I'm The Geek Who Slapped A Football Player.

67 - Not A Lucky Duck

"You look like crap,"

I glower through crusty eyes over at Farida in the passenger seat, who only smiles innocently. I slept maybe five and a half hours, what with us getting to Scarlett's house at 3:45am, and being woken up at 9:00am by Scarlett's very cruel and soon-to-be-my-murder-victim-if-she-looks-at-me-funny sister.

"You don't look much better!" I scoff back. It wasn't exactly true, the only thing was that her eyes were tired-looking and she had bags under them. Her messy bun was perfectly lopsided and her skin is still clear and vibrant despite the long day and night.

"I can handle that. Did you dream of your boy toys last night?" Her eyebrows waggle over her large and sneaky-looking brown eyes and I feel my face go pink and the return of that swirly-fluttering feeling I'd gained last night.

"No. Absolutely fucking not." My stern tone does nothing and she only cackles.

Last night had been...well. Last night. The party out in Hicktown had been a relatively relaxed affair in comparison to my last few parties, the guests all either not drinking much or at least being able to handle their liquor. Beer pong and a game called beer darts (which was FUCKING BARBARIC because they throw metals darts at beer cans near their feet!? I watched two darts get impaled on thick boots!) were the loudest events and still weren't all that obnoxious.

Loosing my glasses in the trees with Abel had been the most excitement I'd really had all night, and a warm feeling liked to glow whenever I thought about it, one that I didn't understand, and was at odds with the swirly-fluttery feeling I got when I pictured Sebastian's face when he saw me.

"Oh c'mon, did they wrestle in your dreams? I'd pay to see that,"

"Ew Farida!" I turn on my blinker and maneuver the van into the turning lane. We're about a block from our destination, a local coffee shop that Farida likes to go to and her boyfriend had shown her. We'd left the house to get coffee and give Scarlett a little privacy as she had to explain to her mom why we'd gotten home so late (she's told her mother it would be about 1am), and also probably try not to kill her sister who had told on us. "Isn't that cheating on your boyfriend?"

Farida rolls her eyes. "Noooo, just entertainment! Like watching you bounce between two of the hottest hunks ever. Like, we've got a fair share of hot guys in school but those two are top tier. What a lucky little duck you are,"

'Bounce between two of the hottest hunks'... That swirly feeling is back and I bite my lip. Is this guilt? Is this regret? Is this confusion? I can't make sense of it and try as I might, can't get rid of it. Scarlett's words from before, telling me that I didn't owe either of them anything, ring in my head but feel hollow within me.

It's stupidly obvious that they're both interested in me. Abel's always been more...almost jealous with Sebastian. I can see that now. I'd been almost purposely blind to it before, but I know I won't get anywhere just ignoring things, as little sense as they make. (See?! Growth!) Sebastian...well, he's just always been annoying. Maybe at first he didn't care and just thought it embarrassed me to have to be around Abel or something...but now...he's been...better after kissing me. Not like his kissing me excuses his being an absolute dick.

Farida seems to respect my mental squabble and hums to the radio and plays on her phone. I turn at the light, somehow able to drive and debate such heinous things as the attentions of two stupid and hot boys. And technically Abel being so sweet doesn't excuse his behavior either?! He was just as much of a dick, and he never believed a damn word I said! Typical fucking man!

I pull into a parking spot, fuming, red faced, confused. They both have become kinder, to an extent, and also want to be closer to me. My stomach twists very hard, butterflies exploding from it and flying up my spinal column to my brain, that's already running on its final three brain cells. They don't stand a chance against the hormonal butterfly horde, run brain cells, FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES—