Cruel Me

Chapter 26: The Mess I Made

This is awkward.

If only this wasn't an AP class, I would've gotten myself a hall pass and bailed. Too bad the cards weren't in my favor today.

"You can ask for an exchange."

I glanced at the girl beside me. She fiddled with the edge of the table. Her red hair fell on her shoulders, shielding her face from my view. I wasn't used to seeing her this shy. To be honest, I kinda missed the strong-willed girl who wasn't afraid of anything.

Guess I'm not the only one who got broken that night.

I sighed.

"Let's just get this over with," I said, grabbing the box of cornstarch from her side of the table and pouring everything into the glass bowl.

We were doing a lab experiment today for AP Chemistry. Despite the unfortunate fact that Snow was also taking this subject, I never had a problem with this class.

Until of course, I got partnered up with her.

Fate just fucking loves making my life thrilling.

"Get that water," I ordered, as I put aside the now empty box.

"Still bossy as ever," muttered Snow, picking up the glass of water.

"Who, me?" I replied automatically.

I noticed her crack a tiny little smile, before draining the glass to the bowl. I suddenly remembered that first time I made her smile in the library. My smug bastard ego very much liked that I could still do it – that I still had an effect on her.

Shaking my head, I dipped my hands in the bowl and began mixing them.

After a minute, I was already getting bored. I looked around to see how everybody else was doing because really, there was nothing else better to do than check out my classmates with their wincing faces and their gooey hands.

But instead, I caught Finn McKinley looking in our direction with a disapproving look from across the room. Aw, how sweet of him to waste time staring at me with such loving eyes. I grinned and waved a slime-filled hand at him.

With a glare, he looked away and turned his back on me.

"Don't provoke him," Snow told me.

I snorted. "Like I care."

She met my eyes, her expression stern.

"You should," she started, "unless you want a meaningless brawl in the middle of class and end up getting kicked out of AP Chem."

I hated it when she had a point, especially when she knew how high I liked to keep my grades. Damn. She almost always managed to keep me in line even back then.

Almost. I still hated taking orders from anyone.

"Way to take the fun out of it," I muttered.

Her jaw dropped. "Hey, I'm fun," she protested.

"Yeah, and I'm ugly." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Some things just aren't true."

"I played Scrabbles with you," she confidently reminded me.

My eyes widened in mock. "Wow, that's so fun it blew me the fuck away."

"I beat you in Call Of Duty."

"That was fun for you, not for me."

"You just don't like getting beaten by a girl."

I scoffed. "That was once."