a little snarky.
Neither Mr. Connelly nor Jacob knew what to say and mumbled “goodbyes.” I watched as Mr. Connelly glanced back in my direction before pushing through the door.
“What was that?” Jacob asked.
“What was what?”
“That answer,” Jacob said. “What was up with that?”
I shrugged. “I just answered his question.”
“Are you still upset with Mr. Connelly about the white board incident?”
“Huh?”
“When he made you go up front to work a problem,” Jacob clarified.
If it were only that.
I shook my head. “I’m not mad at all. He asked about some sins, and I listed them. That’s it.”
“It was freakin’ weird,” Jacob said.
“Well, I’m weird, okay?”
“Okay, that’s cool,” Jacob replied, nodding his head.
I stood up abruptly. “Look, I gotta go.”
“I wasn’t saying you were weird, Cadence,” Jacob said. “I said it was. It.”
“I know that.”
“Well, you seem pissed at me all of a sudden.”
“I’m not pissed at you.”
“Really?”
“I’m positive, Jacob. Really, I am. I’ve had fun hanging out, but I just need to go home. It’s been a long day,” I said. And that was the complete truth.
“All right,” he said, his tone reluctantly resigned.
I could feel his eyes on me as I pushed through the coffee shop door.
***
I saw him across the lobby staring at me, and I wanted to make him jealous.
“I’ve gotta take a leak,” Tate said, handing me the popcorn.
“Classy,” I muttered.
“Oh, sorry. That was rude,” he replied, scratching the back of his head. He eyed me curiously. “Look, I’m just gonna say it.”
“Okay.”
“I’m nervous being on this date with you. I mean, I expected you’d say no, so it kind of threw me when you agreed.”
I smiled. “We’re just hanging out. No big deal.”
He nodded.
“You can kiss me if you want.” I couldn’t believe my boldness. But something in me simply didn’t care. “I mean, before you go to the bathroom. If you wanna kiss me on my cheek, I wouldn’t mind.”
Tate looked shocked. For all his forward questioning, he sure was a completely different person when it came time to act. And just for the record, I felt absolutely horrible using him this way. I didn’t want Tate’s lips anywhere on my face, but I knew what it’d do to the man standing yards away from me watching the scene.
Tate grinned and leaned over, planting a light kiss on my cheek. And it wasn’t so bad.
“Do it again,” I said. All of a sudden I felt like flirting.
He leaned over and kissed my cheek again, letting his lips linger for a moment.